Shockwave Therapy

Bedford Animal Hospital is currently the only veterinary practice in the area offering extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) as part of our rehabilitation and sports medicine services.

Shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses targeted sound waves to stimulate healing and reduce pain in injured tissues. High-energy sound waves penetrate deep into muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bone, where they help improve blood flow, stimulate cellular repair, realign fibers, and reduce chronic inflammation and pain.

Shockwave therapy has been used for many years in both human and veterinary medicine and is well documented in the veterinary literature to help with ligamentous and tendon injuries, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and certain orthopedic conditions. In dogs, it is commonly used for conditions such as tendon or ligament injuries, osteoarthritis, and soft tissue strain/soreness.

One of the advantages of shockwave therapy is that it can help manage pain without relying solely on medications. This can be especially helpful for older dogs with arthritis, where certain pain medications may not be appropriate due to kidney disease, liver disease, gastrointestinal sensitivity, or other health concerns.

At Bedford Animal Hospital, shockwave therapy is performed as part of a growing comprehensive rehabilitation program under the direction of Dr. Sarah Gorman, a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP). She strongly believes that managing musculoskeletal pain is more than just providing a prescription for medication. Treatment plans are tailored to each patient and can combine multiple therapies to support healing and restore comfortable movement.

Treatments are performed here at the hospital and typically take only a few minutes per area. Almost all pets (even cats!) tolerate the procedure well. Depending on the condition being treated, a series of treatments spaced several weeks apart is often recommended followed by monthly or bi-monthly maintenance depending on the patient’s need.

Shockwave therapy is frequently incorporated into a broader rehabilitation plan and may be combined with therapeutic exercise, acupuncture, laser therapy, or underwater treadmill work to help improve mobility and comfort.

Conditions that may benefit from shockwave therapy include:

• Ligament injuries and chronic ligament strain
• Tendon injuries (including supraspinatus and biceps tendon disease)
• Osteoarthritis and chronic joint pain
• Chronic shoulder or elbow lameness
• Muscle injuries and myofascial pain
• Delayed bone healing

At Bedford Animal Hospital, our goal is to provide thoughtful, evidence-based care while expanding access to advanced therapies that can meaningfully improve quality of life. Shockwave therapy is one of the tools we use to help reduce pain, support tissue healing, and give pets additional options beyond medication alone — particularly for chronic orthopedic conditions.