You will find some of the material we use in our dog massage classes on this page. Most of the material is geared toward the dog and cat professional massage therapist but can also be helpful to the layperson. All the forms listed here are open source, so you have permission to use them and manipulate them as you see fit (unless they are authored by someone other than the Ojai School of Canine Massage). Some of the material on this page contains opinions that may or may not be facts, so if you have any questions or doubts about the veracity or truthfulness of the material, please contact your local Veterinarian to “fact check” the material. If you have suggestions on what may be improved, please leave comments, and we will try to integrate whatever is helpful into the material we share.
Every animal caretaker wants to be the best caretaker possible. A good animal shepherd will learn the “lay of the land” and what is needed to keep their animal healthy and safe from internal and external harm. Please stay healthy and happy, as well, so that you can impart this to your animal friends!
Canine Anatomy
- Canine Muscle Actions Grouped By Actions and Regions
- Canine Muscle Origins, Insertions, Actions and Nerve Innervations
- Canine Anatomy Audio File for Pronunciation and Memorization
Note: A good dog massage therapist and caretaker should strive to slowly learn what is underneath the skin and how the muscles work on the bones. When you are doing a dog massage and feel something that feels odd or doesn’t feel right, you should go to a dog anatomy book or dog anatomy website and research what you are feeling.
Dog and Cat Massage Intake Forms
- Animal Intake Form
- Animal Chinese Medicine Intake Form (From Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine)
- Dorsal View of the Dog for S.O.A.P. Charting
- Ventral View of the Dog for S.O.A.P. Charting
- Treatment Plan Form (From Mosby)
- Gait Assessment Form for the Canine
- TCVM Checklist for Animals
- Dog and Cat Body Condition Scores
Note: If you are a professional in the animal health field, a dog massage therapist, or in the rescue or behavior fields, you should have a variety of behavior-related forms on hand that you can obtain by purchasing the Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat.
Canine and Feline Pathologies
- List of Zoonotic and Communicable Diseases of the Dog and Cat
- Flash Cards for Canine Pathologies
- Pyodermas
- Superficial Dermatomycoses
- Ectoparasites
- Rehabilitation Therapies for Musculoskeletal and Spinal Diseases in Small Animals
A dog massage therapist and dog caretaker should learn about the various pathological conditions in the dog.
Dog Massage
An excellent resource for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine is the Chi Institute.
Miscellaneous
Post Surgical Dog Massage