Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Laser therapy and rehab for dogs after back disc surgery recovery
By Bruno, Enrico et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2020·Portoni Rossi Veterinary Hospital, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Perilesional photobiomodulation therapy and physical rehabilitation in post-operative recovery of dogs surgically treated for thoracolumbar disk extrusion.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs who had surgery for a slipped disc in their back were treated with either laser therapy or just physical rehabilitation to see which helped them recover better. The dogs that received laser therapy showed improved neurological function within 30 days, especially if they still had some feeling in their legs when they were admitted. While both groups eventually regained their ability to walk, those treated with laser therapy tended to recover faster, taking about 14 days compared to 24 days for those without it. Overall, laser therapy may help improve recovery after spinal surgery in dogs.
People also search for: dog back surgery recovery · laser therapy for dogs · slipped disc treatment in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have reported contrasting results of the effects of laser therapy on post-operative intervertebral disk herniation, with a lack of evidence-based advantages of this modality within a rehabilitation protocol. The aim of this study was to report the clinical effects of photobiomodulation therapy within a post-operative rehabilitation protocol in dogs submitted to surgery for thoracolumbar disk extrusion. Twenty-four dogs were included in the study (12 dogs treated with laser therapy and rehabilitation protocol and 12 dogs treated with same rehabilitation protocol but without laser therapy). RESULTS: All dogs treated with laser therapy showed improved neurological status (Modified Frankel Score more than 3 within 30 days of physiotherapy starting) if deep nociception on admission was maintained (P = 0.04). However, Kaplan-Meier analysis did not show any statistical difference in time to regain ambulatory ability, although there was a tendency for a shorter mean time of 14.2 ± 8.55 days in the laser group versus 24 ± 18.49 days in the no laser group. CONCLUSIONS: The use of laser therapy in the post-operative rehabilitation of dogs affected by intervertebral disc extrusion and submitted to surgery for spinal decompression could help improve their neurological status.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32334585/