Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Treating Bone & Muscle Injuries
Union Lake Veterinary Hospital is a complete pet care facility with a broad range of options that enable us to provide treatment for your pet’s specific needs. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy is one of the treatments we have available for treating osteoarthritis, tendon and ligament injuries, fractures, and other musculoskeletal disorders in your pets. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy involves the use of a probe that a member of our trained staff uses to deliver a series of focused, high-pressure sound waves to the affected part of a pet’s body.
The waves travel through the animal’s skin and soft tissue. When the waves reach the injured area, the energy in the shock wave is released and interacts with the injured tissue. In the case of injured muscle-related tissues, the effect of the shockwaves and release of energy relieves pain and stimulates healing.
When used to treat osteoarthritis, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, while it does not cure or slow the progression of the disease, does reduce the associated pain, thereby allowing your pet to resume a more normal life with less suffering.
Because the administration of extracorporeal shockwave therapy may cause some discomfort and the loud noise emitted by the machine may scare your pet, a general anesthesia is administered before the treatment. To ensure your pet’s well-being, we strictly adhere to the American Animal Hospital Association’s standards for anesthetizing pets.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy is but one of the many treatments we have to help ensure that your pet has a long and healthy life with you.
