Getting it right from the start

Bailey is a 2 year old Sproodle who decided to have a couple of random stop and sit downs during walks.  When his vet examined him, it was noticed he seemed to have a stiff neck and upper back and was prescribed a short course of NSAIDs. 

But a few weeks later, on a return to the vets, he still seemed uncomfortable and was recommended to visit us for a check-up and advice.

Working with such a young dog is perfect for our ‘helping you to help your dog’ philosophy.  Discovering and assisting Bailey’s mobility issues as a puppy, will enable his Mum to carry those skills into his maturing days.  It’s about knowing what to do and being empowered to help and those skills can be learned at any stage.

Your dog will get older but that course doesn’t have to be predetermined.  It doesn’t have to be a case of they get old, they stop moving, they get worse which will ultimately lead to an unacceptable impact on their quality of life.

Bailey knew that he needed some help and, although timid, allowed me to work with him and show his Mum what he needs now and in the longer-term.

Things such as getting into the habit of giving him a quick warm-up and cool-down before and after exercise is something that will benefit him whatever his age.  Our Sarah refused point blank to move in the morning until we’d given her a warm-up in the park.  She knew how beneficial it was.  We simply incorporated it into our morning routine.

Daily massage on the muscles and joints that take all the stress and strains of being a dog is beneficial whether your dog is 2 or 12. 

We found that, as well as tight neck and upper back muscles, Bailey was also uncomfortable on his thighs possibly due to compensation.  This gave us a plan for a massage and exercise routine Bailey’s Mum could do now, to help with his current issues while enabling her to know how to will help him later.

As Bailey gets older the massage routine will grow and develop.  His needs as a puppy will differ from those as an adolescent or middle-aged boy.  A 15 to 30 minute daily massage, warm-up and cool-down, simple stretching mobilising exercises and generally making the most of every opportunity given, will make sure you get to know your dog’s body and needs.  This will prevent injuries by identifying tissue change before it becomes a problem.  Added to that the bond created with your dog, helping your dog with physical therapy is a wonderful skill to learn.

Looking at Bailey’s expressions during the session, he will soon start to become a Massage Diva demanding and guiding his Mum on the areas that need help.

 

 

"I actually feel positive for the first time since he got the diagnosis”

Handsome soulful big fluster Golden Retriever Leo is only 17 months old but his Mum noticed clicking from his hips and sometimes he struggled to get up or “he looks like he has old man bones” as his Mum put it.  But he’s a puppy, a big floppy, soft puppy who wants to play and not struggle.

He had several radiographs from a specialist vet who determined that he has bilateral mild hip subluxation without secondary change in any other joint.  They recommended a number of things to help including maintaining a low weight (Leo is in stunning shape), regular but not excessive exercise (Leo goes out a couple of times a day for gentle walks), on and off lead work (to make sure that he gets some controlled exercise rather than puppy antics), water treadmill (which he has already started), non-slip flooring (Leo’s house is now a perfect example of slippy floors being covered) and manual therapy.

For me, he was a classic case of helping the carer help him, rather than visiting a therapist every couple of weeks.

His Mum and I had no worries that he would be an awkward candidate for massage.  A bit of a wriggler but also a lot of googly eyed snoozing.

We found that he had been compensating for his hips by some overuse of his front end muscles and mid back.  But his thigh muscles were in great condition, as was almost everything about him.  We just needed to make sure everything stays that way.  And, more importantly, his Mum is aware of how he feels today so she has something to use as a gauge for any changes.

For the 90 minute initial session, Leo smiled, yawned, snoozed, grinned and generally acted as this was the best thing ever.

His Mum and I went through an appropriate massage routine and some stretching/balancing exercises to assist with the muscle tone and joint movement.  Leo was a very fast learner.  Within two attempts he realised that by standing on the soft cushion and stretching forward he’d get a treat.  What we saw though was him using his hips and core muscles to get hold of that treat.  Exercise without knowing it.  And getting a treat.  How I wish going to the gym was as easy for us!

His Mum wrote “Absolutely incredible, I've learnt so much. Thank you ever so much, I actually feel positive for the first time since he got the diagnosis”.  Another carer successfully empowered to help their own dog.

And I shall follow his progress on his Instagram page of http://www.instragram.com/leo.eat.sleep.retrieve

 

Massage and digestion

Cathal’s Mum has known us for many years and even hosted us in her shop to chat to her customers about the many benefits of canine physical therapy. And now it is our turn to help her with a not often discussed benefit of physical therapy - digestive issues. 

