Specializing in Animal Massage

Animal care refers to the measures taken to ensure the physical or the psychological well- being of animals. For those who have pets or work with animals, it means showing care and concern by keeping them healthy and happy at all times, wherever possible. Animals are incredibly endearing to human beings as they are sentient beings that can respond positively to human touch. A simple touch from a human hand can make them feel loved, safe and secure. One way in which you can help to promote health and happiness within an animal is to perform an animal massage.

Massage for Animals

In the same way that massage can promote the health of human beings, it can also do wonders to the health of an animal. In fact, forms of massages that possess benefits to humans, such as Swedish, shiatsu, reiki, and deep tissue, can also be used to provide relaxation for animals as well as prevent and treat health problems.

Massage works by releasing endorphins in the body of the animal and these chemicals have the ability to reduce stress and relieve pain. In addition, regular massage can also aid in strengthening the bond between an animal and a human being.

How Do You Specialize in Animal Massage?

If you love animals and wish to help pet owners provide the best care for their animal friends, you should consider specializing in animal massage. Since more people than ever are welcoming pets into their home, animal massage therapists are in great demand. This ensures that you will have a financially and personally rewarding career if you choose to specialize in this area of massage. In order to become an animal massage therapist, you will firstly need to decide which kinds of animals you want to work with. You can choose to provide massage therapy for common house pets such as dogs and cats, or specialize in massaging particular species of animal.

There is no law in the US that states that you need certification to provide professional animal massage therapy. As such, you can learn the art of animal massage either by attending a course or undergoing self-training but regardless, it is important that you are able to understand how animal massage works. You must be knowledgeable as to how massage can reduce stress in animals and identify various parts of an animal's body that are susceptible to muscle pain and injuries, as well as joint problems. It is also necessary that you investigate the physical and mental effects of a therapy session. You can begin by learning how to massage human beings first. Even though human beings and animals have different musculoskeletal systems, their movements and the variations of pressure in their bodies are very similar. Next, you will need to train your hands, forearms and wrists, so that you will possess enough muscle strength to perform all kinds of massaging tasks.

It is a good idea to attend courses or seminars on animal massage therapy as such courses and seminars provide invaluable instructions and tips on how to become a successful therapist. To get hands-on animal massage experience, you can also look to obtain an internship. Gaining work at an animal massage center will also provide you with an opportunity to experience real-life situations that are encountered by animal massage therapists and understand further how massage is beneficial to animals.