My family grew up with many pets and animals and my father gave them blessings when we would request it for their recovery. My husband and I have been discussing this lately and came across this from an account of Heber C Kimball. (He is my husband's great-great-great grandfather).
"Later that month while the party was camped on Medicine Creek, a rattlesnake bit one of Heber's horses. Without hesitation he quieted the animal, handed its reins to someone, and laid his hands on the animal's head, blessed it, and rebuked the poison; the horse recovered. To those who wondered at the propriety of this, Heber answered simply, "It is just as proper to lay hands on a horse or an ox and administer to them in the name of the Lord, and of such utility, as it is to a human being, both being creatures of His creation, both consequently having a claim to his attention."
