Shock Wave healing – Sound Energy. Sound Horse. Sound Return.

5-year old AQH Mare – Wound healing

Courtesy of Alison Morton, DVM, DACVS University of Florida Large Animal Surgery

8-year old Irish Sport Horse Gelding – Lameness as a result of collateral  ligament desmitis of the coffin joint

Follow-up: MRI scan at 90 days showed decreased signal intensity from previous scan. Two additional shock wave treatments were performed. At 14-month follow-up, the horses were back to competing at the intermediate level.

Courtesy of Kent Allen, DVM Virginia Equine Imaging

Navicular Syndrome and shock wave therapy

In 2004, Scott McClure, DVM, PhD, DACVS, at Iowa State University, presented an evaluation of 32 horses treated with shock wave for navicular syndrome.¹

• 2,000 shocks at Energy level E6
• Dr. McClure recommended approaching through the heel bulbs and the frog and most importantly, soaking the foot the evening before the treatment to ensure transmission of sound energy through the heel.
• 6 months post-treatment 27 horses were available for evaluation
• 70% of the cases showed improvement at a trot
• 81% of horse owners reported improvement
• Lameness in the horses that responded did not relapse in the 12-month period following treatment and no complications reported.

¹Church SL. AAEP 2004: Shock Wave to Treat Navicular. The Horse Web site. 2004. Available at: http://www.thehorse.com/PrintArticle.aspx?ID=5387. Accessed July 28, 2008.