Rub your dog the right way

Massage brings dogs and owners closer and helps some dogs heal faster. Paralyzed , Blitzer lay sprawled atop a stainless-steel exam table, his worried owners standing by his side.

Bob Esplin, DVM, performed a thorough physical, trying in vain to find why the 7-year-old red Doberman Pinscher suddenly could move only his head and neck. After blood tests also failed to identify a cause, Esplin suggested transferring Blitzer from his clinic in Sylvania, Ohio, to the Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital in Columbus for further tests. The prognosis was poor, he cautioned. The owners sadly said they were unable to afford the specialized care and they didn't want Blitzer to suffer. With Blitzer minutes away from euthanasia, Beth Peoples, a veterinary assistant, asked if they would let her try to help him.
The owners allowed Peoples to adopt Blitzer and assume responsibility for his care. Peoples and Jonathan Rudinger, RN, LMT, a licensed massage therapist, massaged Blitzer's muscles, joints and limbs everyday, Peoples carefully carried the 70-pound dog down a flight of stairs and into a friend's whirlpool. Blitzer was walking again n two months. He has returned to a healthy 85 pounds and out-races Peoples on her five-acre property in Lambertville, Mich. "To me this was a miracle", Peoples said. "Blitzer is living proof that massage works". Esplin agreed. "I come from a traditional veterinary medical background, but there is no question in my mind that Blitzer really benefited from my massage. His turnaround was amazing."

A growing number of veterinary practices and dog households embrace massage as a valuable tool. Massage can: Speed post-surgical recovery, reduce symptoms associated with chronic conditions and arthritis, socialize puppies and shelter dogs, curb problem behaviors such as destructive chewing, and strengthen the bond between dog and owner.
Massage has found its way into the athletic and show arenas, too. Kneading, pressing and circular motions help release tension and increase flexibility before agility trials or conformation shows. "Once you learn massage, you'll never pet your dog the same way again," said C. Sue Furman, Ph.D., an associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology at Colorado State university in Fort Collins and a canine and equine massage-therapy instructor from Windsor, Colo. "There hasn't been much research done on therapeutic touch for dogs, but we're heading in that direction as more people are getting interested in learning massage." Blitzer's recovery convinced Esplin to hire Rudinger. Rudinger massages nervous dogs to help them relax before surgery, and he works to hasten dog's natural healing after surgery. "I mostly work with medical cases, but I've discovered that when you calm dogs down physically, emotional calmness usually follows," said Rudinger, who recently opened the Pet Massage Training and Research Clinic in nearby Toledo, Ohio. "Dogs out of sorts or in pain are more apt to be fear-biters. Massaging seems to help their bodies and their attitudes." Massage appears to have improved the disposition of a hyperactive Pomeranian mix named Berkly who was prone to snapping. Pain in a hind leg gave her a sideways gait and may have caused her foul mood. "She sure mellowed out after getting some massages," said owner Crystal Bostian, a marketer from Toledo. "Now she walks straight. Jonathan taught me massage, and now I tap my lap at night and Berkly hops up. By the time I've finished, she's snoring."
Dogs need regular massage, said Pamela Hannnay, an Oriental-healing-arts-instructor from Flanders, NJ, and the author of Shiatsu for Dogs (J.A. Allen & Co. Ltd., 1998). "Dog will overdo in trying to please you." Hannay said "They don't know how to say no, so they can pull muscles and injure themselves." Hannay offers dog owners three-hour introductory courses in shiatsu, an Asian form of massage. Hannay teaches that gentle but steady hand pressure to meridian lines and accu-pressure points on a dog's body can unblock and enhance the flow of energy. "By performing regular massage on your dog, you form a closer friendship with your dog," Hannay said. "You're also better informed to discuss any lumps or body changes in your dog with your veterinarian."

Despite the benefits of a massage, don't regard it as a cure-all or a replacement for traditional care such as medications or surgeries, said Furman, author of Canine Massage: A Balancing Act (Wolfchase Press, 2000). "People need to realize that massage can heal, but if performed incorrectly, it can also harm," Furman said. "Never massage over an open wound, broken bone or surgical spot. You can do more harm than good." The power of touch knows no age boundaries. Massage benefits puppies as well as senior dogs. Gwen Buchanan, a professional dog trainer from Terra Haute, In, completed one of Furman's canine-massage courses and now demonstrates the value of massage at the puppy charm schools run by her son, Zach. When she returns home, her five adult dogs practically line up for massage sessions with her, she said. "They like massage so much that they will put their heads under my hand as if to say, 'It's time,'" Buchanan said with a laugh. "All five get regular massages one time of day or another." So does Blitzer, now 9 years old and displaying the spirit and energy of a puppy. Fully recovered, he accompanies Peoples to work, tolerates donning Halloween costumes, and regularly brings tail-wagging cheer to hospital patients. "Wherever I go, he goes," Peoples said. "We're inseparable." The power of massage has touched both their lives.