Focal Shock Wave Therapy
Focal Shock Wave Therapy is used to promote improved healing times and a better prognosis for orthopedic problems such as tendon, ligament and bone ailments that affect all types of performance horses. With different probes providing focused shock wave energy to a variety of tissue depths, our veterinarians can specifically treat superficial or deep tissues by increasing blood flow and increasing collagen strength and alignment. In addition to providing healing and anti-inflammatory properties, shock wave therapy works two ways to reduce pain. Its anti-inflammatory action reduces the amount of inflammatory biochemicals that cause pain and it also temporarily disrupts nerve impulse transmission thus reducing the horse’s perception of pain.
PRP
Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy is used to treat a variety of soft tissue tendon and ligament injuries. After taking a sample of the patient’s blood, a high speed centrifuge is used to separate the blood plasma rich in platelets from the red blood cells. This PRP with its associated growth factors is then injected into the soft tissue lesions creating a “super clot” that helps to create a biological scaffold upon the structure being treated. Sometimes used in conjunction with stem cell therapy, PRP is a fast, stall side treatment that uses the horse’s own cells and molecules to stimulate more rapid and stronger healing in a variety of structures.
ACell Therapy
ACell is a purified collagen rich biologic matrix that induces the migration of the body’s cells into a site of soft tissue damage to stimulate healing. The medication is administered via ultrasound guided injection directly into the site of injury within a tendon or ligament.
IRAP
Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein Therapy (IRAP) can be used to produce regenerative and anti-inflammatory proteins in joints without the addition of drugs. The IRAP protein, naturally present in the body, is collected from the patient, concentrated, and then re-injected into the diseased or problem joint. IRAP therapy has been proven effective in treating arthritic joints that have not responded to more traditional intra-articular therapy. IRAP has the potential to stop the cartilage matrix from being degraded and increase healing. IRAP also has the ability to stop the inflammation cycle and bring comfort to your horse.
