YOU Can Do Massage For Your Senior Dog or Cat
Watching your companion age can be very difficult. Many people feel helpless to ease their pet’s growing aches and pains. There are MANY therapies you can use such as acupuncture, anti-inflammatories, herbal medications and supplements. Sometimes these therapies are not available or not economical. Good news! Today I am going to introduce you to massage for dogs and cats that you can start doing RIGHT NOW! Best of all, it’s FREE!
Massage therapy has amazing benefits for both animals and people. Some benefits include faster healing, better circulation and just plain feeling better. Not only is massage beneficial for your dog or cat, but helping your furry friend better is great a feeling for you too! I usually recommend that guardians spend 5 minutes each evening, maybe while watching your favorite show, snuggled on the couch massaging tight areas.
Ok, so now for the tutorial.
1. Where to start. Don’t start with the most painful area. Get your dog or cat started with long strokes or small circular motions in an area that feels good. Most animals have their favorite area where they liked to be scratched or rubbed. Once you get into a rhythm, you can venture gently to spots that might be sore. Common areas that need massage include the mid and lower back, hips and the back of the front legs.
2. Finding the right pressure. People like different degrees of pressure during massage, so do animals. Start gently and pay attention to your animal’s cues. Walking away, licking your hand or tensing of the mouth means STOP for dogs. Cats may walk away, growl, or pin their ears back. Sometimes cat body language is harder to read. Pay attention and let your animal know you are listening and will respect their boundaries.
3. How long to massage. Unless your animal tells you otherwise, keep it five minutes or less. Massage can be a lot of stimulation which can overwhelm some animals.
Still have questions? Need a video tutorial? Click here. I would love to hear from you about your experience with massaging your senior pet.
