High intensity laser therapy (HILT) uses Class IV, high-powered lasers to deliver light energy to promote healing. The light is in the infrared range; it's designed to reduce pain and inflammation.
Researchers in Poland tested HILT therapy on horses with bone spavin that were referred to the Department of Surgery in Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences. Bone spavin is a condition that involves inflammation and degeneration of the hock joint in horses.
Drs. Paulina Zielińska, Karolina Śniegucka and Zdzisław Kiełbowicz used 11 horses that had hind-end lameness that was exacerbated by flexion, but that improved with blocking the hock. The horses also had X-rays that showed changes consistent with bone spavin. None of the horses in the study had received treatment for the condition in the previous 6 months.
The horses were evaluated using the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 5-point lameness scale then had 10 HILT sessions performed over a two-week period. The horses were again evaluated on the lameness scale at the conclusion of the treatment.
The team found that four horses (36 percent) improved by two lameness grades, four (36 percent) improved by one lameness grade, and three horses (28 percent) showed no improvement. Of the horses that improved, three were considered sound after the treatments.
All horses had flexions done at the conclusion of the treatment; five horses' flexions improved and six horses' flexions stayed the same. All horses still exhibited lameness after they were flexed.
The researchers conclude that HILT treatment can decrease joint pain and lameness in horses with bone spavin, but it has limited effectiveness in reducing lameness after the horse is flexed. The study team recommends additional investigation into the treatment.
Read more at Equine Science Update.
The post Can Bone Spavin Be Treated By High-Intensity Lasers? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
