I was just reading an article on NewsTarget.com about the Mexican hairless dogs, the Xoloitzcuintli, helping out a woman who has fibromyalgia. Kind of a weird story, but at least she feels better 
These Mexican dogs put off a lot of body heat… much more than an average animal. This lady got a dog trained so it would lie on her neck to help relieve the pain… and it's working like a charm.
While this is good for her… I just can't see myself walking through the mall with a hot, hairless, dark grey colored dog wrapped around my neck. I can understand snuggling up with my pet at the end of the day while I lay down to watch TV, but beyond that and it gets a little weird for me.
I have a long cloth bag filled with some kind of pellets or rice, or something similar. I don't know what is really in it, but it is small and feels like an over stuffed bean bag. It is about 2 feet long and about 5 inches wide. I can heat it up in the microwave and lay it on my knees, wrists, neck, or lower back, and it stays hot for at least 30 minutes. And, I don't have to water or feed it
To me, this article on NewsTarget.com doesn't so much say… go out and buy and expensive hot hairless dog… but the importance of heat applied in the right places and how it can help relieve some of the pain.
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Your hairless dog story gave me a beaut chuckle as I visualised someone wearing an ugly hairless dog to the shops. I don't think I could train my own staffy-cross dog to lie calmy round my shoulders (too heavy anyway}. The sausage bag you describe is probably a wheat bag. I am the proud owner of 3 of various shapes and sizes. I have one for my neck/shoulders which I use all the time, but mainly when at home. A square one for my feet in bed as I can't sleep until my feet are warm in winter {saves my husband from having my little icicle toootsies shock his warm legs] and another rectangular spare for various uses. If I happen to badly misjudge heating time when neucing in the microwave as has happened a couple of times [smells similar to burnt popcorn] I pop off to the Health Food shop and buy some more organic wheat and run up a new bag. Anyway thanks for the giggle.