Magnetic Therapy for Pets

What Is It?
Magnetic therapy has been helping humans for hundreds of years. Now this revolutionary treatment is available for pets. Magnetic therapy is used to bring relief and healing to almost any illness or injury present in dogs, cats, or other warm-blooded animals. It is a method of applying a magnetic field to the body that sends weak electrical signals to cells, which influences their interaction with ions. These signals initiate biological reactions, which accelerates the healing process and promotes pain relief from arthritis or hip dysplasia.

Common Benefits of Magnetic Therapy with Animals

  • Anti Inflammatory - Combats Arthritic JointsOur Magnetic Therapy Collars are associated with restoring energy and relaxation. Magnetic Collars help with inflammation, helping joints to normalize and reduce swelling, pain and stiffness.

     

  • Enhanced Blood Circulation & Purification - Improved immune systemMagnetic Therapy enhances the blood circulation in the body; more oxygen and nutrients are taken to the cells of the body and more toxins are removed.  As a result, tired or damaged tissue is revitalized and pain reduced.

     

  • Anti ParasiticFurther Benefits of Magnetic Therapy is that it is anti-parasitic.  Parasites such as fleas and ear mites are reduced as they cannot tolerate a magnetic field.  Your pet will be far happier without the attention of these visitors; less scratching and less risk of infection.

     

  • Regeneration of Bone Tissue

There has been much success with vets using Magnetic Therapy to help with bone fusion. It has been proven that vets who use Magnetic Therapy in the healing of broken bones have a much faster healing time. Many Vets refer Magnetic Therapy for a number of ailments.

 

UNDERSTANDING MAGNETIC THERAPY FOR DOGSBy Shawn Messonnier, DVM

In recent years, therapy for dogs using magnets has gained a large following among some pet owners. It is seen as a safe and simple method of treating various disorders, often producing positive results without side effects or much expense. This type of treatment is often used in conjunction or to replace other therapies include traditional medications, surgery, and of course complementary therapies such as acupuncture and herbs. You might ask, does this treatment method really work, and if so, can my dog benefit from magnetic field therapy?

At first glance magnetic therapy might seem a bit strange or new age, but it is by no means ‘quackish’. Keep in mind that the Earth has a normal magnetic field and the cells in our bodies also have a normal magnetic field that allows for proper functioning. In numerous NASA experiments it was determined that rats in space that were not provided with a suitable magnetic field perish due to a disrupted energy flow. NASA scientists have also noted that astronaut’s experience similar calcium deficiencies after long-term space flights. Some doctors attribute many illnesses to the decline over the centuries in the Earths normal magnetic field.

So how does magnetic therapy work? It is generally believed that magnets work by means of magnetic lines of force; units called gauss measure the strength of the magnetic field. The higher the gauss number the stronger the magnet (a 1000 gauss magnet is ten times stronger than a 100 gauss magnet)

Magnets can be used either as permanent magnets, also called static magnets or as pulsed electromagnetic field magnets (PEMF). Static magnets come in bars, beads, or strips. These are somewhat similar to the magnets on your refrigerator. PEMF use a pulsing current that flows through a wire coil to create a magnetic field around the wire: the greater the amount of current flow, and the greater the number of turns of the wire, the greater the magnetic field that forms. In people the Food and Drug Administration approve PEMF for treating various types of non-union fractures (fractures that have failed to heal). Other uses include treatment of hip disorders, osteoarthritis, and rotator cuff injuries. Even more promising news is that no toxic effects have been reported using magnetic therapy.

Magnets appear to heal the body removing inflammation and restoring circulation. By increasing blood flow to a diseased site on the body, increased nutrients become available to speed the healing process. In fracture healing, for example, the use of magnetic fields increases the adherence of calcium ions to the blood clot formed at the site of the break. This allows for the proper formation of the callus that is necessary for fractures to heal properly.

In the eastern view of healing, magnets help restore the energy flow of the body to allow healing and proper metabolism. This is similar to one of the theories used to explain the positive affects of acupuncture as well.

In canine medicine, magnets are often used to aid in fracture healing and in the treatment of many other ailments including arthritis, hip dysplasia, osteochondritis, epilepsy, pain relief, chronic organ disorders and vertebral disorders. Sprains and strains and other traumatic disorders may also benefit from magnetic therapy. Magnets should not be used in acute infectious conditions, on cancerous growths (although some doctors do find them useful in treating cancerous tumours), in acute injuries, pregnant animals, or in dogs with cardiac pacemakers.

Dr. Strazza, a well-regarded expert in the area of magnetic therapy has commented on his experiences treating animals using magnetic therapy. He stated that with regard to fracture healing, he found a reduction of 40-50% in the healing time of simple fractures by merely incorporating magnets into a bandage. This meant that dogs could resume weight-bearing sooner if the magnets were used along with conventional fracture repair methods. A problem often seen in fracture healing is non-union of the fracture. In a non-union, the ends of the fracture fail to heal and the ends of the bones remain. He also observed that in magnetic therapy treatment of over fifty different animal fracture cases, no cases of non-union developed.

In two specific cases of severe non-union referred for evaluation where the fracture had failed to heal, magnetic therapy allowed healing of the fracture sight. Dr. Strazza also reports good remarkable success in treating various types of arthritis with magnets. Included in the cases are dogs with spinal arthritis and paralysis, chronic disk disease, hip dysplasia and arthritis, older dogs that move stiffly or slowly, and stiffness that develops after a morning exercise routine. By using a combination of a magnetic mat for sleeping along with a spinning magnetic field, he has achieved positive responses in 60-70% of his cases.

Magnets are certainly not a cure- all for every medical problem. Still they are a safe and relatively inexpensive alternative for pets with the chronic problems and can be of benefit in healing fractures. Magnetic field therapy helps the body to heal by creating a favorable environment for repair. Magnets increase blood flow to the area, bring in essential nutrients, and help relieve pain and inflammation. As with so many facets of the complementary and alternative medicine market, dog owners should always consult with an experienced veterinarian before trying magnetic field therapy. This should always be done to determine an accurate diagnosis of your dog’s condition and in order to select the best possible treatment.

 

Case Study

    In November 2002, Sandy a 16 year old German Shepherd cross was hit by a car as she ran across a main road. Sandy sustained a broken pelvis and tail bone, which left her walking with a very ‘wobbly’ gait. Within a month she developed arthritis in her hip joints, which left her very stiff, especially after sitting or lying down for long periods, in addition to this she was now unable to jump even small heights. Sandy commenced her magnetic treatment in January 2003, with the application of a magnetic dog collar ( 2 x 2600 gauss were used in the collar). After just 3 days Sandy’s owner reported remarkable changes in her mobility. She was not walking with her gait and was able to jump on to the sofa. Sandy’s condition continued tom improve over the following 2 weeks and today her owner remarks that she has the energy and agility of a dog 10 years younger.

Animals are a wonderful example of the true therapeutic powers of magnetic fields. Unlike humans they can not be influenced by the placebo effect (where the mind thinks the magnets are working so the user feels less pain). An animal does not understand that it that it is being treated with magnets so therefore it can not subconsciously influence the effect that the magnets have on the body. Yet the vast majority of animals that are treated with magnets display signs of reduced discomfort, increased mobility and increased energy/activity levels. One can only deduce that it is the therapeutic effect of the magnetic devices that they are using.