In 2016 we had a request to help Floc who was suffering from constipation. When he came to us, we performed lots of gentle work over his abdominal muscles which were, understandably, as tight as a drum. Before he left, he had a few successful ‘movements’ in our garden and then, over the next few days, his carer would send me plenty of texts describing other successes – LOTS of successes. 

Cathal had been suffering from an Impacted bowel for 1 week and, like Floc, had been straining uncomfortably. This was, in turn, affecting his whole body. He was standing hunched, he was wobbly, he was constantly trying to push down. He looked very uncomfortable. Think how you would feel or stand in a similar situation. 

His Mum had taken him to vets a few days before my visit where he had been sedated and flushed as the X Rays showed he was backed up into his colon. But he was still holding himself tight. 

He is a bouncy boy with a short back for a French Bulldog. When he is well, he doesn’t really squat when pooing but stands and pushes. Any extra hunching due to this new discomfort, would affect his mobility further. Cathal was made for massage – he adored it. 

I started working on other areas of his body before getting to his tummy. But I needn’t have worried. He just smiled and sighed when working around his abdominal area. 

I spent an hour with this lovely boy easing out his strained back muscles and generally helping his recover from his poo-tension. 

After I left, he was fast asleep with a relaxed look on his face. Massage therapy is truly holistic working on the whole body. 

Team work

Bobi is a 2 year old Retriever cross, (although googling him he looks more like a Kuvasz – Hungarian Sheep Herding dog) who was rescued from Romania earlier this year by Blind Dogs Rescue UK. He only has some vision in one eye. 
 
It appears his shoulder was dislocated at some point and left unattended. Consequently, it has now fused in a dislocated position. He has early signs of arthritis in that shoulder and also in his hip joints. When he was taken to the vets down here, he was put on an anti-inflammatory and Amantadine. Hopefully he can be referred to a specialist. 

It is likely before rescue, that he had been chained as he has a dread of collars (so uses a harness). It is also unsure whether his blindness was due to a trauma or since birth. 

Added to all this, he has a lump on the bone on his right ribs where they were possibly broken and fused as a lump. Because of his dislocated shoulder, he doesn’t place much weight on his left front leg. This, in turn, throws his rear end out which is already stiffening due to his arthritis. Both back legs are creaky. 

Despite all this, he is a puppy with bouncy puppy behaviour. Our aim, for the first session, was to assess his physical issues and to find out if he is tolerant of physical therapy. He will never have been worked with in a helpful manual manner. 

Chris used Reiki first and calming signals which did the trick and very shortly he was lying in his lap. This allowed him to work on his stiff (very) back and stiff (very) neck. 

Bobi was lapping up all the attention and relief for 30 minutes but then had a bout of puppyness. It was almost as though he had gone “Oooooooooo…that feels so much better. I can be a daft boy again”. 

It took a while for him to regain his position on the floor, but he did. Bobi will be a team collaboration with the carers (for his wellbeing), vets (for medication and possible surgery), us (for manual therapy) and the behaviourists (to help him adapt to live after rescue) who will all work together as a Care Team to help him settle and realise he is now safe.

#imhomenow

Starting canine physical early

A frequent misconception we hear and read is that massage therapy is only necessary for a dog when mobility issues appear. In fact, it is equally appropriate to start manual therapy before these issues appear. 

Dogs are putting their bodies through all sorts of stressors – both mental and physical – every day. Helping to prevent these stressors becoming a chronic issue is just as important as treating an existing injury. 

A dog who fits into this category is Ziggy. He is an 8 month old (possibly but not sure) rescue from Spain. He is largely a Vizsla with something else. He has a very gentle soul. When he greeted me at the door, he didn’t jump up at me...jump would imply he leapt....it was more of a gentle placing of each front foot on my chest with a look of “I don’t know who you are but I love you anyway”. 

When he arrived from Spain, he was very reactive - understandably. New house, new country, new brother and all that after a long trip in a van across Europe. His new Mum and Dad immediately started working with canine behaviourists and trainers to deal with his reactiveness. 

He is fine with people, it’s other dogs and the outside world which stresses him. He was very thin on arrival and has filled out a lot. 

He also seemed quite hunched (again understandably) so we were both invited over to check him out physically while working with his brother.

All these stressors will affect the way Ziggy holds his body and move. Luckily, he is in stunning condition and couldn’t get enough touch. He seemed to enjoy his preventative check-up session.

2 years between canine massage sessions - same result.

