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04/07/2025
ecallenCanine Health

Non-Surgical Management of Sporting Dog Injuries: Effective Treatment Options

Sporting dogs, from agility competitors to flyball athletes, endure immense physical strain that can lead to frequent injuries. These active canine athletes require specialized care to ensure swift recovery and sustained performance. Dr. Ariel Markley’s recent webinar, Non-Surgical Management of Sporting Dog Injuries: Effective Treatment Options, provided veterinary professionals with an in-depth look at cutting-edge therapies that can help sporting dogs recover without surgery. In this blog, we’ll explore the key takeaways from Dr. Markley’s presentation, including advanced treatments like Zomedica’s PulseVet® shock wave therapy and other non-surgical options.

Common Sporting Dog Injuries

Understanding the injuries common to sporting dogs is the foundation for effective treatment. High-impact activities often result in repetitive stress and acute injuries, with the following being most prevalent:

  • Agility dog injuries: Shoulder and stifle injuries caused by sharp turns and jumps.
  • Flyball injuries: Iliopsoas injuries and soft tissue strains from explosive running and sudden stops.
  • Canine shoulder injuries: Supraspinatus and bicep tendinopathies from repeated jumping or landing.
  • Carpal ligament injuries: Impact-related injuries from navigating uneven surfaces.
  • Iliopsoas injuries: Strains due to overuse or sudden deceleration during sprints.

Treatment success hinges on tailored rehabilitation plans that incorporate advanced non-surgical therapies. These options offer effective healing while minimizing downtime.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Sporting Dog Injuries

1. Shockwave Therapy
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is one of the most effective first-line treatments for soft tissue injuries in sporting dogs. It uses high-energy sound waves to accelerate healing and improve tissue quality.

Mechanism of Action:
Targets tendons, ligaments, and muscles to enhance blood flow and stimulate collagen production.

  • Promotes tissue repair while reducing fibrous tissue formation.
  • Encourages a faster return to athletic performance.

Studies highlight significant improvements in lameness and ultrasound findings following shockwave therapy, particularly in shoulder injuries such as supraspinatus tendinopathy. Zomedica’s PulseVet® shock wave therapy is a proven option in this domain, offering reliability and effectiveness for veterinary professionals.

2. PRP Therapy

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy has gained traction for treating chronic soft tissue injuries in sporting dogs. This regenerative technique leverages the dog’s own blood to stimulate healing.

Usage and Benefits:

  • Often used in conjunction with shockwave therapy for enhanced recovery.
  • Improves tissue quality, reducing the risk of re-injury.
  • Provides significant relief from chronic injuries like bicep tendinopathy and carpal ligament injuries.

PRP therapy, when administered with ultrasound guidance, ensures precise delivery to the affected area, maximizing its effectiveness.

3. Photobiomodulation Therapy (Laser Therapy)

Laser therapy offers a non-invasive way to accelerate tissue repair and reduce inflammation using infrared light. Although canine-specific research is still emerging, studies on other species have shown promise.

Key Benefits:

  • Enhances collagen organization and reduces inflammatory markers.
  • Maintains flexibility and prevents stiffness during recovery.
  • Supports long-term healing when combined with other therapies.

This modality is a valuable tool for veterinarians looking to complement shockwave and PRP therapies.

Importance of Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention

A structured rehabilitation plan is critical to a sporting dog’s recovery and long-term performance. These plans focus on rebuilding muscle strength, improving balance, and restoring neuromuscular control.

Rehabilitation Timeline:

  1. Initial rehabilitation (8–16 weeks): Controlled exercises like weight shifting, posture work, and balance drills.
  2. Sport-specific retraining (8–12 weeks): Gradual reintroduction to agility, flyball, or other athletic activities.
  3. Conditioning maintenance (ongoing): Exercises to prevent future injuries and maintain peak performance.

Owners should set realistic expectations, as soft tissue injuries can take 6–12 months for full recovery. Consistent home-based exercises and regular veterinary follow-ups are vital to successful outcomes.

Applying Injury Management in Your Practice

Offering clients comprehensive solutions for managing soft tissue injuries in their sporting dogs is of paramount importance. Advanced therapies like shockwave, PRP, and laser treatments enable faster recovery and safer returns to competition, while structured rehabilitation plans help prevent re-injury.

Sporting dogs require advanced care to meet the demands of their athletic lives. With therapies like shock wave, PRP, and laser treatment combined with structured rehabilitation, veterinary professionals can help their canine patients recover faster, stay healthy, and achieve their full potential.

To learn more about PulseVet® shock wave therapy, visit Zomedica’s website or contact your local representative.

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09/02/2024
ecallenTechnology & Innovation

How Your Shock Waves Are Generated – It Makes a Difference!

By T.J. Barclay, DVM

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is a common treatment modality for a variety of orthopedic conditions in both animals and humans.  In veterinary medicine, ESWT was first developed for use in horses over two decades ago.  More recently, usage of ESWT has expanded to small animal species.  Several different shock wave generators are marketed for use in veterinary medicine, leading to the erroneous assumption that all are equally effective in producing the desired results.  Let us explore the differences between these devices, and what they mean for our patients.

Understanding Shock Wave Generation Methods

Shock waves are a specific form of sound wave, characterized by an extremely rapid, high amplitude peak followed by a slower and lower amplitude trough.  Current therapeutic devices generate focused shock waves by using one of three methods:

  • Electrohydraulic: An electric spark within a fluid medium generates a shock wave that is then focused by a metal reflector.
  • Electromagnetic: These devices function similarly to a loudspeaker, wherein an electromagnetic coil produces the shock wave.
  • Piezoelectric: An electric current causes an array of piezoelectric crystals to vibrate, producing the shock wave.

