World Animal Reiki Day

February 5th is World Animal Reiki Day! World Animal Reiki Day was founded by the Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA). February 5th was chosen because it was the birthday of the founder’s dog, an Australian Shepherd named Dakota. A Dawsonville, GA vet offers some insight on reiki for pets below.

Basics

As you may know, reiki is a non-invasive, energy-based form of healing therapy. The system was developed in the 1920’s by Mikao Usai, a Japanese pioneer in alternative therapies. Along with many other holistic practices, reiki is gaining popularity year over year. It’s now used all over the world, and by people in all walks of life. 

Purpose

While the effects of reiki are hard to measure in and of themselves, we do know of the harm that things like stress and anxiety can cause. Reiki helps animals relax, which definitely provides tangible benefits. Just like our bodies, our furry friends’ bodies function at their best when they are free of tension. There’s a lot to be said for helping pets relax, and stimulating the body to heal itself!That said, it’s important to realize that reiki should never replace proper veterinary care. Contact your vet right away if you notice any signs of potential illness in your pet.

Effectiveness

While there is still a lot to learn about how healing energy affects the body, studies do indicate that reiki shows a lot of promise. For instance, an NCBI study found that reiki was a safe and gentle complementary therapy that stimulates the body to heal itself. In fact, out of 13 studies, eight of them showed reiki as being more effective than placebo.

Uses

Reiki isn’t going to be the right option for every animal: treatment should always be offered on a case-by-case basis. And, as mentioned above, it should be used to complement, not replace, proper veterinary care. However, if your pet is sick, stressed, or healing, it may be worth looking into. Reiki can be helpful for helping a scared, uncertain pet feel safe after being adopted, to help prepare a pet for surgery, or to complement the healing process as they are recovering from illness or injury. Ultimately, it’s also about connecting with our animal companions on a deep level emotionally.

Do you have any questions about your pet’s health or care? Contact us, your local Dawsonville, GA pet clinic, today!