Treating a torn tendon in horses with laser therapy

The animal had previously attracted attention due to severe lameness . On the advice of a local veterinary clinic, the horse was initially treated with the pain reliever phenylbutazone for a week. Since this treatment brought no improvement, X-rays were taken under anesthesia, but they did not provide any information about the cause of the symptoms.

Only an ultrasound examination brought the injury to light. As it turned out, there was a tendon tear in the upper part of the leg in question. In addition to stable box rest, it was decided to walk the horse on solid ground every day for the next five months. About one month before the end of this period , laser therapy was introduced as an additional measure to the 25-minute exercise sessions.

The injured tendon was treated locally with the pulsed diode therapy laser . The progress of the treatment was monitored using RAC pulse diagnostics, which can also be carried out with the therapy laser. Pulse control showed increasing improvement, which was confirmed by a further ultrasound examination after four weeks of laser therapy . Hardly any traces of the tendon injury were visible on the ultrasound images.

From this point on, the horse could do light work again. Four more weeks later the injury was completely healed . After the initial diagnosis, a healing phase that lasted at least six weeks was expected . The fact that this tendon tear in the suspensory ligament could be treated so quickly and successfully is also an indication of the effectiveness of laser therapy . Although this took place at the same time as conventional treatment methods, the accelerated healing of the injury speaks for itself.