What is Bowen therapy exactly?
What is Bowen therapy and can it help my dog
The short answer is that Bowen is a hand on physical therapy that supports your dog ability to heal itself so yes, Bowen can provide natural pain relief and they will love it.
Bowen is a type of body work that uses light and gentle manoeuvres on the skin of the dog on specific sites that affect the dog's connective tissue, tendons and muscles nerves and organs. This manipulation is so gentle and effective that it affects the nerves and organs deep down in the body. Along with providing release from muscle knots and joint pain and injuries Bowen provides a calming and relaxing effect which can improve the efficiency of your dog’s immune system. So if your dog is prone to ear and eye infections, regular Bowen treatments can reduce the number of infections your dog may suffer from.
How does it work?
Bowen works by sending vibrations through the fascia into the body. Fascia is the connective tissue that connects between every organ, muscle fibre, nerve, tendon and the skin meaning everything the body is connected. Think of a slimy spider web in between your muscles and under your skin. Fascia holds the structure of these body parts therefore it supports the integrity and healthy function of your muscles, tendons and organs including repair. That is why Canine Bowen Therapy can help your dog feel better due to a variety of issues. Pain, stiffness or illness in one part of the body can affect or present in other body parts so it is important that the connective tissue is kept healthy, lubricated and smooth.
Regular hydration and movement normally helps with this but when there is abnormal function due to injury, illness or constant tension the fascia can become sticky and hard creating knots and pain. Fascia also holds memory, like muscle memory, so releasing it regularly will release the body so it can move and stretch the correct and natural way.
Treating with Bowen
There are a few things to consider before booking your Bowen appointment with me and will help when you are considering between massage and Bowen. Bowen is light so pets with soft tissue injuries and post surgery patients can receive Bowen in certain areas. Bowen is also very taxing on the body especially after the first time. Therefore your animal shouldn’t have any current infections and be stable with conditions like diabetes. Vaccination should also be done no less than
a week before a Bowen treatment.
Bowen treatments work together as each session builds upon the last session and gives time for your dog’s body to respond and restore itself. I recommend booking at least 2 sessions one week apart. Monthly sessions for management are recommended for chronic pain.
There are also conditions to follow at home after the treatment, such as reducing jumping and running and keeping walks controlled on flat surfaces and short for a few days, conducting no other body therapies for a week including hydrobaths as it will manipulate the areas worked on and undo the progress.
If these are actions you can do with your dog then I recommend Bowen as the most effective treatment. If you can’t follow the after care or fit in appointments then a massage can be the best treatment for your dog. However massage has more pressure and there are further factors to consider if massage is right for your dog at the time.
Dogs that won't stay still?
The structure of Bowen is to make a move and let the dog rest on for a minute. So dogs that are reactive or can’t sit still, can comply with Bowen a lot easier than sitting through a massage. I also let you help to make sure your dog gets a positive treatment.
“Such a difference”
When your dog has Bowen, I will check to see how your dog reacts the days after treatment, whether you have noticed any changes in behaviour or movement and I will take this into consideration for their next session.
I love it when dog owners or the dog’s family and friends see a positive change in their walking pattern.
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