The fact that massage for a person is an excellent therapeutic and prophylactic agent is familiar to everyone. Did you know that massage is no less useful for animals than for us?
Our pets often experience stress, it can manifest itself in hyperactivity, restless behavior, unreasonable barking or meowing, aggression, or, conversely, in excessive lethargy.
In addition, animals can experience constant, unnoticeable pain sensations associated with chronic diseases inherent in certain breeds. So, a hereditary feature of large breed dogs is dysplasia of the hip joints, it is difficult for them to climb stairs. The scourge of small ones is back pain associated with deformation of the vertebral discs. Many animals find it difficult to climb stairs due to soreness in the neck.
You can significantly alleviate their condition by conducting, first daily, then twice a week, therapeutic massage sessions for your pets. Massage for animals is now extremely common, but veterinary care is not cheap and many cannot afford it. I assure you, you can quite cope with this useful for the animal and pleasant for you (yes, it is actually pleasant!) Occupation on your own.
Choose a location for the massage. It should be comfortable for both the animal and you. You should not bend low, squat, stretch your tense arms far. Place the animal on a mat on a table, ironing board or on your lap (cats, small dogs, birds, rats). If the room is cold, use an electrically heated bed to help the animal relax. Keep your hands clean and warm.
Do not massage fresh bites, cuts, or scratches. Very gently, with fingertips, massage recent fractures, sprains, tears of muscles and ligaments, ruptured discs. Do not massage at high temperature, shock, very serious condition or heat stroke.
If, while massaging the animal, you noticed some places with increased sensitivity or seals, swelling, be sure to contact your veterinarian without delay! Keep in mind that one of the big benefits of massaging animals is the early diagnosis of complex diseases. You would simply miss out on their development by not going into close contact with the pet's skin.
So, apply the following massage techniques to your little friends.
1. Shake your hands, rub them together to increase circulation and warm them.
2. Begin to gently stroke your animal with both palms (always strictly on the coat), gently, quietly and soothingly talking to him.
3. Pressing lightly with your fingertips, perform small circular movements along the muscles on both sides of the spine, first clockwise, then counterclockwise. Gradually increase the pressure as far as the animal will allow. Fingers during this movement should not come off his skin. Repeat three to four times.
4. Press in turn with your thumbs each acupressure point along the spine, starting at the back of the head and ending at the sacrum. Press down on each point for two to three seconds.
5. Use your fingertips to massage gently in a circular motion at the base of the skull. As the animal relaxes, move to the front, following the location of the muscles. Continue the massage on the front of the neck, avoiding pressure on the trachea, moving towards the base of the ears. Massage under the ears very carefully - there are lymph glands. Swelling in this area could be a sign of illness!
6. If the animal has specific problems (joints, old fractures that make themselves felt, old dislocations), pay attention to massage in this area. Stroke, knead the skin, then increase the pressure, kneading the muscle tissue under the skin.
7. Follow the massage with gentle words. In time, it should not exceed 15 minutes. Always finish the massage by stroking the body, head, limbs.
After 1-3 months, you will notice a dramatic change in the behavior of your pets. Dogs, with difficulty and reluctance to enter the stairs, will briskly run along it. In animals, apathy, lethargy will decrease, or, conversely, hyperactivity will decrease significantly. Because massage will relieve pains that you did not know about, then the unreasonable (in your understanding) barking and meowing will stop, sleep and appetite will improve.
Moreover, you will also get a positive effect from communication with an animal! Massaging your dog or cat will bring your own blood pressure back to normal! You calm down, your mood improves significantly. This has been verified by scientists.
While giving a massage to an animal, you are convinced of the healing effect of human hands on any organism, therefore, following the animals, you begin (and successfully!) To help relatives and friends and heal their ailments.
