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Soft tissues first, then exercise

As a massage therapist, I want to ensure that your dog’s muscles and soft tissues are warmed, supple and ready for exercise. Before we begin any exercises or stretches, I will give your dog a full head-to-toe massage. There’s no rush – and clients find that when their dog is allowed to warm up and relax, we get much better results.

Physical rehabilitation is an important part of recovery following most orthopedic, musculoskeletal, or neurological injuries.  Our goal is to relieve pain and get your dog back on its paws again.

Enzo, recovering from meningitis, IBD and other health conditions

Rehabilitation services are beneficial to improve mobility and quality of life for dogs of all ages and stages

  • Senior dogs:   manage arthritis with soft tissue support, pain management, and age-appropriate strength and mobility exercises
  • Ex-racing greyhounds:   care for the dogs based on previous racing injuries (not just those that required surgery), with my extensive experience as a greyhound owner
  • Agility dogs:  improve their strength, fitness and condition, while providing you with a full body assessment before events
  • Working Dogs:  farm, search and rescue, assistance dogs, police dogs – these dogs are performance athletes in their own right and a bespoke care programme will focus on injury prevention so they are working for longer

Massage & rehab — common questions

Most dogs will benefit from hands-on therapy.   For senior dogs, massage and targeted exercise eases joint stiffness, improves mobility and reduces muscular compensation.  For canine athletes and working dogs, massage and targeted exercises help with muscle warm-up and injury prevention.  For anxious dogs, massage lowers heart rates and reduces cortisol levels through parasympathetic nervous system stimulation.  Massage is contraindicated for acute injuries – seek veterinary attention first for these injuries.

Yes. Massage is gentle and non-invasive, and is often especially helpful for senior dogs managing arthritis and stiffness.  I combine massage with PEMF, laser and tuning fork therapies which are all non-invasive, Fear-Free modalities for older dogs.

No.  Many dog owners seek out support independently.  However, we always ask for veterinary records for new clients for review and we encourage referrals from vets, too.

I often see dogs for rehab after cruciate ligament surgery.   The rehab programme differs depending on the type of surgery and your dog’s age, size and other health conditions.

Surgery techniques may include:  extracapsular repair, TTO, TTA and TPLO.  I provide clients with a workbook which shows the weekly progression the rehab programme following surgery.  Since each dog is different, we will review progress at each session and adjust accordingly.

If you have scheduled your dog for cruciate surgery, it is always a good idea to book a pre-surgery session.  I will cover what to expect when you bring your dog home, how to use ice for managing inflammation, and teach you passive range of motion stretching.

Case study

Case Study:  Roadie the Staffy

Roadie, age 3, was referred to me in September 2025 by trainer Adele Curran of Hear the Dog over concern about his hind legs which were experiencing regular tremors. After a full gait analysis and health history, we started on a sequence of acupressure massage, laser therapy and PEMF treatments combined with an at-home exercise programme for flexibility plus core and hind leg strengthening.  By January 2026, he was doing well but, after gaining holiday weight and doing zoomies one day, he went lame with a suspected tear of the left cruciate ligament. 

His owners opted for conservative management to get Roadie’s qualify of life back on track and to avoid costly surgery.   A diligent weight loss programme followed with intense laser and massage sessions every week to manage the inflammation.  We have gradually added to Roadie’s exercise programme with weight bearing, pivots, core strengthening exercises and maintenance sessions of massage, PEMF and laser every 6 weeks.  Roadie has returned to normal activity as of August 2026 and, at age 4, is a testament to what regular canine fitness can achieve.  Follow Roadie on Instagram at Roadie the Bluish

Book a consultation

Book a free 15-minute phone consultation to discuss how I can help your dog.

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