Some of the documented benefits of massage are:

        Improved Circulation - reducing inflammation due to injury, arthritis or overwork.

        Reduction of muscle spasms - common in show animals and older dogs

        Enhancing the performance potential of the canine/equine athlete

        Overall improved disposition of the animal

    For the Equine and Canine Athlete: Show Horses, Agility & Show Dogs - a therapeutic massage will help to enhance the performance.
Older Dogs and Older Horses - reduces the symptoms of arthritis and to
heal more quickly after surgery or an injury.

 

    For the aging animal:  As all of us get older, stiffness due to arthritis can set in and make life a little more uncomfortable.  A therapeutic massage can help alleviate the stiffness caused by arthritis, to allow your horse and dog to move more freely.

 

     For the stressed or Anxious animals : - improve the animal's disposition.

 

A therapeutic massage is by no means a substitute for proper veterinary care.  It is something that can help alleviate muscle stress.  If there is something going on with the muscles (which doesn't show up on an x-ray), a massage can help.