With more and more people thinking openly about holistic treatments rather than the traditional approaches of the past, the industry of human health care is often a popular topic of conversation. For dogs, it’s no different. Pet parents are often researching how to naturally ease their dog’s sufferings from a specific ailment to not just avoid pain but help them feel as good as possible.
As you know, our dogs are with us for fewer years than we prefer and many of us will often outlive them. The best thing to do if you know if your dog is in pain is to treat it as quickly as possible. Holistic treatments might be sought out to help with recovery from surgeries, joint injuries, and disease such cancer and even osteoarthritis. Here are the top holistic treatments we all should know about:
Canine Massage
This is exactly what you think it is! Massage encourages healings by relaxing muscles and relieving stress. The benefit of this is that you could do it yourself. Then it becomes a great bonding experience between you and your dog and it feels good for you both. Another benefit to dog massage is that you will quickly learn where the sore and swollen spots are on your dog and be able to see if you can improve them with massage. A quick Google search will help you find the benefits and massage pressure points on your dog. Be sure to listen to your fur-baby’s cues if they don’t like it, don’t push it.
Canine Chiropractic Care
Pet parents take their dogs to a veterinary chiropractor for similar reasons people go to a chiropractor. Simply put, if a body is out of alignment, this can cause pressure to joints and muscles until it is put back in place by a chiropractor. There are over 100 different chiropractic ways to treat dogs, depending on the specific training the chiropractor has. Canine chiropractors should be certified as a chiropractor and the canine license is often received in a post-graduate program. The best thing to do is see if there is a chiropractor affiliated with your animal clinic or ask your veterinarian if they have one to recommend.
Canine Acupuncture
This is also exactly what you think it is! Acupuncture is the insertion of needles into specific points in the dog’s body to produce healing. This is especially good for arthritis or nerve injuries. This is an unique service often available through specialty clinics certified in acupuncture treatment. The acupuncturist should be a licensed veterinarian. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation if they do not have someone on staff that practices acupuncture.
Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy uses the natural properties of water for resistance to improve a dog’s joints. This is most common to be used if a dog has been diagnosed with arthritis or joint injury or are recovering from surgery. Just as it is in humans, this is a great way to get exercise and loosen stiff joints by being submerged and virtually weightless in a pool. Certified hydrotherapists takes special training classes to do this service and will have a certificate or diploma in Hydrotherapy for Small Animals.
Supplements
There are a variety of supplements on the market that can help with recovery for dogs. Glyde™ Mobility Chews can help dogs overcome the painful symptoms of arthritis. Glyde also can also help speed the recovery in joint-related issues or injuries. Glyde has Green Lipped Mussel (GLM), glucosamine and chondroitin, which together form the boost needed to be successful. We have heard of success by adding to your dog’s diet antioxidants such as goji berries, turmeric, basil and oregano. For additional help in determining what would help the best, consult your veterinarian.
Hopefully this quick review of the top holistic approaches gives you some additional ideas on things to try if your dog needs more help overcoming health obstacles. Because you are just like us: we know life is short with our dogs, so let’s be sure they are as happy, healthy and mobile for as long as possible!
