Our pets, like ourselves are only as healthy as their cells, which, in turn, are only as healthy as the nutrients and oxygen they get, and the amount of toxins that are removed. Nutrients and oxygen travel in the blood, while toxins are removed by the blood and the lymphatic systems. Massage Therapy increases the flow of blood and lymph at least three times its normal rate, while exercise increases it as much as twenty times its normal rate.
Exercise also tightens the muscles.
Unfortunately, our pets do not know to stretch their muscles and other soft tissue back to their normal length after exercise as humans do, and as a result the muscles often continue to tighten. When this happens, many physiological changes may occur. These changes, such as decreased circulation of blood and lymph, possible entrapment of nerves, increased inter joint pressure which further tightens the muscles and other soft tissues, leaving the affected area in a state of dis-ease. At a minimum this affects your pet's flexibility and usually results in pain and discomfort. If allowed to exist for a prolonged period the affected area could very well transition to a state of disease.