Canine Therapy

How to best start this blog? 

Canine myofunctional therapy is all about the muscles of the dog. I see dogs that have hip displaysia, sprains, strains, arthritis and dogs who have seizures. What many don't realize is when I see a dog that has a symptom, not only do i treat the area but the whole body also gets the treatment. You see, when one part is in pain, the rest of the body will compensate which means stress and strain on the other part of the body muscle which could lead to injuries if nothing is done about it. So when ever I start my treatment, I pay attention to the muscles, the fascia, the hair follicles of the dog, the gait of a dog and I know when a dog has over used his front legs, or his back legs by feeling the muscles. Many think that it's simple, just massage the dog, yes i agree general massages you can get away with it but if you were to go deeper and don't know what you are doing, you may get bitten and you may even injure your dog further causing him more pain. It's like going to a massage place and having an inexperience person massage your body and coming out battered and bruised. I know I have done that before. Now I only go to a person who is qualified and who would not abuse my body. The philosophy of no pain no gain just doesn't work sometimes. 

For dogs, if they are in pain, they will not hesitate to warn you, by growling and if you ignore it, they will bite. My treatment does not necessarily mean they won't feel pain, they will fell it depending on how severe they're condition are but the difference is this, I pay attention to their behaviour, what they tell me and adjust accordingly. I can't tell the dog "No Pain No Gain"..they will just inflict the pain on me! :D 

As an experienced canine myofunctional therapist, i've learned to look out for signs from the dogs through their eyes, their character, trusting my hands when I treat them. I've seen hyper dogs when I start therapy that calms down at the end of the therapy and sleeps. Trust with myself and the dog is very crucial and at the end when the dog feels relax and happy and well he will wag his tail the next time he sees me. Now that is reward in my eyes. 

My dog after therapy session happily sleeping away.

Canine Myofunctional Therapy

With a blink of an eye, I realized that I've been a therapist for dogs for 5 years and yet my profession as a canine therapist is undervalued and looked upon as new. I admit that while I haven't done much to advertise, what I do, on the main stream. I set up booths during SPCA events or any other doggy events that others happen to have. I sell holistic products to bring awareness to those who owns dogs and try to raise the care of their dogs and in turn create a healthier dogs. However, this is a slow endeavour. Malaysians aren't very perceptive to change just yet. I stand corrected, a majority of Malaysians are slow to take on to the changes in animal care. In this day and age, it is no longer acceptable to just keep your dog outdoors, ignore it for hours and just feed it once a day. It is no longer acceptable and it is frowned upon to chain your dog up for hours or keep him or her in a cage! It is considered as animal cruelty. In my years growing up in Malaysia, I have seen changes in how dog owners care for their dogs but alas not everyone treats their dogs as part of the family.

Dogs are very much a part of the family. They crave attention and love just like a child. Therapy is also part of what the dog needs because as we 'humanize' our dogs, they do not live in their natural environment anymore. They crave touch and in the wild they will massage themselves by rubbing on a bark of a tree. These days, with animals living in condominiums, there aren't many trees they can massage themselves on to create fresh oxygen in their body.

Muscle therapy helps in keeping the animal's muscle supple and prevent muscle injury. In fact one treatment you can actually see the difference in your dog and the way he / she walks. I have a client which have been ongoing since 2008 which was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy - early stages of spinal degeneration. The first time I treated her, a miniature pinscher, named Eppy fell into a deep sleep for hours. The owner was so worried she called me. I assured her that it was normal and that her body was repairing itself. Eppy used to suffer from spasms where her muscles would stiffen and she wouldn't be able to move during her attacks. She would just stand for 10 minutes or so during her attacks. The result, her muscles were very stiff and hard. She would limp and she couldn't lift her head. It was very painful for her. After a few treatments, her spasms lessen and in time her treatment was reduced from once a week to once every two weeks to once a month. After 6 months of treating Eppy's attacks lessen. In 2011 she had mild attacks. Today after 5 years of treatment, she has had no spasm. Her last attack was in 2011. Today she's a happy little girl, she greets me with her monthly 'bark' (she's actually scolding me because I don't see her as often these days which I don't mind). When I treat her, she just sits in her bed quietly and falls asleep. A dog knows when something good is happening in his / her body. Her muscles are back to normal and she can now lift her head. Her owner is very happy on her progress. She has maintained a monthly therapy so that Eppy's attacks never occurs again. Eppy was also said to not live a long. She was 6 years old when I started treating her. Today Eppy is 11 years old and going strong. I am quite happy to see her up and about and her progress after her treatment.

This photo was taken by my client recently on me treating her dog at my holistic centre in Bangsar. She has hip dysplasia and her gait was a little bit off. After this treatment, she had a bounce in her walk and was feeling quite happy. Look at her face during treatment. She looks so content and happy.

So why not give it a try? Your dog may not necessarily have any ailments, start early when they are healthy. Eventhough you may not see the obvious result on a healthy dog, at least you know they are in good hands and will have a healthy life. You know the saying, prevention is better than cure.