Bowen Therapy for Dogs
Bowen therapy is a type of touch therapy that uses hands-on techniques to promote pain relief, healing and energy rebalancing. It was designed for use on humans, but it is also effective on dogs, especially during times of illness. Bowen therapy for dogs is used for acute sprains, degenerative diseases, recovery after surgery and stress relief.
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History
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Bowen therapy was developed in Australia by Tom Bowen in the 1950s and progressed into the United Kingdom in the early 1990s. In 2003, Sally and Ron Askew, established Bowen therapists, designed a professional training program to teach canine Bowen therapy techniques for dogs, and founded the European Guild of Canine Bowen Therapists (EGCBT).
Theory
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The main idea of Bowen therapy is that treatment is not forced on a dog, and only soft, subtle pressure is used. It uses a holistic approach that treats the dog as a whole without focusing on the dog's disease or injury. For instance, if a dog is lame in one leg, a Bowen therapist massages the lame leg and the dog's entire body. This helps detect and repair other problem areas that may have caused the lameness.
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Technique
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Bowen therapy involves lightly moving the fingers or thumbs over a ligament, muscle and tendon at specific points on a dog's body. The therapist uses gentle rolling movements on soft tissues. There is no pulling or straining of muscles, no insertion of needles and no use of massage oils.
Sessions
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A typical consultation lasts for an hour. Within this time the therapist gets acquainted with the dog and his owner. After the dog is relaxed, the therapist massages the dog for no more than 20 minutes. During the massage, short intervals take place to allow the dog's body to adjust to and absorb the movements.
Effects
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One to two sessions are needed for noticeable changes in a dog's condition. Three to four days after therapy, a dog may experience reactions as his body continues to rebalance itself. This can continue for about seven days until the next therapy session. A dog may feel tired after a session and will take a nap. This is normal and beneficial, since sleeping helps the dog's body repair itself.
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References
- Photo Credit dog image by Krzysztof Gebarowski from Fotolia.com
