We’re all out there looking for the dream gig, right? The one that will let us do something great while also making good money and letting us achieve the work-life balance that makes us happy.
It can feel more than a little bit like finding a unicorn, but if you’re a pet lover, we might just have found yours – a Pet Massage Therapist.
Yes, it’s a real thing, and there’s even a National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure and Massage who ensure proper guidelines and training are met.
Aches and pains aren’t unique to human beings. Anyone who has loved a dog through their senior years knows that’s true, and like with humans, massage therapy can help relieve discomfort.
Lola Michelin of the Northwest School of Animal Massage believes so, anyway.
“Regular massage throughout the life of your pet may help prevent the stiffness and pain that contributes to arthritis.”
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MaryJean Ballner, a graduate of the Swedish Institute of Massage Therapy, totally agrees.
“Physiologically, massage stimulates the body’s nerves, muscles, circulatory system and lymphatic system. It enhances range of motion, increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients to muscle cells, relieves muscle spasms and help to flush away toxic compounds, such as lactic acid, that cause pain. Massage has been used therapeutically to aid in healing after injury or surgery, ease chronic stiffness and reduce heart rate.”
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If you think there’s no way a cat would allow a massage, well, you’d be wrong (at least in some cases).
Some of them will tolerate the process and even grow to like it, like one 4-year-old cat Baller worked with in the past.
“The first time we met, it took a few minutes for me to gently pry his claws from the shelf. For the next few weeks, I patiently cradled this cat in my arms… held him securely on my lap and repeated gentle soothing words. Gradually he began to accept being massaged with a soft bristle brush.”
If all of this sounds great, you can look into programs offered by Equissage.com, which should lead to a certification from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.
That said, laws and legal requirements vary by state, so you’ll want to check into those before you fork over your hard-earned cash to get started.
Sounds pretty great, right?
I just might have to look into it myself.
