How Reiki Helped My Dog Heal Faster After a Traumatic Injury
When Crisis Hits Close to Home
Rila’s wounds were going to be open for 8 to 10 weeks.
Last week, something happened that every service dog handler dreads: my dog—my companion, my helper, my heart—was attacked by two neighbor dogs. It was sudden, violent, and traumatic for both of us. She sustained a serious abdominal wound, and the vet was clear: this would be a long recovery.
Eight to ten weeks of open wound care. Multiple bandage changes per week. Pain meds, antibiotics, and round-the-clock care. Sedation for the bandaging–again and again and again. I was devastated and overwhelmed.
Travel plans for the two of us, and work with clients were rapidly being scrubbed for the summer. I wasn’t worried about that, though. I wanted my partner to be okay–and the vet had to explain the way dog bites work and heal before I grasped the real issue: it might look like healing is going well one day, and tissue can then “die off” inside or at the edges of the wound. I was so scared for her.
But I wasn’t alone.
Calling on My Support System—and Reiki
As I’ve done during many hard times, I turned to my community. I shared what had happened on social media and asked for prayers, thoughts, light—and Reiki.
And wow, did she receive it. Reiki was flowing constantly to her from all directions. The powerful, compassionate Reiki practitioners I have worked with lovingly with in HeartSpace for years responded. My connections with the International Center for Reiki Training (ICRT), called for help from practitioners around the globe. For four days straight, she was bathed in gentle, loving energy from people near and far—many of whom have practiced Reiki with me, received sessions from Whole Self Unity, or simply held good intentions.
Practitioners put her in their Reiki crystal grids, so a continuous flow of Reiki would find her and boost her healing for the greatest possible good, in the highest possible way. Across time zones and across the International Dateline, we were bathed in unconditional love from near and far.
Rila looks miserable, even though she is heavily medicated.
During that time, I also gave her Reiki in person, tuning in to her body’s signals, her nervous system, and her inner knowing. I could feel her relaxing into it—releasing the initial shock, allowing peace to return, one breath at a time.
A Medical Surprise
When we returned to the vet on day four, something remarkable had happened.
The wound had changed–on the phone before opening the bandage, the vet reminded me again that this would take 8 to 10 weeks. Yet that story changed once she sedated my nervous partner and took a look under the bandage. The deep bruising that extended across her abdomen had almost completely healed. The pocket that was expected to drain for weeks had nearly closed. The vet called in another surgeon who examined it also and agreed–this wound was okay to stitch up!
Now, instead of a long, uncertain journey, we’re looking at just two weeks of healing. No more exposed tissue. No complex dressing changes. Just rest, care, and cuddles. (And a very bored service dog who isn’t used to being told to take it easy.)
We got home from the vet that night overjoyed and relieved–and so very grateful for all the help we had been offered. We even sang her song (The Rila Song) together as a duet. Normally, she just listens, but she is also Reiki attuned, and I believe she knew exactly what had happened.
What Reiki Is—and What It Isn’t
Rila had excellent medical care AND Reiki.
I want to be clear: we had excellent veterinary care. Reiki didn’t replace antibiotics or pain relief or medical guidance. It worked with the vet’s care—not in place of it.
Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive form of energy healing that promotes deep relaxation, reduces stress, and supports the body’s natural healing processes. It doesn’t override medical treatment; it enhances the environment for healing—physically, emotionally, and energetically.
In my dog’s case, I believe Reiki helped her body shift out of fight-or-flight, supported cell regeneration, and gave her nervous system the space it needed to recover from trauma. The antibiotics, pain medication, and excellent medical interventions helped her tissues and physical systems–the Reiki boosted those effects and also helped shift the nonphysical aspects of her fuzzy being.
Healing Isn’t Just Physical
This experience reminded me of something I often tell my clients: healing happens on many levels. Yes, her physical wound healed quickly—but I also saw her emotional recovery accelerate. Her eyes softened. Her breathing slowed. She slept deeply. Her trust returned.
That’s what Reiki can do. It supports healing not just in the body, but in the heart, the mind, and the spirit.
A Message for You, If You’re Overwhelmed
Rila feels better, because her healing was speedy with Reiki.
If you’re facing something hard right now—grief, pain, burnout, anxiety, illness—you’re not alone. Healing isn’t always fast. But it is possible.
Whether it’s through medical care, energy work, or the support of a loving community, healing happens. And Reiki can be part of that journey.
If you’re curious about trying Reiki—whether for yourself, a loved one, or even a furry companion—I’d be honored to hold space for your healing. I firmly believe that anyone who earnestly asks for healing receives it at the right time in the right way. Healing is already on the way, Friend.
Next Steps?
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