Therapies

Luisa uses a range of therapeutic modalities within her treatments to ensure a truly adaptable, effective, versatile and individualised approach based on both your dog’s therapeutic needs, and what’s appropriate for them depending on their comfort levels and what they feel comfortable with receiving.

Read on to find out more about each therapeutic modality and it’s benefits.

Canine Myotherapy

Based on massage and various other manual therapeutic techniques, myotherapy assesses and treats the muscular system from a holistic, integrated and functional perspective. This means that not only will the area presenting with an issue be treated, but your dog’s posture, muscle balance and biomechanics throughout their body, allowing treatment of long standing compensatory patterns, chronic overloading, and the root cause of issues, which can often be tracked back to other areas of the body.

McTimoney

Contrary to misconception, McTimoney treatment is a very gentle form of chiropractic style treatment that is extremely effective in realigning the musculoskeletal system, and readily accepted by the vast majority of animals. Joints all have a small range of movement, and may become restricted or ‘stuck’ somewhere within this range due to injury, repetitive movements such as jumping into and out of the car, sport or working, pre existing conditions, play, or simply an active lifestyle, in much the same way that humans rarely use our bodies in a perfectly balanced and symmetrical way.

Muscle tension can create uneven tension on a joint, effectively pulling it out of alignment. When we describe a misalignment, we are describing a subtle asymmetry within the skeletal system, as opposed to a gross dislocation.

By treating both the muscular and skeletal systems, which are so intrinsically linked and influential on each other, Luisa is able to affect long lasting change in the body.

Myofascial release

Fascia is tough connective tissue forming a continuous structure throughout the body, covering and interpenetrating the muscular, vascular, nervous and organs systems. Tension, restriction and dysfunction in the fascia can therefore have far reaching effects throughout the body, often distant to the site of the original issue or injury. Conversely, treating this can have multiple and profound effects on many of the body’s various systems, as well as musculoskeletally, biomechanically and even emotionally.

Myofascial release techniques are so gentle and light, yet incredibly effective, making them ideal for areas whereby deeper techniques can’t be tolerated on anxious dogs as an alternative or precursor to other manual techniques, as and when your dog is more relaxed and accepting of treatment, and physically comfortable.

Reiki

Reiki is an ancient form of energy work based on Universal Life Force Energy (also called Chi or Prana in various cultures). It works on a physical, mental and emotional level. Animals are sensitive creatures and are generally much more in tune with subtle energies than we humans.

Luisa has found that incorporating Reiki into her treatments absolutely transformative, and that it has a profound calming and relaxing effect on dogs. It's is also incredibly effective in building trust between therapist and dog. Luisa has been able to work with many nervous and anxious dogs, using reiki as tool to then progress to hands on work, whilst maintaining a choice led, ethical and respectful approach that helps dogs feel safe.

There is increasing scientific evidence for the efficacy of reiki, and it’s even available on the NHS for certain conditions.

Red light therapy

LED red light therapy uses red and near infrared light in the form of a silent, small hand hand device held gently against the area to be treated. It has many benefits, making it an incredibly versatile and and useful therapeutic modality:

Promotes faster healing.
Reduces swelling and inflammation.
Reduces soft tissue tension - perfect over areas too sore to receive hands on treatment initially.
Pain relief over soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia) and joints.
Calming effect due to release of endorphins and serotonin.
Stimulates the immune system.
Promotes lymphatic drainage.
Increases blood flow.

Find out more about red light therapy here: www.danetrehealthproducts.com/how-does-it-work