Sharon Dargay|Hometown Life
Forest, a Labrador retriever, dives, fetches and barn hunts, but is a novice when it comes to therapeutic vibrating.
The canine athlete from Commerce Township recently dipped his paw into the world of whole body vibration by taking a turn on Premier Pet Supply’s new vibration platform, which is available for in-store use at its Beverly Hills location.
The six-year-old calmly sat on the platform accepting treats from his owner, Anna Borovich, while the EquiVibe equipment sent vibrations from his toes to his head.
“I thought this might be good for him. He has never been on this, but he seems to like it,” Borovich said, adding that Forest, who has won the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge and has been on television, likely will return for another 10-minute vibration session. “We always come here. This is one of the places that has everything. I saw this (EquiVibe) on their Facebook page and I thought it might be a good idea, because he is an athlete.”
According to the store’s Facebook post, whole body vibration improves blood flow, which in turn brings more oxygen to tissue, removes toxinsand enhances the body’s ability to heal itself. The machine is said to help increase bone density — reducing the possibility of injuries —reduce muscle inflammation, alleviate stiffness in arthritic animalsand help with ACL tears.
Forest was among approximately two dozen canine customers who gave the equipment a try during its first week in the store.
The platform— which looks similar to a veterinary scale — became available for customer use last week and has gained at least one regular user, according to Samantha Henson, store manager and pet nutritionist.
“A German shepherd mix, is 15, has cancerand had a session and loved it,” Henson said, describing the new user.
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Premier Pet Supply offers a 10-minute sessionfor $10, four 10-minute sessions for $30 and one month of unlimited use for $99. No appointments are necessary and use of the machine is on a first-come basis.
Dog-sized platform
“I had seen it at a horse show years back and thought it was amazing, but it was enormous," Henson said. “I put it out of my mind until I saw it at a pet expo.The unit for dogs is new. A lot of barns in Michigan have it (for horses), but not a whole lot of places have it for dogs.”
Magoo’s Pet Outlet in Commerce Township also offers EquiVibe sessions for dogs. Cost is $20 for 20 minutes.
Store owner Jason Corbett likens the experience to a massage.
“A massage is something that, when you’re done, you feel refreshed,” he said. “I don’t have any experience with cats on it. It’s more geared toward dogs with arthritis. Ours is enclosed by a cage. The dog goes in and it’s so soothing for them. “
Matt Reddie of Ferndale, who let his Siberian husky, Akidoe, 2½, try the EquiVibe at Premier Pet Supply, says using vibration to lessen pain and inflammation “makes sense.”
“I have nerve damage and vibrations actually work to open up the nerve channels and alleviate pain. That relieves inflammation, too,” he said.
Henson said customers can step onto the platform with their dogs if they need to quell canine nerves.
Co-manager Lauren Blunden of Farmington Hillssaid she stood on the platform for five minutes one day last week to shake off a bad headache.
“It was gone,” she said. “I do feel a difference when I stand on it, just for my whole body in general. It’s a vibration that goes through your feet and all the way up. I just know it’s going to be super beneficial.”
How beneficial?
Stephanie Siegrist, a rehabilitation therapy assistant at the Animal Rehab Center of Michigan in Union Lake, said whole body vibration is not used at the center, which offersunderwater and on-land treadmills,therapeutic laser, muscle conditioningand core strength and balance exercises.
“We felt it would not be super helpful for us. I know equine vets use it and it has some merit for dogs,” she said, adding that some fitness gyms, such as Planet Fitness, also offer whole body vibration to their human clients.
“It’s good for healthy (canine) patients," she added. "It can’t hurt, but I’d say for any injured or arthritic patients, consult with a doctor first.”
Jim Thompson, hospital administrator at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services in Bloomfield Hills, said he spoke with a surgeon about whole body vibration health claims.
“It is not going to help with ACL tears,” he wrotein an email to hometownlife.com.
Hillary Lobar, DVM, works with horses and other farm animals through her veterinary practice in South Lyon, but said she had limited experience using whole body vibration with animals.
“I know it's very popular in high-end sports horses and most horses seem to relax and enjoy the treatment,"she wrote in an email to hometownlife.com.
Henson said vibration, which causes muscles to contract, can be used as an alternative to walking outdoors on a frigid winter day or as exercise for dogs that have difficulty walking.
“It works all your muscles," she said. "It's like you’ve been running 10 minutes without being winded at the end."
Premier Pet Supply is at 31215 Southfield Road in Beverly Hills.
Magoo’s Pet Outlet is at 3050 Union Lake Road inCommerce Township.
Contact Sharon Dargay at sdargay@hometownlife.com.
