Hector's Clinical Canine Massage

Hector's Clinical Canine Massage Clinical Canine Massage Therapy. Covering parts of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Buckinghamshire.

I specialise in the rehabilitation of soft tissue injuries and help to provide chronic pain management for orthopaedic conditions in dogs.

12/02/2025

Discover the profound impact of viewing dogs as more than just possessions. Explore the rewards of embracing them as genuine companions and the transformative power it brings. Unleash a world of joy, connection, and personal growth in the heartwarming article.

Interesting article by a fellow Guild member about arthritis in the winter months and how clinical canine massage can he...
06/02/2025

Interesting article by a fellow Guild member about arthritis in the winter months and how clinical canine massage can help โค๏ธโ€๐Ÿฉน


Sara Alan-Smith takes a closer look at arthritis, exploring if winter weather affects arthritic pain and how clinical canine massage can help

I received this lovely message from one of my clients today following his treatment on Monday. Waffle is 16 years old wi...
29/01/2025

I received this lovely message from one of my clients today following his treatment on Monday. Waffle is 16 years old with mobility issues so this is so great to hear! I am so happy to be able to really help Waffle ๐Ÿถ โค๏ธ

It is common for the dog to be sore for 24-48 hours after a clinical canine massage treatment. This is due to the healing crisis, and is one of the signs that their body is going through the process of cleansing itself of impurities, toxins and muscular imbalanceโ€™s.

Signs and symptoms of the healing crisis include:
๐Ÿพ Increased joint and muscle pain for 24-48 hours following treatment
๐Ÿพ Lethargy
๐Ÿพ Increase in sleeping
๐Ÿพ Frequent urination
๐Ÿพ Increased thirst

Once these symptoms have worn off your dog will hopefully have a new lease of life like Waffle! ๐Ÿฅฐ

๐Ÿ“ง Please get in touch if youโ€™d like to discuss how clinical canine massage could help your dog
[email protected]





A very interesting post about the link between behaviour and pain. Thank you for sharing So Help Me Dog
26/01/2025

A very interesting post about the link between behaviour and pain. Thank you for sharing So Help Me Dog

โ›‘๏ธ BEHAVIOURAL SIGNS YOUR DOG MAY DISPLAY AS A RESULT OF PAIN...

โ€ผ๏ธCharacterised as the loss of normal behaviours and development of new/abnormal behaviours, the most frequently reported behaviours as a result of pain are:

โ€ข Aggression (new or increased/exacerbated) โ€“ in a bid to avoid physical contact which might cause more pain/injury, a dog may take defensive, reactive action. It is typically seen when the dog is approached and/or lying down e.g., lunging, snarling, baring teeth, or snapping at someone if they shift/move while next to the dog on the sofa. A more severe response (e.g., biting) may be because previous lower-level threat signals were ignored, leading the dog to escalate their behaviour.

- Interestingly, certain types of biting can indicate musculoskeletal pain โ€“ unspecific targets, variable severity, and/or aimed at limb extremities.
When a dog realises its options for avoidance/withdrawal are limited, their frustration may result in aggression.
- Impacted a**l glands can result in owner-directed aggression.

โ€ข Fear responses โ€“ pain can trigger new or increased fear responses. Dogs will create associations between their pain and other neutral stimuli in the environment. For example, they may start to view other dogs with fear - other dogs may cause me pain, or make me move in a way that hurts me, therefore other dogs = BAD. Presented with those stimuli again in the future, we may see a conditioned fear response (this is one of the reasons we donโ€™t use aversive equipment like E-collars/prong collars - on feeling the pain they cause, the dog may associate that pain with anything in their environment at the time).
- We also see fear responses that have no apparent reason attached to them as well as generalised fear.
- Resource guarding is a fear-motivated behaviour and has been identified as a pain-induced behaviour (including guarding of the water bowl). It is often seen in dogs with musculoskeletal pain and/or gastro-intestinal issues.

