This study investigates the effectiveness of massage therapy in reducing pain and improving quality of life in dogs with myofascial/musculoskeletal pain and finds significant improvements in pain severity scores and quality of life ratings across multiple treatments.
Key findings
Significant reductions in reported pain severity scores were recorded for all pain indicators over successive treatments, with each treatment causing further significant reduction in pain severity. The number of pain indicators recorded over successive treatment sessions remained constant.
95.5% of dogs were considered to have responded to treatment, with no discernible differences in life history variables between responders and non-responders.
Reported severity scores reduced across all pain indicators, with a significant decrease in reported pain severity scores from initial referral to post-treatment 1 and continued to decline significantly with each subsequent treatment.
Quality of life ratings improved significantly over the course of massage therapy, with 92% of dogs considered to have a positive quality of life post-third treatment.
The key finding of the study is that clinical canine massage therapy was associated with a significant reduction in practitioner, and owner reported pain severity scores in all pain indicators (Gait, Posture, Behaviour, Daily Activity, Performance).
Objectives
The study aimed to determine how dogs respond to canine massage therapy practiced by Canine Massage Guild UK practitioners, investigating quantitative changes in pain reported by dog owners and practitioners in a large sample of dogs who were referred by veterinarians due to soft tissue damage/injury or myofascial/musculoskeletal pain.
Methods
The study used a cross-sectional design, collecting data from case files for over 500 dogs who received 1–3 treatments using the Lenton Method of massage therapy. Practitioners trained for 2 years in Clinical Canine Massage Therapy and used a three-tiered approach to treat musculoskeletal pain in dogs.
The study used cumulative linked mixed modelling to evaluate the effect of massage therapy on pain severity scores and quality of life ratings.
The study involved a large-scale quantitative analysis of data provided by practitioners and owners.
Results
Significant reductions in reported pain severity scores were recorded for all pain indicators over successive treatments, with each treatment causing further significant reduction in pain severity. The number of pain indicators recorded over successive treatment sessions remained constant. Post-treatment, a dog was significantly more likely to have a ‘positive’ quality of life.
The study found significant improvements in pain severity scores and quality of life ratings across multiple treatments, with 95.5% of dogs considered to have responded to treatment.
The results of the study showed a significant reduction in pain severity scores across multiple dog types and diagnoses, with practitioners reporting significantly more dogs having a positive quality of life post-treatment.
Conclusions
· Massage therapy may be a useful treatment for myofascial and musculoskeletal pain in dogs, improving quality of life and reducing pain severity.
· The study suggests that massage therapy may be a useful treatment for myofascial/musculoskeletal pain in dogs and highlights the importance of considering the role of massage therapy in rehabilitation and support of muscular, skeletal and neurological conditions.
· The study suggests that canine massage therapy may be a practical treatment option for dogs exhibiting myofascial/musculoskeletal pain.
Bibliography
1. Riley, L. M., Satchell, L., Stilwell, L. M., & Lenton, N. S. (2021). Effect of massage therapy on pain and quality of life in dogs: A cross-sectional study. Veterinary Record, 189. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.586
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