Massage Therapy for Swimmers Tail.

Canine Massage.

Dogs love to swim!

It feels as if the temperature has really dropped this month, but just because some of us don’t like going out in this weather, it doesn’t mean our dogs don’t. I see so many dedicated dog owners standing around on patches of waste land, under umbrellas as their dogs are playing or trudging down the beach whilst their dogs happily run in and out of the waves. Whilst I’m happy staying in by the fire, my dogs’ enthusiasm for running up and down the beach like lunatics, and swimming in the sea is still as strong as ever. Whilst swimming is a fantastic exercise for dogs and is something I regularly recommend, swimming in very cold water can cause something called Acute Caudal Myopathy, also known as limber tail or swimmers tail and massage is the most effective therapy for this condition.

This condition can be caused by swimming in very cold water, hence the term ‘swimmers tail’. It occurs when there’s been vigorous overuse of the tail, causing trauma to the bony vertebrae of the tail or the surrounding muscles and ligaments. The clinical presentation of this is usually sudden, occurring within 24 hours after the dog has swum and can be extremely painful.

Other causes of Acute Caudal Myopathy include:

• Doing a forward roll and landing on its tail.
• A puppy or dog pulling on the tail.
• Getting the tail caught.
• Anal levator strain.
• Sacrocaudalis strain.
• Coccygeal strain.

Symptoms include:

• The dog no longer wagging its tail.
• The tail hanging down from the tail base.
• The tail being held horizontally 3 or 4 inches then dropping down.
• Struggling to find a comfortable position to lie/sit.
• Struggling to get up.

Your first port of call is your vet, where painkillers or anti-inflammatories may be prescribed. After visiting your vet, booking your dog in for a course of 3 massage treatments will really alleviate  the condition. When done by a qualified professional, not only will massage help rehabilitate your pet but there are also a number of techniques that can be taught to the owner, so you can provide your dog with the best possible home care.

Call 608 803 897 today to find out more about therapeutic canine massage and how it can benefit your dog.