โ€ข Anxiety โ€“ pain can lead to anxiety which leads to a pessimistic view of the world. This manifests as fear as neutral or novel stimuli are considered potential sources of pain by the dog, creating a vicious cycle of anxiety and fear responses.

โ€ข Noise Sensitivity โ€“ there is a clear link between musculoskeletal pain and noise sensitivities or phobias. You may see new noise sensitivities or increased sensitivity.

โ€ข Repetitive/Compulsive Behaviours โ€“ this is thought to be as a result of stress and, as discussed above, pain elicits a stress response. The behaviours are a coping strategy which makes the dog feel better and so become self-reinforcing (and thus repeated) but can also be reinforced by the guardian who pays more attention to the dog as a result.

โ€ข Clinginess - this could come in different guises depending on what the dog has learnt gets them extra attention when they feel poorly. This of course is highly reinforceable and so these behaviours can stick around long after the pain is resolved.

๐Ÿชฃ And as we know.... pain is a bucket filler!! This is because it elicits a stress response in the body and so we can see 'full bucket' behaviours as a result. For as long as the pain remains unaddressed, the bucket remains full. The constantly circulating stress hormones cause a reduction in serotonin which can lead to low mood, and increased reactivity.



(Camps et al, 2019; Mills et al, 2020; Gerken, 2023; Lindsay, 2001; Overall, 2013; Mills & Zulch, 2023; Essner, 2018; Spaulding, 2022; Mills et al, 2020)

Meet my lovely client Hector ๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿค ๐Ÿ• Hectorโ€™s owner booked him in for some canine massage sessions as he has developed nois...
21/01/2025

Meet my lovely client Hector ๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿค

๐Ÿ• Hectorโ€™s owner booked him in for some canine massage sessions as he has developed noise sensitivity and has become very frightened of loud noises such as gunshots and fireworks.

๐Ÿ•Hectorโ€™s owner was worried that he would be holding lots of stress and tension in his body and knew that massage would help release this.

๐Ÿ• Dysfunctional fascia is linked directly to the increase in sympathetic nervous system response. Fascia contains many nerve pathways and sensory neurons and therefore prolonged stress, anxiety and fear can have an impact on the myofascial network and hold habitual patterns of stress.

๐Ÿ• Myofascial pain may lead the to a change in posture which in turn can affect the behaviour of the dog.

How can massage help stressed and anxious dogs?

๐Ÿ• Lowers the sympathetic nervous system response (fight or flight), allowing the parasympathetic system response (the rest and digest system) to come into play.
๐Ÿ•Calms the mind and allows the dog the time and space to process emotional distress and manage stress and anxiety.
๐Ÿ• Relieves myofascial pain and tight painful muscles caused by patterns of holding in the tissue.
๐Ÿ• Improves blood and lymphatic circulation which has been hindered by tight, restricted muscles.
๐Ÿ• Reduces restrictions and reductions in mobility caused by tight, constricted tissue which have adhered to themselves and other body structures.
๐Ÿ•Deactivates trigger points which have developed in the tight muscles.

Hector responded well to his first few sessions and continues to have monthly massages ๐Ÿฅฐ

If your dog is anxious, massage can be an extremely safe and effective treatment to help them cope with their world ๐ŸŒ








Yesterday I had the pleasure of going with one of my clients to his hydrotherapy session. Finn has made great progress s...
08/01/2025

Yesterday I had the pleasure of going with one of my clients to his hydrotherapy session. Finn has made great progress since having clinical canine massage and hydrotherapy ๐Ÿ’ฆ ๐Ÿ•

Hydrotherapy is very beneficial for dogs as it helps relieve undue pressure on the joints whilst building up muscle strength and fitness. It works well with clinical canine massage and many clients alternate the 2 treatments to receive very positive results ๐Ÿถ

Both therapies compliment each other in the following ways:

