Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine in Sport and Companion Animals: Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy.

This research article delves into the exploration of Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ECSWT) as a treatment for various musculoskeletal conditions in companion and sport animals, specifically horses and dogs. Despite an increasing usage of this method, the article concludes that there is a lack of significant scientific evidence to back up its effectiveness due to, for instance, methodological flaws in studies.

Research Methodology

• The study was conducted as a systematic review, involving a thorough search for relevant literature from three major databases.
• The time frame considered for the literature was from 1980-2020.
• The focus was on articles that explored the use of ECSWT on horses, dogs, and cats.
• In order to ensure the credibility of the material reviewed, each article was evaluated for potential bias risks.

Research Findings

• The systematic review found 27 relevant articles related to the effects of ECSWT in horses, and nine with regards to dogs. There were, however, no such articles addressing its impact on cats.
• In general, the application of ECSWT typically comprised of one to three treatment sessions conducted at 1- to 3-week intervals.
• Various studies were found that examine ECSWT’s effects on different medical conditions such as bone mass healing, wound healing, navicular disease, ligament injury, desmitis, sesamoiditis, tendon injury, osteoarthritis, and short-term analgesic effects.
• Yet, across all these applications, there was a noticeable dearth of strong scientific evidence to validate the therapy.
• Additionally, the studies concerning each separate indication were limited and many of them were identified as having methodological flaws. Successful outcomes reported in some instances were generally not replicated in other independent studies.

Research Conclusions

• In spite of the low volume of concrete scientific evidence supporting the clinical effects of ECSWT in horses, dogs, and cats, the authors note that there were a few encouraging findings.
• The most promising results were discovered in relation to short-term pain relief, ligament ailments, and osteoarthritis.
• However, the authors suggest further investigation through high-quality studies to solidify these initial findings.