When you pet your animals or take time to groom your pets, you are doing a form of massage.  This type of activity warms your pet’s muscles, tends to the health of their skin and coat and provides good social bonding experiences…so by all means, pet your pets often…it is so good for them and for you.

But from time to time, your pet might need a little extra help from someone highly trained in behavior, anatomy and physiology and biomechanics who can assess and understand your pet’s needs beyond basic petting and grooming.  For those times, you want to find a professional with at least 200 hours or training or more specifically in animal massage.  They will know advanced techniques to help with specific challenges your pet might be facing.  Remember though, nothing replaces proper veterinary care and your massage therapist should work with your vet to provide your pet with the best possible care.  An animal massage practitioner cannot diagnose, treat or prescribe treatment for a specific condition, but there is a great deal they can do to support the care you are already providing and they might be able to tell you when it is time to visit your vet before a small problem becomes a big one.

You can learn some of the basic techniques that animal massage practitioners use by attending the one-day FUNdamentals of Animal Massage workshop at NWSAM.