Perhaps your dog is recovering from an injury, or perhaps he has a chronic disorder. Magnetic therapy is an alternate route for treatment. Inexpensive and widely held as safe, magnetic therapy results in virtually zero side effects. While it is not a cure-all, it is another choice for dog owners who strive to give their companions relief from a variety of conditions. A magnetic therapy jacket is one option on how to provide this particular therapy to your dog.
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Benefits
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Magnetic fields help increase blood flow, which helps the healing process and helps relieve inflammation and pain. It also promotes a more restful and sound sleep. Magnets placed around acupuncture points, such as the spleen, large intestine and stomach, can help calm an anxious dog as well as ease aches and pains. Magnets can also help develop proper metabolism.
According to Shawn Messonnier, DVM, magnets can be used either as permanent magnets, also called static magnets, or as pulsed electromagnetic field magnets. Each has a slightly different function, but are both used in therapy. Permanent magnets are similar to the type of magnets you might put on the refrigerator. Electromagnetic field magnets are coils through which a current is passed, creating a magnetic field around the wire.
Magnetic therapy may also be beneficial to dogs with a variety of ailments including sprains, pain relief, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, arthritis, circulatory diseases, osteochondritis and chronic organ disorders.
Considerations
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Magnetic therapy in dogs comes with a major challenge: keeping your animal still. Besides a magnetic jacket, there are magnetic blankets that a dog can lie on or that can be wrapped around a dog's back. Certain magnets can also be taped onto your dog. Some magnetic blankets and jackets also feature infrared therapy.
Magnetic therapy can be a daily treatment, as the therapeutic effects last for six to eight hours and you cannot "overdose." The length of each therapy session depends on the severity of your dog's condition. There are a variety of manufacturers who make different types of magnets, and different configurations can be used. Consult your vet on what would work best for your dog, but sometimes trial and error is the only way to determine the most effective therapy method. Magnetic therapy is easily done at home by the dog's owner. Your vet can instruct you on how to use magnetic therapy.
Warning
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Dogs with cardiac pacemakers, pregnant dogs or dogs with acute infectious conditions or acute injuries should not undergo magnetic therapy.
Using the Jacket
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Typical magnetic jackets fit more like a blanket would on a horse. The Bio-Pulse Electromagnetic Therapy jacket has magnets on the hips, spine and pelvis. Other models have a similar setup, or may vary slightly. Most jackets allow your dog to lie down, sit and walk around with it on.
Cost
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Prices vary on size and range anywhere from $40 to more than $500. The Bio-Pulse Electromagnetic Therapy jacket, just one of many models available, sells their small dog jacket (for dogs less than 60 pounds) for $499.
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