๐Ÿฉต Gets the blood flowing through the muscles and improves lymphatic drainage
๐Ÿฉต Helps to build up specific muscles
๐Ÿฉต Helps with post injury or post operative rehabilitation
๐Ÿฉต Helps with chronic conditions such as arthritis and hip and elbow dysplasia
๐Ÿฉต Aids pain relief
๐Ÿฉต Helps to reduce swelling and stiffness in joints, therefore improving range of motion and flexibility
๐Ÿฉต Improves muscles tone and reduces spasms
๐Ÿฉต Helps stimulate and lengthen muscles
๐Ÿฉต Increases performance

๐Ÿ“ง Please get in contact to find out how massage could benefit your dog alongside their hydrotherapy sessions [email protected]


Wishing all my clients a healthy and happy 2025! I am very much looking forward to helping as many dogs as I can this ye...
03/01/2025

Wishing all my clients a healthy and happy 2025! I am very much looking forward to helping as many dogs as I can this year ๐Ÿถโค๏ธ

Hector (pictured) is looking forward to continuing to help me by joining me for some more CPD sessions with to ensure I am updating my skills and being the best massage therapist I can โค๏ธ

Please get in touch to discuss how clinical canine massage could benefit your dog
๐Ÿ“ง [email protected]

29/12/2024

Help us find Harrison a home! ๐Ÿ™

Stunning Harrison has been at the sanctuary for eight months now with little interest. ๐Ÿ˜ญ

In that time he has met some lovely potential adopters but alas it wasn't meant to be! โ˜น๏ธ

This wonderful lad is desperate to be out of kennels and in his new forever home so please share his post to help us reach as many dog lovers as possible. ๐Ÿ’š

Harrison is looking for the following type of home. ๐Ÿ 
๐Ÿพ An adult-only home
๐Ÿพ A pet-free home
๐Ÿพ A home with a private secure garden.

If you are interested in applying for Harrison please click on the link below ๐Ÿ‘‡

https://oxfordshireanimalsanctuary.org.uk/adoption/dogs/harrison-2/

Please share Harrisonโ€™s plea to find his forever home. ๐Ÿฅฐ

Wishing all my lovely clients a very Merry Christmas and happy new year ๐ŸŽ„โค๏ธ๐Ÿค๐ŸŽ…๐ŸปA massive thank you from the bottom of my ...
24/12/2024

Wishing all my lovely clients a very Merry Christmas and happy new year ๐ŸŽ„โค๏ธ๐Ÿค๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿป

A massive thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support this year. I have truly loved having the pleasure of treating your lovely dogs and I am very much looking forward to 2025 โค๏ธ๐Ÿค๐Ÿถ

15/12/2024
Last call for raffle tickets for Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary Christmas raffle ๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿถโค๏ธ
11/12/2024

Last call for raffle tickets for Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary Christmas raffle ๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿถโค๏ธ

๐ŸŽ„ Our BIG Christmas Raffle for 2024! ๐ŸŽ„ Get ready to win some incredible prizes, including: ๐Ÿฅ‡ 1st Prize: ๐Ÿ’ธ ยฃ200 cash! ๐Ÿฅˆ 2nd Prize: ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ The Trout Inn Wolvercote: Dinner for Two + Bottle of House Wine (Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays. Valid until 4th May 2025) ๐Ÿฅ‰ 3rd Pri...

Meet lovely Lottie ๐Ÿค Lottie is one of my regular clients who I have been treating for about 5 months.  Lottie also sees ...
08/12/2024

Meet lovely Lottie ๐Ÿค Lottie is one of my regular clients who I have been treating for about 5 months.

Lottie also sees a chiropractor which massage works really well alongside. Lottieโ€™s owner has seen a great improvement in her gait and overall demeanour since Lottie has been having both treatments ๐Ÿค

Lottie has had cruciate ligament surgery on one hind leg and luxating patella surgery on the other. Massage can help dogs who have had surgery for these issues in the following ways:

