About Clinical Canine Massage

White Oak offers a complimentary Clinical Canine Massage Therapy that is safe and non-invasive, of which over 60 massage techniques can be specifically utilised to address areas of soft tissue dysfunction in the canine, including the pioneering Lenton Method®. This particular approach of Clinical Canine Massage uses advanced palpation skills, married with gait & postural analyses, bodymapping, and a robust knowledge of canine anatomy and physiology, to allow the therapist to ‘see’ under the skin of your dog, so that any muscular injury or fascial sickness can be identified and treated.  
Clinical Canine Massage can provide effective natural support and relief of symptoms associated with underlying chronic orthopaedic and neurological conditions such as pain and stiffness. It can be therapeutically beneficial in the general maintenance of a healthy musculoskeletal system in pet dogs, and to promote or address performance in working, sporting, or showing dogs. Clinical Canine Massage can also be applied to dogs with behavioural or anxiety issues as it stimulates the feel-good hormones and brings in the parasympathetic nervous system, and with post-surgical dogs to enhance natural recovery times and reduce scar tissue restrictiveness and associated pain.
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This amazing therapy can help to resolve many day-to-day mobility issues, having either recently been noticed or being present in your dog for a while, by releasing tight, sore muscles, removing debilitating trigger points or ‘knots’ that cause referred pain, and helps rehabilitate injuries by breaking down restrictive scar tissue caused by daily activities that may be responsible for your dog’s discomfort. 
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Image from the Canine Massage Guild Website at www.k9-massageguild.co.uk
 As a Clinical Canine Massage Therapist, I aim to give your dog results in just 1-3 treatments.
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Personally, I have undergone extensive study and practice to deliver this service and continue to develop annually by committed continued professional development. I liaise with your vet, and other paraprofessionals when needed, to provide a holistic and consistent management of care for your dog.

Does your Dog Suffer From?

  • Chronic Muscular, Orthopaedic, or Neurological Pain
  • Orthopaedic Conditions i.e., arthritis, spondylosis, luxating patella, hip/elbow dysplasia, cruciate ligament sprain.
  • Neurological Conditions i.e., wobblers syndrome, intervertebral disc disease, chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy, vestibular disease, cauda equina syndrome.
  • Myelopathy
  • Oedema or Joint Swelling
  • Intermittent or Persistent Lameness
  • Limping
  • Tripping
  • Sudden Crying or Yelping in Pain
  • Abrupt Twisting or Breaking
  • Engagement in Repetitive Activities or Behaviours
  • Gait or Postural Issues
  • Neck/Back/Shoulder Pain
  • Stiffness
  • Difficulty Rising from Rest
  • Early Signs of Ageing 
  • Senior Dog
  • Slowing Down
  • Exercise Intolerance
  • Reluctance To Go Out on Walks
  • Struggling to Use Stairs, Jump In/Out of Car, or Get On/Off Furniture
  • Disinterest in You, The Environment, or With Other Dogs
  • Self-Trauma Sites i.e., constant nibbling/licking/biting areas. Local hair loss or inflamed skin. Common around wrists, stifle, and back end.  
  • Muscle Wastage
  • Muscle Hypertrophy
  • Intolerance to NSAID's & other Medications
  • Post Surgery i.e., cruciate surgery, spinal surgery, spay, hip/elbow surgery.
  • Performance Issues
  • Anxiety/Depression/Behavioural Issues
  • Any Other Sub-Clinical Signs of Pain (please see ‘5 Principles of Pain’ Assessment Chart)

Why Clinical Canine Massage?

Soft tissue injuries are common in dogs and may cause extreme pain that can often mimic joint problems or exacerbate joint issues such as Arthritis or Hip/Elbow Dysplasia’s. Many of these injuries are caused by daily living activities such as general wear and tear, ball throwing, up and down stairs, jumping in and out a car, harness or collar pulling when out walking, rough playing with other dogs, and genetic postural difficulties such as long backed breeds or sloping hip breeds.

Chronic soft tissue dysfunction can negatively impact long-term musculoskeletal joint health and can contribute to chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Soft tissue injuries include:

Muscle Strains – tearing of the muscle. Can be sudden, or repetitive strain injury.  

Scar Tissue – restrictive tissue that forms after injury to a muscle. Scar tissue does not have the same elasticity as muscle tissue so can restrict muscle movement and be incredibly painful.

Trigger Points – specific areas of fibrous ‘knot-like’ bunching of muscle fibres. Can be very painful and weaken the muscle.
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Adhesions – the binding of a muscle to another muscle, or to a bone, thus limiting muscle movement and strength.

Myofascial Pain – fascia is a moisture rich connective tissue that surrounds every cell, organ, bone, muscle, and nerve, and is interlinked, like a cobweb across the whole body. When fascia loses its moisture content, it becomes sticky and unable to move properly, causing it to bind to everything it surrounds, causing restricted movement, stiffness, lameness, debilitating nerve pain, and restricted blood flow to muscle areas. Commonly responsible for referred pain.  

Hypertonicity – chronically tight muscle that causes muscle weakness and muscle fatigue. Often associated with muscle splinting.
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Muscle Shortening – permanent shortening of a muscle, causing restricted movement and postural changes. 
With chronic orthopaedic conditions, Clinical Canine Massage promotes the health, tone, and elasticity of muscles that support the joints. These soft tissues can become significantly injured and painful due to the excess stress placed upon them by a diseased or compromised joint that isn’t working properly. If the joint muscles are not able to perform appropriately, the joint can become further compromised, with increased pain levels. Other areas of the dog’s body often begin to overcompensate, taking the workload and pain off the affected joint which, if not addressed, can lead to ‘whole body cycles of overcompensation and repetitive pain’, and decreasing mobility.

Clinical Canine Massage is a results driven therapy that combines your dog’s history, veterinary diagnosis (if any), gait and postural analyses, continual assessment of muscles and passive joint range of movement, and treatment, to bring about positive change in your dog’s mobility, comfort levels, and quality of life.
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Benefits of Clinical Canine Massage

  • Reduced Musculoskeletal or Neuromuscular Pain
  • A ‘Happier’ Dog
  • Coping Better with Chronic Orthopaedic or Neurological Disease
  • Improved Mobility and Flexibility
  • Improved Range of Joint Movement
  • Resolved or Reduced Lameness/Limping
  • Reduced Stiffness
  • A ‘Younger’ Dog
  • A Renewed ‘Zest’ for Life
  • A Return of Character
  • Return to Normal Posture and Gait
  • Improved Performance
  • Improved Working/Sport/Show Performance
  • Improved Exercise Tolerance and Activity Levels
  • Enjoying Walks Again
  • More Social with People and Other Dogs
  • Engaging in Play
  • Improved Mood
  • Easier to Use Stairs, Jump In/Out of Car, or Get On/Off Furniture
  • Quicker Recovery Times from Surgery or Injury
  • Improved Coat Condition
  • Better Quality of Life
  • And Many More..!!! 
Getting your dog therapeutically treated with Clinical Canine Massage by a Member of the Canine Massage Guild is a must for any dog owner concerned with their dog’s mobility and health. It can help give answers for what you are seeing and your what your dog is experiencing, and then be able to provide support to you and your dog. 

For more information on how Clinical Canine Massage Therapy can help your dog,
please visit the Canine Massage Guild website