SERVICES

Maintenance Massage

Rehab & Hospice Massage

Lymphatic Drainage

Circulatory Massage

Caregiver Support

Whether passive touch (simple laying of the hand onto a part of the body to induce warmth), or more involved techniques, the goal of massage is to keep the different systems of the body functioning at an optimum level in harmony together; in other words, be in balance.

Anne will take the time to connect with your dog or cat in a quiet and comfortable area. She considers the whole pet, taking into account emotional, environmental, genetic and physical factors to support your pet’s own ability to heal itself and live more comfortably.

Maintenance Massage

The body is made up of several different organ systems, none of which can work efficiently alone. Maintenance massage can help maintain homeostasis between these systems. It can bring comfort for an animal in emotional distress, or simply bring joy and relaxation.

Focus: Maintenance massage is focused on the healthy animal that is active and wishes to maintain that level of activity.

Intended For: All companion animals that may be athletic, geriatric or the working dog in the normal course of duty.

Benefits:

Improve physical and psychological well-being.
Help maintain mobility for senior pets.
Decrease incidences of overuse/stress related injuries.
Maintenance massage may at times prevent chronic conditions and aid in early detection of sensitive or painful areas. Many issues can develop slowly over time, making bigger issues “appear suddenly” Regular massage can aid in the prevention and help reduce any number of mobility problems.

Frequency: Sessions can be scheduled 1-2 times per month depending on the animal’s needs and goals.

Rehabilitation and Hospice Massage

In the case of illness or injury, massage can assist with productive healing and pain management. In addition to medical diagnosis and treatment, massage therapy can play a vital role in keeping our animals comfortable. It can help enhance your pet's quality of life when faced with chronic conditions.

Focus: Aiding the body to facilitate natural healing, reduce pain and to provide comfort. Hospice Massage can assist when end of life is near, and/or focus has changed from "cure" to comfort.

Intended For: Any animal that may be in a debilitated state due to illness or injury. A candidate should have a veterinary diagnosis and any massage sessions will compliment a treatment plan initiated by the veterinarian and others on the rehabilitation team. Consultation can be made with your veterinarian as needed.

Benefits:

Support immune function.

Aid in the relief from orthopedic, neurological, or soft tissue conditions.
Help restore range of motion and address compensatory patterns of tension.
Prepare and assist the body for pre and post-surgery, enhancing the recovery process.
Facilitate the environment for proper scar tissue formation or remodel established (nonfunctional) scar tissue.
Aid in the relief of swelling/stagnation.
Rehabilitation massage may also reduce boredom and stress due to confinement or lack of activity.
Provide gentle therapeutic touch in the final stages of life. Read more in Questions and Concerns about End of Life care for Animals from AHELP Project.

Frequency: Sessions can be scheduled daily to every 5-14 days depending on the stage of recovery or ailment.

DID YOU KNOW?

The response of the immune system is directly correlated to the health of the circulatory and lymph systems. Continuing reading below to learn about two specialty rehabilitative techniques.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage Massage

Focus: Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a technique that uses very light pressure that purposefully influences the movement of lymph and the delicate network of conduits of which it travels. It can be used to address a specific area or address the entire system.

Intended For: An animal who may be in a compromised state due to illness or injury. Ideal for post-surgery cases.

Benefits:

Bolster the immune system.
Decrease severity of inflammatory response.
Cleanse the body of waste products.
Stimulate fluid dynamics.

Frequency: On an individual case by case basis. The animal should be allowed to rest for at least two hours after a full body session, which can take upwards to 90 minutes.

Contraindications: Systemic fever, systemic infection, congestion of the heart and Lymphangitis

Circulatory Massage

Focus: Circulatory massage is a technique that uses very light pressure that purposefully influences arterial and/or venous blood flow. It can be used to address a specific area or address the entire system.

Intended For: Older and/or inactive animals. Ideal for pre surgery to prepare the body for trauma and speed recovery.

Benefits:

Helps to increase movement of blood mechanically.
Aids to circulate medications.
Assists in moving fluids away from a site of concern in cases of inflammation and healing.

Frequency: On an individual case by case basis. A full body session is usually 30-45 minutes.

Contraindications: Presence of heart conditions, fever or recent stroke.

FAQ - HEART CONDITIONS

Anne is often asked if it’s safe to massage an animal with a heart condition. There is no simple yes or no answer to this question. It depends on the condition and/or the severity of the defect. Because massage can improve circulation, this will increase blood flow to the heart and in turn can be harmful or dangerous. In other cases, improved circulation can be beneficial. Having a proper diagnosis is important when deciding if massage is right for your animal. Some examples of defects can range from valve malformations, narrowing of the vessels or abnormal openings between the heart chambers.

Caregiver Support

Perhaps one can find comfort knowing that animals do not fear death,
but rather worry more about us.

Unconditional love is the human-animal bond in its purest form. Learning about a terminal diagnosis can affect any pet parent on the deepest level. Fear and panic can easily overwhelm the ability to think clearly and make decisions. Making fully informed decisions about medical treatment, hospice care and end of life options is a daunting task. Allowing oneself grace and time to absorb the information before proceeding with next steps can set the stage for the journey that is to come.

That is where I can come in to help. As a Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner I can provide the needed support to pet parents with the following:

Learning about the available options through the philosophy of animal hospice and palliative care
Provide tools and resources for navigating a life ending diagnosis and decline
Understanding how to gauge quality of life from the animals’ point of view
Helpful interventions for day-to-day comfort care
Emotional support for grief, bereavement and self-care
Provide guidance with end-of-life decisions to honor your family’s beliefs and values
Memorialization, rituals and after-care considerations

Our animals are often mirrors of ourselves and this is the time to be present in the moments when they count. By visualizing the desired outcome and taking the steps ahead of time to plan for it, you can gift your animal permission to go with grace, knowing you did your best and did it with love.

Are you trying to navigate a terminal diagnosis with your pet?

Do you need help locating a C.H.P.V. (Certified Animal Hospice & Palliative Care Veterinarian) in your area?

Are you interested in learning about the animal dying experience or about a hospice-assisted natural death?

Are you a veterinarian clinic in search of support and resources for your clients or staff?

Please, reach out to me so I can support you with your greatest needs today.

In the animal hospice community and beyond, quality of life carries enormous importance. As humans, we have complete autonomy and can easily voice our preferences. Animals too have the will to live or the will to die and it falls upon the caregivers to interpret “what does the animal want?”. By utilizing tools and experiences of the collective, quality of life assessments performed over time can help paint the overall picture about your pet’s ability to enjoy life and reduce the fear of suffering which is truly subjective and can be hard to define.

My Personal Journey

I started down the path as a SAMP (Small Animal Massage Practitioner) in 2009 and have also spent 10 years volunteering at local animal shelters and rescues. I have learned that pet parents do not reach out for my services until their animal is not feeling well, and often are near end of life, and this is where I felt called to help. I quickly realized, however, that I was not prepared for the people themselves. My training was for the animals. Being a natural empath was an advantage, but it also took its toll and compassion fatigue set-in. I also discovered that there was a gap in care - from the veterinary’s pledge to cure, to the veterinarians who only focus on euthanasia. Where was the help in-between? This is where pet parents felt most at a loss with overwhelming emotions.

This is when I discovered the Animal Hospice Group. It gave a name for what I couldn’t put my finger on and I now have a mission to help others.