๐Ÿถ Helps areas of overcompensation - the dog will often take their weight off the affected leg into their lower back, neck, shoulders and the unaffected leg
๐Ÿถ Reduces pain and significantly improves comfort levels
๐Ÿถ Addresses areas of protective muscle splinting
๐Ÿถ Improves gait
๐Ÿถ Speeds up the natural healing process
๐Ÿถ Reduces inflammation and helps combat lymphoedema
๐Ÿถ Improves weight bearing
๐Ÿถ Promotes mobility
๐Ÿถ Helps to rebuild atrophied or wasted muscle and maintain muscle tone
๐Ÿถ Decreases fibrosis by relieving contracted muscles and tendons
๐Ÿถ Help a return to normal, stable exercise

๐Ÿ“ง Please get in contact to find out how massage could help your dog ๐Ÿ• ๐Ÿฉ ๐Ÿพ

[email protected] ๐Ÿงก๐Ÿ’š

07/12/2024

๐ŸŽ„ Our BIG Christmas Raffle for 2024! ๐ŸŽ„ Get ready to win some incredible prizes, including: ๐Ÿฅ‡ 1st Prize: ๐Ÿ’ธ ยฃ200 cash! ๐Ÿฅˆ 2nd Prize: ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ The Trout Inn Wolvercote: Dinner for Two + Bottle of House Wine (Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays. Valid until 4th May 2025) ๐Ÿฅ‰ 3rd Pri...

Meet lovely Luna ๐Ÿฅฐ Luna is a 7 year old agility dog who has maintenance massages to keep her in tip top condition for he...
23/11/2024

Meet lovely Luna ๐Ÿฅฐ Luna is a 7 year old agility dog who has maintenance massages to keep her in tip top condition for her sport.

Clinical canine massage can help performance dogs in the following ways:
๐Ÿ• Addresses tight, hypertonic and sore muscles which are common with repetitive and high intensity exercise
๐Ÿ• Helps break down restrictive scar tissue which can build up after a muscle strain, therefore restoring flexibility in the affected muscles
๐Ÿ• Releases restricted fascia, improving range of movement and reducing pain
๐Ÿ• Helps to prevent injury happening by finding and addressing musculoskeletal issues before they become a problem
๐Ÿ• Enhances performance by warming the muscles, increasing blood flow, improving mobility and reducing stiffness

๐Ÿ’š Routine maintenance massages really are important for any performance or working dog.

๐Ÿงก If youโ€™d like to find out how clinical canine massage could help your dog please get in contact today ๐Ÿ™

๐Ÿ“ง [email protected]





I am proud to be part of the Canine Massage Guild ๐Ÿคฉ
22/11/2024

I am proud to be part of the Canine Massage Guild ๐Ÿคฉ

Please support Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary Christmas raffle to make funds for the great work they do! And you might be ...
21/11/2024

Please support Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary Christmas raffle to make funds for the great work they do! And you might be in with a chance of winning a massage session with us! ๐ŸŽ„ ๐Ÿ’šโค๏ธ๐Ÿค

๐ŸŽ„ Our BIG Christmas Raffle for 2024! ๐ŸŽ„ Get ready to win some incredible prizes, including: ๐Ÿฅ‡ 1st Prize: ๐Ÿ’ธ ยฃ200 cash! ๐Ÿฅˆ 2nd Prize: ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ The Trout Inn Wolvercote: Dinner for Two + Bottle of House Wine (Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays. Valid until 4th May 2025) ๐Ÿฅ‰ 3rd Pri...

14/11/2024

Tiny Taz is requesting applications! ๐Ÿถ

Taz has arrived at the sanctuary due to no fault of his own. ๐Ÿ˜ข

He's a smashing friendly boy who is always ready for a an adventure but equally loves the comfort of a warm sofa or lap! โค๏ธ

This mini lad is lovely to walk and is happy to say hello to people and other dogs while out and about but he would like his forever home to be pet free so it can be all about him! ๐Ÿฅฐ

Taz is looking for the following type of home ๐Ÿก
โœ…๏ธ Taz can live with children aged 12+
โœ…๏ธ Taz would prefer a pet free home.
โœ…๏ธA private secure garden with minimum 4 ft fencing.

If you would like to apply for Taz please click on the link below ๐Ÿ‘‡

https://oxfordshireanimalsanctuary.org.uk/adoption/dogs/taz/

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