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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(22); 3144; doi: 10.3390/ani12223144

Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine in Sport and Companion Animals: Therapeutic Ultrasound.

Abstract: To explore the scientific evidence for therapeutic ultrasound (TU), we conducted a systematic review of the literature on TU in dogs, horses, donkeys, and cats. Methods: In three major databases, relevant articles published in 1980-2020 were identified. The risk of bias in each article was evaluated. Results: Twenty-four relevant articles on the effects of TU in dogs, nine in horses, two in donkeys, and one in cats were identified. TU usually involved 2-6 treatments weekly for up to 4 weeks. Articles on tendon, ligament, and bone healing, acute aseptic arthritis, osteoarthritis, paraparesis, hindquarter weakness, and back muscle pain were identified. In experimental bone lesions in dogs, there is moderate scientific evidence for enhanced healing. For the treatment of other musculoskeletal conditions, the scientific evidence is insufficient due to the high risk of bias. There is substantial evidence that continuous TU increases tissue temperature in muscles and tendons by up to 5 °C in healthy animals. For disorders in tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints in sport and companion animals, there is insufficient evidence for the clinical effects of TU.
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Publication Date: 2022-11-14 PubMed ID: 36428372PubMed Central: PMC9686477DOI: 10.3390/ani12223144Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study is a systematic review analysing the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound in sport and companion animals, such as dogs, horses, donkeys and cats. The study found that there is meaningful scientific evidence for enhanced healing in experimental bone lesions in dogs, but the evidence for other musculoskeletal treatments is insufficient due to high risk of bias.

Research Methodology

  • A comprehensive search was made in three major databases to identify relevant articles published between 1980 and 2020 about the use of therapeutic ultrasound (TU) in dogs, horses, donkeys, and cats.
  • Every article’s potential risk of bias was analyzed and evaluated to ensure the reliability of the findings.

Findings

  • The researchers identified 36 articles relevant to their study, 24 concerning dogs, nine concerning horses, two focusing on donkeys, and one looking at cats.
  • TU typically included two to six treatments per week for a period of up to four weeks.
  • These articles spanned a range of topics, including tendon, ligament, and bone healing, acute aseptic arthritis, osteoarthritis, paraparesis, hindquarter weakness, and back muscle pain.
  • In the case of experimental bone lesions in dogs, there was moderate scientific evidence to suggest that TU can enhance healing.
  • However, the scientific evidence for using TU to treat other musculoskeletal conditions was deemed insufficient due to a high risk of bias in the articles examined during the study.

Additional Observations

  • The research noted strong evidence that continuous therapeutic ultrasound could raise tissue temperature in muscles and tendons by up to 5°C in healthy animals. This could potentially contribute to the treatment or management of various conditions.
  • Nonetheless, they concluded that there was insufficient evidence to definitively state that therapeutic ultrasound has distinct clinical effects on disorders in tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints in sport and companion animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Boström A, Asplund K, Bergh A, Hyytiäinen H. (2022). Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine in Sport and Companion Animals: Therapeutic Ultrasound. Animals (Basel), 12(22), 3144. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223144

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 22
PII: 3144

Researcher Affiliations

Boström, Anna
  • Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 57, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
Asplund, Kjell
  • Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, SE 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Bergh, Anna
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
Hyytiäinen, Heli
  • Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 57, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.

Grant Funding

  • Grant number: SLU.ua.2020.4.2-3148. / SLU Future One Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

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