It is a good plan to learn how to support your dog throughout their lifetime and to help them reach their full potential through knowledge and physical therapy. Recently I have had several returnees after a year or more to do exactly that – looking to learn more about how to manage their dog now they are a little more mature.

November 2016 I was invited over to show Mum and daughter how to massage their wonderful Retrievers Asbie and Tor. At that time Asbie was only 1 year old while Tor was 4. The other week I was invited back to give Asbie’s Mum a refresher/top-up lesson appropriate to the fact that that Asbie is no longer a new pup. Mind you, Asbie still thinks he is a new pup. At first he was being a bit of an ‘imp’ as his Mum put it, but after 30 minutes or so he assumed the “I love you Mum” position, looking up at her with that soppy grin as she worked her way through the new massage routine. 

Asbie, and brother Tor, now do agility in their garden with weaves and tunnels. But their main activity is Scent Work, once a week for 3 hours. Added to this are 2 daily walks and regular swims all contributing to the amazing condition Asbie is in at 3 years old. These activities are going to help maintain their mobility while daily massage can contribute to support their quality of life. 

Asbie has now grown into his body making it easier to see how balanced he is, how strong and toned his muscles are and any areas we need to concentrate on. In fact, he was pretty much perfect and simply needed Mum to adapt the techniques we went through 2 years ago to the increased size and mass of Asbie. As dogs grow, develop and mature, the techniques they like and need, change and adapt. 

Asbie adored the new bonding with Mum and her increased knowledge of his body. Just because he is not slowing down yet or showing any signs of discomfort doesn’t mean he won’t benefit from a daily massage routine. Getting it right at the beginning, making these simple changes, being aware of his body, will make all the difference as he matures even more. 

The one thing that hadn’t changed over 2 years is the end result – Asbie asleep & relaxed after all that massage. Here’s 2016. Not a lot difference to 2018 really. Looking forward to meeting him again in 2 years time and checking in with his progress. 

Another review of our workshops

Our introduction to the Sussex Pet Rescue was through a training session I did early in the summer. There was a pleasant surprise yesterday to receive a copy of their latest Newsletter with an article about my session with Pearl (and her brother Archie). 

The article says "Pearl is our 10 year old Staffie adopted from the SPR 3 years ago. 

She had a very rough start in life, and, adding that to her age, we discovered she was starting to creak a bit as she went about her daily life. We decided to look for a way to help her tired bones get through the day. By chance we met Dr Les Ellam at a dog show where he was demonstrating massage techniques. We introduced Pearl to him and, when he began to massage her, she simply melted. 

After a lot of happy grunting from Pearl we managed to chat to Les and discovered, among a variety of classes etc, he did home visits. We arranged a day for him to visit and work with Pearl and our Beagle Archie. Les arrived and began with a very informative chat about a dog's anatomy and structure which was full of common sense and not the usual dry lecture. 

After 2 hours learning how to massage our dogs, taking their individual needs into account, he then showed us some warm-up and cool-down techniques to be used when exercising the dogs. 

In addition, my wife Sue, is disabled and Les showed her how to perform his techniques with the dogs sitting on her lap. Pearl and Archie probably had the best two hours of their lives and, as the photo shows, Pearl enjoyed a snooze afterwards. 

As a bonus, about 24 hours later, Les emailed a complete guide to everything we done with him including diagrams. 

We now spend about 15 minutes a day massaging the dogs and it is a great way to end the day with them. One complaint - they both spend a lot of time rolling around in front of us trying to get extra rubs!" 

I'll happily take that complaint!

Adding canine massage to your dog's daily routine can't start too early

When I started AchyPaw all those years ago, I mainly had requests to help with dogs who were already showing symptoms from their arthritis. But this year, I’ve had more people asking me to help their young dogs or dogs newly diagnosed with arthritis. They are trying to help early rather than waiting until the disease starts to maim and lead to mobility issues. All also want to learn a daily routine that they can use in between therapy sessions. 

Awareness of complementary ways to help arthritis and other mobility limiting issues is spreading. 

Imagine how wonderful it must be for a dog having Massage + Owner in one place. Dogs love massage. Dogs love their owners. And now their owners are helping them with physical therapy. What a powerful treatment. 

Now meet Daisy. She had pneumonia when she was only 18 months old which led to one third of a lung being removed. She is not yet 5 but after having X-rays for another problem, her vets discovered possible spondylosis and the beginning of arthritis. Her Mum said she is ‘clicky’ which sums it up perfectly and sometimes her left elbow becomes swollen which results in a slight limp. 

