Massage is a recognized therapy with beneficial effects that is advocated and practiced by veterinary physiotherapists.
a broken or dislocated hip an infection in the joint a skin infection cancer If you suspect any of these conditions, take your dog to visit your veterinarian right away. These are ailments that need immediate medical treatment by a professional.
As long as the skin or bone isn’t broken, massage can help alleviate your pup’s pain. However, if you notice any skin issues or if your dog is audibly in pain, skip the massage and go straight to your vet for a physical assessment.
An animal with hip pain will have tense, stiff muscles. The tension in the muscles compresses the joint, making inflamed surfaces rub together, causing further pain. Massage not only helps the muscles to relax, but it also stimulates the release of endorphins – a natural painkiller with a similar chemical composition to morphine.
The theory behind passive mobilization is that pain restricts the movement of the leg, but then the hip joint becomes stiff, and this leads to a further loss of movement, and the vicious cycle continues until the joint becomes chronically painful and stiff.
Try placing a small pillow between your dog’s legs to make him even more comfortable.
This will likely be the position he’s most comfortable in anyway. Laying on the opposite side takes the weight and pressure off the bad hip.
Do not force the movement, and stop if the dog gets uncomfortable. You’re not trying to improve his flexibility, you’re trying to stretch the already taut, stiff muscle.
Mobilization is the action of passively extending a limb with the aim of keeping the muscle conditioned and the joint mobile. The theory behind mobilization is that pain restricts the movement of the leg, but then the hip joint becomes stiff, and this leads to a further loss of movement, and a downward cycle of under-use established.
These drugs have a high safety margin when used correctly and are less likely to cause unpleasant side effects such as gastric ulceration and bleeding disorders when compared to other painkillers. NSAIDs that are often prescribed by veterinarians are meloxicam (Metacam), carprofen (Rimadyl), and robenacoxib (Onsior). [7] X Research source The maintenance dose of metacam is 0. 05mg/kg by mouth, with or after food, once daily. The oral suspension contains 1. 5mg/ml; a typical 30kg Labrador requires 1ml daily on his food.
However, long-term use is associated with gastric ulceration, especially when given on an empty stomach. This happens because aspirin reduces blood flow to the gut lining, stomach, and kidney. Buffered aspirin may help with this problem, but aspirin should still be used sparingly in a dog. If your dog requires frequent doses to control its pain, ask your veterinarian to examine your dog and prescribe one of the safer NSAID’s. Aspirin should never be given in addition to an NSAID medication. When combined, both drugs are even more likely to cause gastric ulceration with serious consequences, including sudden death.
The dose is 10mg/kg by mouth, twice a day, with or after food. Most tablets are 500mg and so a 66 pound Labrador can take a maximum of 3/5 of a tablet twice daily. If in doubt, always give a lower dose. For small dogs, only use the children’s suspension to avoid overdosing the dog.
A simple method is to use a wheat bag – the sort you heat up in a microwave. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to heat the bag, and with the dog lying down so that the sore hip is accessible, rest the warmed wheat bag over the hip. Leave it there for 10 to 15 minutes, and then follow with some passive movement exercises.
Veterinarians often administer this type of treatment after surgery to help with the pain, but the effects only last for about an hour.
