You may have heard that natural therapies can be of great benefits to people but it doesn’t mean that only people can benefit.  Animals can also benefit from these natural therapies and these therapies come under the banner of animal therapy. Read on for more information.

What is Animal Therapy?

Animal therapy is the treatment of animals such as dogs, cats, and horses using more natural means or what are known as complementary medicine, alternative therapies, or natural therapies. These therapies are generally safer and gentler on the animal’s body and promote healing without the use of traditional (and potentially toxic) medications, and surgeries. These natural therapies can be used to treat an existing condition or to help stop a condition from arising.

Types of Animal Therapies

There are many different natural therapies that are suitable for animals. These include:

• Chiropractic - this involves realigning the bones of the skeleton so that joints work as they should, any trapped nerves are freed, and that muscles and ligaments can perform as they should. Performing chiropractic on animas can improve all areas of their fitness, and can also improve overall health.
• Massage - there are several different forms of massage that can be of benefit to animals. Massage is helpful as it increases blood flow, encourages muscle movement and also helps nervous pathways. Massage helps to accelerate the healing process and it also promotes relaxation in the animal.
• Muscle Stimulation - muscle stimulation helps to improve the tone of muscles that have been damaged through injuries or illness. Small electrical impulses are used to stimulate the muscles to contract and relax, exercising them and aiding recovery.
• Homeopathy - homeopathy uses special inert or biological chemicals that are extremely diluted in order to treat a wide range of conditions from physical to emotional. It is very safe and will not cause harm.
• Herbal Remedies - herbal medicines are ideal for treating a wide range of illnesses. They involve using specially prepared herbs in order to treat the animal’s symptoms without having to resort to traditional medication.
• Healing Therapies - healing therapies such as reiki can help with an animal’s physical, mental and emotional state by using a hands-off method in order to rebalance the energies that run through and around the body.
• Nutritional Therapy - this involves assessing the animal’s diet and making changes in order to benefit them positively. It can include taking the animal off processed pet foods and onto more natural raw diets and adding supplements where appropriate.
• Flower Essences - are helpful particularly for emotional or behavioural problems, such as aggressiveness, dominance, nervousness, separation anxiety, fear and so on.
• Acupuncture - acupuncture uses fine needles inserted in specific points of the body in order to remove energy blockages (or Chi blockages), balance the flow of energy, and to stimulate certain body parts in order to promote healing.