Plus-Hex CLINICAL be beneficial to investigate the effectiveness of these treatments specifically in canine OA and compare them with the effects of canine massage therapy alone. Fuentes Beneytez [ 3 ] conducted a randomised controlled clinical trial to examine the efficacy of TN massage in combination with CM for treating canine OA, and found a significant reduction in pain scores and improved mobility in dogs receiving massage therapy compared with those receiving medication alone.
Formenton et al. [ 5 ] provide a brief review of small animal massage therapy, discussing its techniques and potential benefits. Although the review lacks specific studies on OA and pain reduction, it establishes the importance of considering massage therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention for pain management. Wall [ 6 ] introduces the concept of myofascial trigger points in dogs, which are thought to contribute to musculoskeletal pain. This review sheds light on a potential mechanism by which massage therapy might alleviate canine pain by targeting these trigger points. Mille et al.' s [ 4 ] review of physiotherapeutic strategies and the evidence for these techniques in canine OA looks at the benefits of massage in terms of pain reduction but lacks sufficient canine-specific evidence, highlighting the need for more research to substantiate the efficacy of massage in pain reduction in dogs.
The study conducted by Lane and Hill [ 7 ] to evaluate the effectiveness of combined acupuncture and manual therapy for canine musculoskeletal pain has strength due to its randomised controlled trial design, which is the recommended approach for conducting experimental research. The use of acupuncture and manual therapy( of which massage is one form) allows a comprehensive approach to pain management. However, a potential weakness of this study is the absence of a single intervention group, which makes it difficult to determine the specific contributions of each component. The study had certain limitations in participant selection; specifically, it involved dogs that were incontinent, which had been preferentially selected due to a concurrent study by the same authors. To address potential statistical discrepancies, the authors compared this group with a group of dogs with non-neurological deficits. Despite focusing on manual therapy and acupuncture instead of massage alone, this study contributes evidence of the benefits associated with massage.
Both trigger-point therapy and myofascial release, covered in two studies [ 6, 7 ], produce similar effects to those observed in canine massage, which has shown effective pain reduction.
Conclusions
The literature reviewed suggests that massage therapy can significantly reduce pain and improve the QoL of dogs with OA. Massage therapy is a non-pharmacological approach that can be used alongside conventional therapies to manage pain effectively. Massage therapy aims to alleviate muscle tension, increase ROM, improve blood circulation and promote relaxation, leading to pain reduction and enhanced wellbeing for the canine patient.
The studies reviewed used different methods to measure pain, including subjective owner assessments and objective measures, namely force plate gait analysis. A substantial number of the studies had a limited number of participants, and the methodologies and experimental designs vary among studies, making it difficult to compare the results directly.
There is also a reliance on owner-reported outcomes, which is a source of study bias, yet owner assessments have the potential to provide valuable insights into the dog ' s subjective experience, while force plate gait analysis offers objective data on mobility changes. Both methods can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of pain reduction in canine OA.
Further research, including longitudinal studies, the incorporation of objective measures for pain assessment and studies to compare the effectiveness of massage therapy with other physiotherapeutic strategies, would strengthen the evidence base.
When examining the pyramid of evidence in research [ 9 ], more systemic reviews and meta-analyses of the research would validate the findings of these bodies of work. This approach would enhance the evaluation of the effectiveness of various veterinary physiotherapy treatments and indicate when best to apply them.
However, the results reviewed here indicate that massage therapy shows promise as a non-invasive intervention for managing pain in canine OA, and provide insight towards developing evidence-based guidelines for canine massage therapy.
Key takeaways
• OA is a common degenerative joint disease, which is prevalent among the canine population.
• OA can cause chronic pain and discomfort, significantly impacting on the animal ' s QoL.
• Canine massage aids in the reduction of pain and increases the wellbeing of the patient.
• Canine massage is part of a multimodal approach of physiotherapy techniques for reducing pain in OA.
• More research, systemic reviews and meta-analyses of canine massage and physiotherapy techniques are needed to highlight their effect in reducing pain in dogs with OA.
Volume 41( 4) • August 2026
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