Animal Bowen

A Gentle Therapy for Body and Mind

Animal Bowen is a very gentle yet profound hands-on therapy that has long-lasting beneficial effects on pain, stress, muscle tension, and emotional trauma. This technique was adapted from the human Bowen Technique (named after Tom Bowen of Australia, who developed it) for use in animals by Carol Bennett of Durango, Colorado. Although not well known in the U.S., Animal Bowen has successfully been used for a wide variety of conditions such as chronic lameness and hip, neck, and back problems in thousands of animals, both large and small.

Animal Bowen releases tight muscles and rebalances muscle tension on the two sides of the body. This can relieve pain related to unequal muscle tension in chronic lameness or acute injury and the abnormal stresses these put on an animal’s movement. The ‘structural rebalancing’ from a Bowen treatment produces freer, straighter movement and more efficient use of the body. This is valuable for animal athletes, helping them stay sound and achieve maximum performance. It is also important in managing older animals having joint pain and stiffness.

In addition to helping pain and lamenesses, the Bowen technique (shown in human studies) reduces anxiety and calms/’resets’ the nervous system from stressed (‘fight or flight’) to ‘rest and digest’. I am currently using Animal Bowen successfully in my practice for reducing thunderstorm phobia and separation anxiety in dogs, helping nervous horses to be calmer and more focused in their work, and abused or traumatized animals to recover and become trusting, affectionate companions.

Provided by Lynn S. Peck, D.V.M., MS at 352-367-0709.