Massage and treating anxiety/stress
Introduction
In our lives there are many different types of situation that we can find ourselves in each and every day, and some of these situations cause us to experience fear of the situation, leading to feelings of anxiety. This anxiety can last for a short or long period of time, depending on the severity of the reaction we have. We are more than aware of the way that we, as humans, experience and overcome anxiety however researchers are still working to fully understand the affects of anxiety on our canine companions, and how we can help to lessen the anxious feelings that our beloved dogs go through. Learning what can trigger these feelings is the best way we can help to reduce the affects. In this article I will examine the affects of anxiety on our dogs as well as outline the way that massage therapy can aid to lessen the affects of it, to help keep our dog friends as happy and healthy as we can.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of worry about a perceived, yet often inexistent, threat. While humans can suffer with feeling anxious, pet anxiety affects millions of cats and dogs (Anxiety in pets. AFI. (n.d.).Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://cite.me/QbgAAmu). For instance, if a dog has become anxious when a person he/she loves goes away for a time, anxiety can begin to manifest before the actual event occurs, based on previous cues that they experienced at the initial experience of this event, an example being if the owners take out suitcases or bags the dog associates with the owners going on holiday. This means that sometimes anxiety can be brought on without there being an event at all. There are many different forms of anxiety that our pets will face, here are some examples of the most common forms of anxiety that a dog will face:
Separation anxiety
Generalised anxiety
Aggressiveness
Thunderstorm and loud noise phobias
Fear or phobia anxiety
Social anxiety
Obsessive compulsive anxieties
(Talegón & Delgado, Anxiety disorders in dogs 2011)
Being able to spot when animals are suffering from any type of anxiety is important in being able to aid them through their anxieties. Spotting early signs of anxious behaviour can give an owner an opportunity to remove the stressor from the situation, remove the animal from the situation or direct the animals attention away from the situation If you are not able to remove them. Doing any of the above will help the dog stay calm and relaxed and also learn to trust that, as their owner, you are able to help and guide them through the anxious settings (Spencer, C. (2021). Anxiety in Dogs. [online]).
Image courtesy of Animigo. Please note that BelMar Canine Massage Therapy is not affiliated with Animigo.
According to a study, published in 2020, by Salonen .M. et.al. (2020), where 13,715 questionnaire results were assessed, they found that 13,700 dogs exhibited at least one sign of anxiety across 7 anxiety-like traits, including noise sensitivity, fearfulness, fear of surfaces and heights, inattention/impulsivity, compulsion, separation related behaviour and aggression. This study clearly shows that a very high percentage of dogs exhibit at least one form of anxiety, either previously or currently, at the time of the study (Salonen et al., Prevalence, comorbidity, and breed differences in canine anxiety in 13,700 Finnish Pet Dogs - scientific reports 2020).
The symptoms of anxiety and how anxiety affects the dog?
A situation that an animal encounters that can lead to anxiety is called a trigger. A trigger for an animal will activate the sympathetic nervous system and initiate the ‘fight or flight’ response, releasing cortisol and adrenaline in to the system, putting the dog on high alert. These two hormones can take up to 6 days to dissipate from the system, meaning that the animal will be in a heightened level of alert for that time (Nunez, Fight, flight, or freeze: How we respond to threats 2020). If multiple triggers occur in a short period of time then the animal will encounter ‘trigger stacking’. This is where the individual triggers all stack on to each other before the effects of the previous trigger have had chance to leave the system, which eventually will lead to the animal reacting to a very minor situation in a very severe way. Being aware of trigger stacking and the signs of aggression will give an owner the tools to be able to help the animal avoid situations that cause anxiety (Sassafras Lowrey, What is trigger stacking? how to handle an overly stressed dog 2022).
Image from Canine Massage Guild.
In 2004 Kendle Shepherd devised the “Ladder of Aggression”, which is an indicator of certain behaviours that an animal may exhibit to show the anxiety in dog symptoms. These symptoms can appear on their own or in groups, however it is important to note that the more severe symptom should be the indicator for the stage of aggression they are in on the ladder. Here is an example of the ladder:
(How to recognise fear in canine inpatients 2013)
Massage has lots of features and benefits that both humans and animals will benefit from. Features such as increased circulation, which will help with nutrient delivery around the system. It can help increase the lymphatic system, to aid with the removal of toxins from the body. It can help with rest and relaxation, which will aid with sleep patterns and general energy levels. It can help with respiration, which will aid with stamina, breathing and heart rate. Recognising how massage works, and understanding the positive effects of massage therapy will help us to understand how we can use massage therapy to help dogs, who suffer with anxiety. Focusing on the specific techniques of massage therapy that activate the parasympathetic nervous system will give the therapist the best results when working with a dog that suffers with stress and anxiety, and anxiety related symptoms. Massage therapy helps to increase the release of dopamine (happy hormone), serotonin (calming hormone) and endorphins (pain relief hormone), while decreasing the levels of cortisol and adrenaline in the system, the fight of flight hormones (Melanie Hampton, Massage and anxious dogs 2018).
Massage therapy can also aid with pain management and the reduction of pain felt by the dog. Alleviating this pain response in the dog will help to remove the anxiety associated with that pain, for instance if the dog has had a physical trauma, which leads to a reluctance to be touched in a certain area, leading to feelings of anxiety when someone moves toward that area (Regan Macaulay, Relieving anxiety in your pet with massage therapy 2020). In a study carried out in 2018 by the Canine Massage Guild and the university of Winchester, found that out of a study of 527 dogs, there was a significant reduction in the dogs pain severity, as well as an improvement to the dogs quality of life in 492 of the participants. This reduction in pain, improvements to mobility and improvements to dogs behaviour in such a large quantity of participants, is great evidence to suggest that massage therapy is a valid and valuable tool in helping dogs and ultimately aid with reducing anxiety that dogs feel as a result of many factors, not only just anxiety related to pain (Riley et al., Effect of massage therapy on pain and quality of ... - Wiley Online LibraryL 2018).
Summary
Although there is still scope for further studies, looking in to the effects of massage therapy on anxiety related issues and symptoms, it is clear from the research and articles that have been published to date that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that massage therapy has a noticeable benefit to dogs suffering with anxiety. The positive effects of massage therapy seen in humans is mirrored in dogs, and the benefits that have been highly documented and published in human studies are being seen in the canine world each and every day. Canine massage therapy is a very valid method of therapy that should be considered and applied to any dogs that suffer with any form of anxiety, to ease the anxiety directly or any anxiety related symptoms.