While all these devices produce shock waves, there are significant differences in how those waves are focused into the target tissues.  These different focusing methods result in varying volumes of tissue that are subjected to shock waves.  The electrohydraulic method produces a focal zone that is several orders of magnitude larger than either of the other two methods.  This means that for every individual shock wave (aka “pulse”), more cells are affected.  Put another way, for any given volume of tissue to be treated, an electrohydraulic device requires fewer pulses to effectively treat it.

Energy Flux Density: A Misleading Comparison

The energy delivered by shock waves can be measured, and it is termed “energy flux density” (EFD).  While on its face, EFD would seem to be an effective way to compare the different shock wave devices, this is a common misconception.  Energy flux density is defined as the energy delivered across the focal plane and is reported in units of energy per unit of area (mJ/mm2).  Total energy delivered is thus dependent on the size of the focal zone of the particular device.  As stated before, electrohydraulic devices have a much larger focal zone, and therefore deliver a much larger amount of energy.  Saying that electromagnetic or piezoelectric devices are equivalent to their electrohydraulic counterparts based on EFD delivered, is akin to saying that a teacup and a swimming pool hold the same amount of water!

Shock Wave Clinical Efficacy and Research

The effects of ESWT on soft tissue injuries, bone injuries, osteoarthritis, wounds, and other lesions have been extensively studied.  However, given the differences in shock wave generation methods, care must be taken when extrapolating protocols and expected results from one method to another.  The results seen in studies performed with electrohydraulic devices cannot be assumed to be achievable with the other devices.  Ideally, the efficacy of each particular device would be proven through its own clinical trials.  Keep that in mind when deciding on a shock wave device to incorporate into your practice!

You can check out a listing of scientific studies performed with the PulseVet electrohydraulic device here.

Want to learn more about PulseVet? Schedule a demo!

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09/02/2024
ecallenEquine Health

Maintaining Comfort in the Performance Horse

By T.J. Barclay, DVM

Just like their human counterparts, equine athletes are prone to experiencing discomfort or injury over the course of their training.  Effectively treating injuries and maximizing the comfort of the horse are essential for the horse to realize its peak potential.  The owner, trainer, veterinarian, farrier, and other supporting personnel each have important roles, and they all must work together as a team to maintain the overall health and fitness of the horse. 

Common Signs of Discomfort in Equine Athletes

Discomfort can manifest itself in many ways.  Some, such as overt lameness, are relatively easy to detect.  Other times, it can be difficult to determine if a behavior is pain related or not.  Problems such as difficulty changing leads, refusal to perform certain maneuvers, girthiness, and bucking can all be induced by musculoskeletal pain. Whenever pain or injury are suspected, the veterinarian’s expertise in managing orthopedic conditions becomes key.  First and foremost, an accurate diagnosis of the problem is critical to formulating an appropriate treatment plan.  A thorough examination in both static and dynamic states, combined with diagnostic analgesia and diagnostic imaging provide the necessary information. 

Choosing the Best Treatment Plan for Equine Athletes

Once a diagnosis is reached, options for treatment are discussed with the owner and a plan is made.  For some conditions, treatment may allow the horse to continue training with no changes.  In other cases, interventions such as rest, rehabilitation, or corrective shoeing may be indicated.  Today, we are fortunate to have a myriad of therapeutic options at our disposal for treatment of orthopedic conditions. Anti–inflammatories, viscosupplements, orthobiologics, chiropractic manipulation, and acupuncture are some of the viable options, and a multi-modal approach often provides the best outcomes. 

PulseVet® Shock Wave Therapy for Equine Recovery

Another modality that has become a mainstay of treating musculoskeletal conditions is extracorporeal shock wave therapy, with PulseVet shock wave being the leading provider in this field.  PulseVet therapy delivers high-energy sound waves focused and directed into injured tissues. These shock waves stimulate the release of a variety of different cytokines that modulate inflammation, increase blood supply, and stimulate bone growth. A typical treatment protocol using PulseVet’s system involves one to three shock wave treatments at approximately two-week intervals. 

PulseVet shock wave therapy is well established in the treatment of soft tissue injuries such as suspensory ligament strains and bowed tendons. These structures are notorious for developing scar tissue that is less elastic than normal tissue and prone to reinjury.  PulseVet shock wave stimulates growth of normal collagen fibrils within the lesion, resulting in a better quality of healing and a more functional structure.  

Other common areas where PulseVet shock wave therapy is beneficial are the neck, back, and sacroiliac regions.  Dorsal spinous process impingement (kissing spines) and osteoarthritis of the dorsal articular processes can often be effectively managed with shock wave therapy, allowing the horse to return to work in a timely manner.  PulseVet technology is also useful in slowing the progression of osteoarthritis in other joints. 

Maximizing Equine Athletic Performance

Maintaining peak performance in the equine athlete is a team effort involving input from multiple areas of expertise. When injuries arise, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment provide the best chances for complete healing and a timely return to work. PulseVet shock wave therapy is often a valuable tool for achieving that goal. As veterinarians, nothing is more satisfying than seeing our patients sound and competing with their owner! 

By incorporating PulseVet shock wave technology into our treatment plans, we can offer our equine athletes cutting-edge care that promotes faster healing and better outcomes. Whether dealing with soft tissue injuries, joint issues, or back problems, PulseVet shock wave provides a non-invasive, effective solution that helps maintain comfort and performance in our equine athletes. 

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