Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)

In ESWT, high-intensity sound waves interact with the tissues of the body, leading to the development of new blood vessels, reversal of chronic inflammation, stimulation of collagen, and dissolution of calcium build-up. 

Studies of shockwave therapy for dogs have shown positive results in improving bone healing, soft tissue damage, joint inflammation, and both the progression and pain of osteoarthritis.

Conditions that can be effectively treated with shockwave therapy include:

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
Degenerative joint disease
Osteoarthritis

Tendon and Ligament injuries
Non- or delayed healing bone fractures
IVDD
Chronic or non-healing wounds

Actual Results

of ESWT for Dogs

According to Clinician’s Brief:

Of 4 dogs treated for non-healing fractures, 3 had significant improvement in bone healing following ESWT treatment.

In a study of dogs with distal radial fracture non-unions (a break near the bottom of the front limb, just above the wrist joint), all dogs that received ESWT showed complete bone healing after 12 weeks, while no dogs in the control group achieved complete bony union.

In a study of dogs with lameness resulting from soft tissue shoulder conditions, 88 percent showed improvement after shockwave therapy, with no surgical intervention.

ESWT was also shown to significantly reduce distal ligament thickening in dogs with inflammation of knee joints following surgery for a CCL rupture.

Shockwave therapy has proved beneficial in promoting the development of new blood vessels at the bone-tendon interface of the Achilles tendon in dogs.