Considering using cold laser (in addition to LOTS of rest and a very slow rehab plan) on a hock ligament tear and I’d love to hear people’s experiences. Good, bad or meh.
Do you think it helped?
Did you use vet or other provider’s laser?
If you bought/borrowed one, brand name?
Thanks very much!
Do you think it helped? - Yes
Did you use vet or other provider’s laser? - Massage therapist & barn mate
If you bought/borrowed one, brand name? - You can rent a unit from respondsystems.com
An old barn mate bought a unit because her horse had some major issues. Several of us had her work on our horses and they were quite vocal about where they wanted to be treated. My horse’s massage therapist, who is used by a few BNT and is now able to work at FEI events, uses it on the muscles that are extremely tight to help the horse feel better quicker.
If I had the money, I would walking around with a laser unit & PEMF unit. But, one can only dream.
Yes, I have had it done to both my horses and cats and it did make a difference.
Initially I rented a unit from my vet and later purchase the (used) unit from my vet.
Can’t remember the name right now and it’s in the barn, but it came with several different attachments (wide, acupuncture, etc.)
I like it better for acute soft tissue issues like you’ve got than more chronic issues–think it works better for the time investment in treating. And to that extent, small areas are also easier for user compliance. 
I’ve used ones provided by vets, body workers, and some treatment was included in specific rehab care I got for my horse. One was a strong class IV and I’m not sure the brand. The one the vets/one bodyworker/rehab barn had was the ActiVet handheld one. I also did a rental from Respond Systems. The ActiVet is easier to use, but I like the different probe options from Respond Systems.
For a soft tissue injury like that, I would consider finding someone to treat with a class IV laser. The lower level lasers can be helpful, but some (variable, depending on laser) amount of the radiation is absorbed by the skin and superficial tissues, which decreases the efficacy when you’re trying to treat a deeper issue. The class IV veterinary lasers generally use specific wavelengths designed to properly penetrate to the optimal depth for treatment.
Had a horse with a muscle injury that persisted (swelling). As a last resort I rented a laser from my vet for 6 weeks. I wasn’t sure at the time it was doing any good, but right after that the swelling finally went away for good. And that was after 15 months of it reswelling each time the horse got exercise.
So my experience comes from dogs but I highly recommend cold laser therapy. Two of my elderly dogs suffered partial ACL tears within a few months of each other. We elected to go with cold laser therapy over surgery because of other health issues the dogs suffered. They have both recovered to almost 100% and were less limpy after their first treatment. I would use cold laser on one of my horses in a heartbeat!
Do you think it helped? Yes
Did you use vet or other provider’s laser? Vet
If you bought/borrowed one, brand name? N/A
Those of you that have purchased or rented, what did it cost roughly if I can ask? Currently getting weekly treatments for my Boxers CCL issue, it would be awesome to be able to do it at home!
Thanks very much for your replies! I appreciate the input.
To purchase, the Respond System was about $5000-$7500, depending on which unit you purchased. A 3 month rental was about $935-1100. They had options to purchase after renting and you can do monthly payments.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
