Written by Morgan Hopkins, DPT, CMTPT
When you live with dogs, you’re always looking for new ways to keep your furry companions in the best shape so they can live longer, healthier lives. As an innovative, safe, and non-invasive wellness modality that’s quickly gaining popularity for both human and veterinary care, PEMF therapy can treat a variety of pathologies.
Penetrating electric and magnetic fields deeply into the body’s tissues via inductive coils, pulsed electromagnetic (PEMF) therapy has been shown to alleviate both acute pain and the chronic pain and inflammation from osteoarthritis that affects about 40 percent of companion dogs and over 50 percent of companion cats. Enhancing mobility and energy, along with maximizing healing for wounds, bone fractures, and soft tissue injuries, we invite you to read on to learn more about how this fascinating therapy can help your own best friend live his or her best life.
As a holistic approach to wellness for both humans and animals, PEMF therapy utilizes pulsing magnetic fields to provide natural energy that supports the body on a cellular level. Optimizing general wellness and providing an overall positive impact on quality of life, PEMF therapy helps your dog feel better in a variety of ways. Identifying many of the cellular processes that PEMF therapy influences, research has shown the core mechanisms of its action result in improved circulation, oxygenation of tissue, cell proliferation, and collagen formation, while it significantly reduces swelling, pain, and inflammation. PEMF therapy for dogs can increase their mobility and support the natural function of their joints, helping them heal and recover more quickly.
Releasing cytokines that reduce inflammation and pain and help with cartilage formation, PEMF therapy helps slow the progression of osteoarthritis in dogs, as well as other degenerative conditions like myelopathy, hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia. As a key to a healthy and active lifestyle, the stability of the joints in our canine friends provides fluidity in their movements, enabling them to walk, run, and get up and down. PEMF can be incorporated into their wellness routine, helping dogs of all ages to produce the crucial nutrients their bodies need to thrive.
Demonstrated to speed wound healing 58 percent more quickly than wounds that were attended to with only standard protocols, PEMF therapy can significantly enhance wound repair for dogs. Safe and non-invasive, PEMF therapy enhances wound epithelialization and early wound contraction, resulting in more effective, faster healing.
Frequently recommended by veterinarians to improve healing and recovery following a hemilaminectomy for naturally occurring disc extrusion intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), PEMF therapy has been demonstrated to improve wound scores at the 6-week mark, while also reducing the need for pain medications. Additionally utilized for other neurological conditions such as wobbler syndrome and neuropathy, PEMF therapy can be helpful for spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and acute intervertebral disc extrusions (IVDEs), reducing incision-associated pain for dogs after surgery, increasing mechanical sensory thresholds (MSTs), and enhancing proprioceptive placing.
Shown to have positive effects on both acute and chronic inflammation and pain in dogs and other pets, PEMF therapy can also help your furry friend to heal more quickly by accelerating the natural anti-inflammatory response non-invasively and without medications. Well-suited for all types of orthopedic injuries, including fractures, sprains, strains, and torn ligaments, PEMF therapy also helps with relieving discomfort and soreness after a long day of play or extensive exercise.
Using an electromagnetic field to deliver energy directly to the cells, PEMF therapy optimizes the functionality of the cells so they can operate more efficiently. Transforming into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), it supports the release of energy, powers the dog’s activity, and fuels their rest and recovery. PEMF therapy helps your canine friend recover more quickly from activity while also enhancing overall wellness.
Specially designed for dogs and other pets, the HealthyLine Heated Pet Mat - Pet Mat T with PEMF delivers therapy that’s safe and comfortable in a highly durable format. Even the toughest chewer won’t be able to bite through the metallic material of the control cord, nor will the sharpest claws be able to pierce the special waterproof cover. The mat also includes a standard waterproof cover, so you never have to worry about accidents, either.
The innovative HealthyLine Heated Pet Mat - Pet Mat T with PEMF includes 440 tourmaline gemstones for the medium size and 924 for the large size that when heated, help to relax your pet and loosen tight muscles and joints. Impacting pressure points, the stone surface helps with relieving tension, making the pet more receptive to massage therapy and chiropractic work. It also optimizes the efficacy of the other natural therapies in the mat as it helps to release far infrared rays and negative ions.
