Electro magnetic/Portamag unit

[Goldencougar]

I am looking for preferably a mobile electromagnetic therapy kit for the dog - to do the same as a Portamag unit would do.
However would be interested in any info anyone has with regards to a Portamag unit - has anyone used similar?

[Holmes]

why do you want one?

[Goldencougar]

Been recommended to use one by Hydrotherapist who has been treating a lameness in one of my working dogs - various ones on the market but would be grateful for some opinions before i plunge and buy one

[Holmes]

Personally I think I would consider getting an evaluation of the lameness from a Vet and Animal Physiotherapist before I would use one of these . They do have their uses but there are also contra-indications for the use of Pulsed electro magnetic therapy and in some situations can infact make things worse .

It may well be that it would help but you need a proper evaluation from your vet and Animal Physiotherapist before you go spending ££

I would check out the ASSVAP website for a list of proffessionally qualified and experienced Animal Physiotherapists but they will still need your dog evaluated by the vet first which is good practice

[Megsdad]

Pulsed short wave or pulsed electromagnetic therapy was flogged for years as a treatment for humans without any adequate research to prove benefit. I think most electrotherapy equipment has now been scrapped from NHS Physio departments as it doesn't work.
The only proven benefit was the profits made by the manufacturers of the expensive equipment.
Go with Holmes advice and good luck with sorting your dog's problem. T

[kennel maiden]

I used the Portamag after an injury on a dog, and its subsequent surgery. The vet I see is a greyhound specialist, and these units are used widely by these folk, and rated.

I can't tell you if it 'worked' or not, or sped up recovery, as obviously there is no comparable study of a dog with the same injury not having exposure to it. I can tell you the dog did make a remarkable recovery and continued to be very successful in the working field after the injury/rehab. This was probably down to a number of factors in the rehab of the animal.

I don't think it did any harm though, and I probably wouldn't sell the unit off (although it is now sitting in my shed).

[Megsdad]

I used the Portamag after an injury on a dog, and its subsequent surgery. The vet I see is a greyhound specialist, and these units are used widely by these folk, and rated.

I can't tell you if it 'worked' or not, or sped up recovery, as obviously there is no comparable study of a dog with the same injury not having exposure to it. I can tell you the dog did make a remarkable recovery and continued to be very successful in the working field after the injury/rehab. This was probably down to a number of factors in the rehab of the animal.

I don't think it did any harm though, and I probably wouldn't sell the unit off (although it is now sitting in my shed).

Hi KM. I've no idea what research has been carried out on such 'treatment' used on dogs.
I suspect it's a lot less than on humans, and that is laughably shabby in quality and quantity!
As you say you've no way of proving benefit without a control ( that didn't receive the magic machine treatment) for comparison. Then you have all the other confounding variables: no two injuries or surgical procedures are the same, breed of dog, fitness of dog, co-morbidities, environmental factors etc etc.
The physiological rationale is also pretty thin. The best they could come up with was: there is a heating effect in the tissues/ cell membrane chemical exchange is enhanced. So why not put the animal in a room with the central heating on? The whole animal would be toasty!
Get a technician to re-tune your machine and you might find a use for it as a radio

[Holmes]

When you have a dog with a problem all most people want is that 'quick fix' and gadgets are very seductive with respect to that despite their cost !

Unfortunately there are contra indications to the use of pulsed magnetic therapy and therefore I felt it was important to point that out so that Goldencougar is able to decide what to do.

Does it work ? well I am not keen to get into that but yes as Megsdad pointed out as with a lot of things the evidence is somewhat thin BUT some people believe that it works and so maybe it needs more research ?

I think that the important issue is that lameness both acute and chronic needs through assessment and so the dog needs to be seen by a vet . If it is a soft tissue injury then see a properly trained & registered Animal Physiotherapist to tackle that .



Often recovery can be quicker and more effective if rehab is completed properly rather than a more vague approach trying this and that . Hydrotherapy for example can help with many things but not with everything .

If your dog is still having an issue with lameness then ask yourself why ?

With the greatest respect a hydrotherapist is not able to diagnose that is what your vet is for and hydrotherapists are not animal physios either ..

[kennel maiden]

I used the Portamag after an injury on a dog, and its subsequent surgery. The vet I see is a greyhound specialist, and these units are used widely by these folk, and rated.

I can't tell you if it 'worked' or not, or sped up recovery, as obviously there is no comparable study of a dog with the same injury not having exposure to it. I can tell you the dog did make a remarkable recovery and continued to be very successful in the working field after the injury/rehab. This was probably down to a number of factors in the rehab of the animal.

I don't think it did any harm though, and I probably wouldn't sell the unit off (although it is now sitting in my shed).

Hi KM. I've no idea what research has been carried out on such 'treatment' used on dogs.
I suspect it's a lot less than on humans, and that is laughably shabby in quality and quantity!
As you say you've no way of proving benefit without a control ( that didn't receive the magic machine treatment) for comparison. Then you have all the other confounding variables: no two injuries or surgical procedures are the same, breed of dog, fitness of dog, co-morbidities, environmental factors etc etc.
The physiological rationale is also pretty thin. The best they could come up with was: there is a heating effect in the tissues/ cell membrane chemical exchange is enhanced. So why not put the animal in a room with the central heating on? The whole animal would be toasty!
Get a technician to re-tune your machine and you might find a use for it as a radio

Thank you Megsdad!
I am not a complete lunatic!
I was just giving the OP some feedback as asked for, as I have actually used a unit (whereas some commenting on here have not ....). As I said, and I repeat, I have no control study so cannot meaningfully comment on the unit's success. I did use the unit in conjunction with feedback and advice from both the orthopaedic vet and surgeon. Dog recovered - rather well.

Lots of people use alternative therapies - eg. homeopathy or acupuncture - and derive or perceive some benefits from them. Who knows.....

[Megsdad]

Thank you Megsdad!
I am not a complete lunatic!
I was just giving the OP some feedback as asked for, as I have actually used a unit (whereas some commenting on here have not ....). As I said, and I repeat, I have no control study so cannot meaningfully comment on the unit's success. I did use the unit in conjunction with feedback and advice from both the orthopaedic vet and surgeon. Dog recovered - rather well.

Lots of people use alternative therapies - eg. homeopathy or acupuncture - and derive or perceive some benefits from them. Who knows.....

Sorry? When did I imply you were a 'complete lunatic'?
You said yourself (twice now), and I agreed, that there was no comparison with a dog that didn't have the treatment. Using it on one dog is not terrifically good evidence. Ask a vet? I was first trained in using electrotherapy 25 years ago. Stopped using it many years ago. The makers of these gizmos have had lots of time to do the research but they haven't proven their case.
Drugs have to go through umpteen rigorous trials before they are approved. (Even then they sometimes get it wrong). Use of electrotherapy equipment is not so tightly controlled. Anyone who markets a device convincingly enough can make a lot of money without having to spend a fortune on proving benefit.

Homeopathy- it's water.
Acupuncture can give temporary pain relief greater than placebo in 70% of humans.
It hasn't been proven to stop you smoking or cure anything else.

Hopefully the OP will by now have taken his dog to a decent vet.