Individual care · Veterinary consent
Strains
An overstretched or torn muscle or tendon, often from overexertion.
What it is
A strain is an injury to muscle or tendon, as opposed to the ligament involved in a sprain. It typically follows overexertion — a sudden sprint, an awkward landing, or simply doing more than usual — and is common in active and sporting dogs. Your vet will confirm what has been injured and how severely.
What you might notice
- Lameness after exercise, sometimes appearing the following day
- A shortened stride, or an unwillingness to extend a limb fully
- Tenderness or tension in the muscle itself rather than at a joint
- Reluctance to stretch, jump or play as usual
- The same problem recurring when activity resumes
These are things owners commonly describe. They are not a diagnosis, and several of them overlap with other conditions — only your vet can tell you what is actually going on.
How massage may help
Because a strain is an injury to muscle, this is close to massage’s core purpose — but the timing matters and it belongs to your vet. Working on a fresh injury can do harm. Once healing is established and your vet has given consent, massage can support the repairing tissue, work with the protective tension that has built up around it, and address the compensation elsewhere. Recurring strains in particular often trace back to tightness that was never resolved.
Talk to Shanice about your dog
A diagnosis is only one part of the story. Two dogs with the same condition can need quite different care, depending on their age, temperament, routine and what they love doing. Share your dog’s veterinary history when you enquire and Shanice will talk through whether massage is appropriate for them.
Treatment complements your dog’s veterinary care, takes place in your own home, and requires signed veterinary consent.
Enquire about a session