Known as nature’s purifiers, tourmaline gemstones help to clear the environment of harmful agents, releasing the largest quantity of negative ions to counteract positive ion disturbances. Optimizing your pet’s innate healing ability to recover energy and detoxify itself, the tourmaline used in this PEMF therapy mat attracts harmful airborne particles, pulling them to the ground. Promoting positive feelings and prevalent in nature, negative ions remove pollutants and chemicals from your pet’s body while they also protect the pet from radiation, pathogens, and other external harm.
When the tourmaline gemstones of this PEMF therapy mat are heated, they absorb this heat, converting the energy into far infrared rays (FIRs). Penetrating 4 to 6 inches into the body’s tissues, the warming infrared rays not only feel good, but also help to decrease inflammation, pain, and stiffness for your pet. Temporarily increasing localized blood circulation wherever it’s applied, far infrared therapy can also help pets maintain and replenish high energy levels, regardless of their age.
Although PEMF therapy is considered to be a safe, non-invasive therapeutic modality, we recommend consulting with your pet’s veterinarian when you’re considering any new therapy. Based on the earth’s natural 7.83 Hz frequency, the PEMF used in the HealthyLine Heated Pet Mat - Pet Mat T with PEMF is the most compatible frequency with your pet’s natural biorhythms. This mat has also been specially designed to counteract harmful exposure to electromagnetic smog, making it safe for animals, children, and anyone else in the vicinity where it is in use.
Yes, you can use PEMF therapy devices like the HealthyLine Heated Pet Mat - Pet Mat T with PEMF and other PEMF equipment to give your dog PEMF therapy at home. While many veterinary clinics offer this innovative therapy, most pets will benefit from using PEMF more frequently than what may be affordable or practical with a veterinarian.
Some owners may see positive results with their dog right away, but the ultimate effect of PEMF therapy is cumulative - it could take up to a month for the healing mechanisms triggered by this therapy to manifest in noticeable, lasting results. Factors that include the overall health, activity level, age, and condition of the pet you are treating will affect how quickly you see results as well. The most common results pet owners and veterinarians report is reduced pain and inflammation, enhanced healing of acute soft tissue injuries, increased mobility, and an overall positive impact on quality of life.
Most dogs and other pets can safely use PEMF therapy, but there are contraindications for pregnant animals and younger animals under the age of one year. Pets who have areas that are actively hemorrhaging or bleeding should not use PEMF therapy, along with pets undergoing cancer treatment - unless your veterinarian recommends it.
When using the HealthyLine Heated Pet Mat - Pet Mat T with PEMF, the temperature can reach 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit). However, the manufacturer recommends keeping the mat at about 45 to 50 Celsius (113 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit) for an optimal temperature because pets don’t require a full sauna-like session.
If you have an older dog or a dog who is living with pain from an acute or chronic condition, you may want to consider the added support of PEMF therapy. Used alone or as an adjunct to other veterinary treatments, PEMF therapy for dogs is safe, comfortable, and feels good for your furry family member, while it also delivers powerful, penetrating therapy to mitigate pain and inflammation.
One of the best ways to deliver this healing therapy for your dog and other pets is to use the HealthyLine Heated Pet Mat - Pet Mat T with PEMF. Adding hot stone therapy, negative ion therapy, and far infrared therapy, this innovative mat provides the widest range of healing benefits in a durable waterproof, scratch-proof, and chew-proof design that’s super easy to maintain.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about PEMF therapy for dogs, and we invite you to check out more interesting, educational articles to help you and your family at our Caregiver University blog.
Morgan Hopkins is a licensed doctor of physical therapy and freelance medical writer. She practiced clinically in outpatient orthopedics for 8+ years specializing in intramuscular dry needling, dance medicine, and post-operative care. Morgan seeks to be a leader in the continued shift toward preventative healthcare, helping people optimize movement now so they can move for years to come. She is a firm believer in complementary therapies, holistic wellness, and functional fitness and is thrilled to be able to educate others through Rehabmart’s platform.
