Hands-On Healing: Canine Manual Therapy in Orlando, FL

Okay – so the answer to the question posed in the title of this section is pretty obvious. Canine manual therapy is a rehabilitation therapy treatment offered to dogs. Manual therapy can be used to help improve canine health in many different ways. Canine manual therapy can include, massage, joint mobilizations, joint stretching, and more. As a non-invasive treatment option, manual therapy offers many potential benefits without some of the risks that come along with treatments like medications and surgery. Of course, manual therapy is not going to be able to address all health issues, so working with a professional to determine the best course of action for your pet is the right approach.

​Also, it is important to note that canine manual therapy needs to be performed by a trained professional. Yes, your pet is comfortable with you and may let you lightly massage certain areas, but you likely don’t have the training or experience needed to perform proper manual therapy. When done incorrectly, it’s possible to do more harm than good, which is certainly not the outcome you have in mind.

So, what does your pet stand to gain when provided with manual therapy treatment by Happy Paws or another qualified provider? The list below is a good starting point:

• Alleviate stiffness. You might have noticed that your dog seems stiffer than in his or her younger days, and this can affect the way the dog is able to play with you and other dogs. Through manual therapy, it’s possible to loosen up some of that stiffness and help the pet get back to playing freely once again.
• Pain relief. It’s no fun to watch your dog live with ongoing pain, and you’ll certainly want to do whatever you can to cut down on that pain, or eliminate it altogether. While many different approaches to pain relief can be effective, manual therapy is one non-invasive option to explore early in the process.
• Improved circulation. One of the benefits of manual therapy for dogs – and humans, too – is the improved circulation that takes place in the aftermath of a quality therapy session. With blood moving more effectively through the body, fresh oxygen is delivered and healing and recovery may be boosted as a result.

It’s normal to have plenty of questions about scheduling a canine manual therapy session for your dog. We’ve collected some common questions along with the relevant answers below. If your questions aren’t addressed here, please contact us directly for assistance.

Q: How often should my dog undergo manual therapy treatment?
A: There is no one scheduling interval that is right for every dog. We will work closely with you to understand the needs of the dog and figure out what frequency will provide the best results. It might be that only having this type of work performed once or twice per month is enough to keep your dog feeling great, while dogs with specific issues that are being addressed might benefit from daily to weekly therapy.

‍Q: Isn’t petting my dog good enough?
A: We certainly love to pet our dogs, and the experience of receiving petting is beneficial to the animal for many reasons. However, petting is not the same thing as manual therapy, and will not deliver the same health benefits. These are two separate forms of touch, and while both are important, they do not stand in for each other.

Q: My dog doesn’t like to sit still. How can he or she receive this type of therapy?
A: It’s uncommon for a pet not to like the manual therapy experience, although it can happen. We will work with you and your pet to make the therapy process work, and we are understanding that a dog will not sit still for a long period of time like a human may be willing to do for a traditional massage session. We are experienced in this field and will work to overcome any challenges while delivering a successful, beneficial treatment.