Before your first appointment
As a member of the Canine Massage Guild, before treatment can commence on your dog I require Veterinary Consent. This is to abide by the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and Veterinary Surgery (Exemptions) Order 2015. By obtaining Veterinary Consent, I can be ensured that there are no contra-indications before treatment commences on your dog, and it enables me to work with your Vet giving your dog the best professional all round treatment.
To proceed with treatment
Contact me and I will send/post the relevant veterinary form to you
Read the form and fill in the details about you and your dog
Ask your vet to sign the form. Should your Vet require any further information, please let me know and I will be happy to speak directly to them.
Please bring your signed form to your first appointment
Your first appointment
Your first visit for Clinical Canine Massage Therapy will last around ninety minutes at my clinic in Nottinghamshire. Please note that without consent, I'll be unable to massage your dog.
The session includes a consultation and clinical massage treatment, followed by aftercare advice
Consultation
The initial consultation will allow me to make an assessment of your dog’s muscular health and identify areas of concern which I'll further explore during their massage. It allows me to tailor your dog’s massage treatment sessions accordingly.
The consultation includes the following;
Brief history assessment
Postural analysis
Gait analysis (optional)
Muscular Health check (palpation)
Consultation feedback
Brief history assessment
I'll take details of your dog’s activities, medical history, diet, lifestyle and activities of daily living, discuss your areas of concern regarding your dog’s health and discuss what you would like to see from their massage treatments
Postural analysis
I'll look at your dog’s static sit and stand postures and assess for any imbalances.
I'll look to see if they are fully weight-bearing, check for head, spine, pelvis and tail alignment and any areas that could be causing pain and discomfort.
I'll assess for any atypical postures such as roaching (kyphosis - dorsal curvature of the spine) and swayback (lordosis - ventral curvature of the spine), which can be key indicators of muscular problems.
Gait analysis
Gait analysis gives an insight into the way your dog walks, trots and canters, and allows me to see areas where your dog’s movement is restricted. It can indicate areas where they may be holding pain or stiffness, as well as any evident injuries and areas of over-compensation.
Using slow motion video analysis, I'll record your dog’s gait from different angles in the walking, trotting and possibly canter gaits, to establish any lameness or gait abnormalities. I'll investigate for thoracic and pelvic limb abnormalities, or lameness, and assess the suppleness of their spine.
I'll also check for any unusual gait patterns including pacing, bunny hopping, crabbing, head-bobbing, skipping, knuckling and paw scuffing.
Muscular health check (palpation)
By thoroughly examining your dog’s muscles with my hands, I'll be able to feel for areas of soreness, pain and injury.
I'll also check for muscular issues such as strains, trigger points (knots), myofascial pain, muscle atrophy, muscular spasms, scar tissue and any areas of hypertonicity (tightness). I'll examine for the 4T's (areas of tenderness, texture, temperature and tone).
Whilst performing the muscular check, It will give me and your dog a chance to get to know each other and for them to build trust and feel comfortable in their new environment, which will help them feel more relaxed, ready for their massage treatment
Consultation feedback
I'll discuss your dog’s canine massage treatment plan as well as go through any lifestyle modifications, including your dog’s diet, exercise regime and advice to help your dog achieve maximum benefit from the therapy.
Treatment sessions
Subsequent clinical massage therapy treatments last approximately fifty minutes. I typically recommend a course of three treatments over 3-5 weeks to achieve the optimum results. Each treatment is tailored to your dog’s specific needs, so no session is the same.
I'll be using a blend of Swedish, deep tissue, remedial sports and myofascial release massage techniques, and treating the specific injuries or areas of concern. I will be checking your dogs' range of movement in their joints, as well assessing for any orthopaedic conditions. I'll also complete a full body massage to release any areas of overcompensation.
Aftercare advice and recommendations
Following the third session, I will write up your dog’s assessment and treatment findings, and send them to your referring vet. I will also give you feedback comprising of a maintenance plan tailored specifically for your dog to help with their aftercare, lifestyle and general wellbeing.
Maintenance sessions
Maintenance sessions are useful to keep your dog mobile and are recommended to help manage chronic pain. It is an effective treatment for dogs with orthopaedic and neurological conditions, senior dogs, over-weight dogs, as well as an ideal pre & post season treatment for performance and working dogs, keeping them in great shape.
Canine Conditioning Programmes
As a Canine Conditioning Academy trained coach, Lisa delivers programmes that are tailored to your dog’s fitness needs.
These aim to:
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Build muscle
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Improve core strength and prevent injuries
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Enhance flexibility
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Develop balance, proprioception and co-ordination
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Target specific muscle groups
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Be mentally stimulating for your dog
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Increase your dog’s confidence and focus
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Be enjoyable for your dog!
Visible Improvements
The fitness courses are based on scientific research and are extremely effective and suitable for:
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Pet dogs to help with fitness and weight management
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Sporting dogs to improve performance and reduce the risk of injury
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Puppies & young dogs to set them up for success, assuring all exercises are safe and beneficial
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Senior dogs to help with mobility and comfort
What's Included?
A programme includes
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Assessing your dog’s condition, posture and gait using static, dynamic and range of motion analysis techniques
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Prescribing a fitness/conditioning programme that is tailored to suit your dog’s individual needs
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Professionally taught conditioning classes at Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced levels
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Obtaining measurable goals in conditioning and fitness, with regular feedback
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Online support and optional video feedback
Sessions Available
Lisa offers a variety of sessions, tailored best to suit your dog’s needs.
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1-2-1 classes
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Group sessions
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Sessions also available for sporting clubs
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A conditioning class can also be combined with a clinical canine massage treatment
To discuss how Lisa may help you dog, please get in touch