 Daisy is still young. If we can start helping to strengthen her muscles and joints, keeping them supple and healthy, we should be able to maintain her quality of life. 

Two years ago, her Mum visited us at the RSPCA Open Day and took a card. When she recently found out that Daisy might have mobility issues later in life, she immediately called for a treatment and hands-on session. 

 Daisy wasted no time in getting down to the treatment session. She fell asleep almost before I was sitting on the floor with her. I was able to work completely on one side, before we got her up to turn her over so Mum could practice on the other side. Interestingly, that was the side where she’d had her operation scar and she was slightly more reactive. But that was good, as her Mum could learn all about taking the pressure off over sore parts. And sure enough, Daisy then let her Mum perform the full routine. 

Owners + Massage = very happy content healing dog. 

It’ll be a good day when all caring owners become aware of early signs of arthritis or other mobility issues in young dogs and look to help their dogs before these problems become chronic and the dog must constantly cope with their discomfort. That’s my mission for 2018. 

How young is too young to learn canine massage?

How young is too young to learn canine massage? I’ve never really thought about it until the other day when I had an enquiry from a Mum of a young dog who wanted to come along to one of my workshops. I’ve successfully worked with several dogs under the age of 1 and even had a couple come along to a workshop who were 6 months old. One of those ended up fast asleep in the middle of the room after 45 minutes and only interrupted the class with his snoring, while another was too excited about being in a room with lots of other dogs. 

But there are plenty of human Mum and Baby massage groups and workshops available. In fact, Chris’s new grandson, the gorgeous smiley Caleb, went to such a class to improve his motor co-ordination and general body awareness. So why not Mums and Puppies? 

I felt it best to give the Mum a call and see why she wanted the session and to learn more about her dog. We had a 45 minute chat – very thorough. 

As to The Why, the puppy was her first dog, she had only had cats before. She felt she didn’t really know anything about dogs – how they work, how they bond, how they play and, most importantly, how to look after them physically. 

As to The Who, the puppy was a Labrador. His name was Sherlock. He was black. He was cute. He was 18 weeks old. 

Well…let’s be honest, she had me at puppy. Then at Labrador. Then again at Sherlock. I was putty by that time. 

OK…let’s go for it. We felt that the puppy would struggle sitting still, or laying still, in a class format so Mum decided to bring him here. From Streatham in London. A long way to come. That’s dedication for you and a Mum who really wants to go that extra mile (literally in this case) to help her and her dog. 

 I collected Mum, her Mum and Sherlock at the station rather than making them get a taxi or bus. Well….I wanted to see this smasher first hand. He was sitting very politely by the kerb waiting for his transport. Oh….love at first sight. He even sat in my car happily watching the Brighton traffic go past. I don’t think he was listening to my commentary about the Royal Pavilion or the Pier or Roedean or the Lido….he just was in awe of the world. 

During our trip home, I was asking his Mum more about The Why. It turns out that Sherlock has been rather poorly in his 18 weeks with lots of tummy issues, ear problems and has been on antibiotics more times than not. Mobility wise he is fine but he could do with some Sherlock Down Time to help his insides recover and heal. His Mum said “he always looks sad. I want to be able to help him”. 

That did it for me. This was going to be success if it took all afternoon. 

As it happened, we didn’t need all afternoon. We ran through the massage techniques that could be performed on a puppy which would help keep those growing muscles in top condition and others than could help him relax. We used both Sarah and Sam, the magic demo dogs, to try things out while Sherlock entertained himself chewing the carpet. 

 Then it was his turn. Unexpectedly, Sherlock remained in one place throughout the first run through of the routine. A bit of wriggling but no getting up to see what is over there. Remarkable. 

We then took him in the garden for a wee and a leg stretch before checking out what his Mum had remembered. This was the defining moment of my canine career I reckon. Sherlock, remember EIGHTEEN weeks, just flopped in his Mum’s lap, smiled and fell asleep. Yes, there were tears. I might have joined in. 

Was he happy? You bet he was. Was he relaxed? Well he was snoring like a good ‘un. Was his Mum now his best friend ever? Just look at the pictures. Listen to the accompanying video posts. 

 This worked largely because his Mum wanted it to. So much. She needed to know that she and Sherlock will now be a life team. And I think they will. All it took was 3 massage techniques to change his life and hopefully start him on his road to recovery. His Mum performed those three over and over while he snoozed peacefully grinning with an occasional endearing toe stretch. 

My day with Sherlock is certainly going in my book of Top Ten Canine Massage Moments.