Equine Systems
Cold lasers for equine therapy have been around since the 1970s and are still a popular form of pain relief and accelerated healing. The reasons for this are simple.
When a veterinarian or trainer conducts a Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) session on a horse, the results are obvious. Whether it’s a change in walk, trot or gallop, there is little question the animal is doing perceptively better. There is no placebo effect to contend with.
In addition, there is no FDA clearance required for equine lasers, meaning that cold laser costs are kept lower. However, it also means “buyer beware” because not all lasers are the same despite how they may be advertised.
Several products such as the DioWave, Avant, and Thor are FDA-cleared for human use and are also sold for equine therapy. The settings on these devices make it simple to switch back and forth. For example, the DioWave has a passcode setting for animal and human protocols.
While non-FDA-cleared devices can save you a lot of money, you’ll have to rely on the specifications and reputation of the manufacturer in order to make a smart buying decision.
Equine Cold Laser Factors to Consider
For the best equine cold laser, there are a number of factors to consider including:
Pulsing & Frequency: The subject of the right frequency and pulsing attracts lots of debate particularly when discussing human cold laser therapy. For treating animals with shallow injuries, consider using a dual wavelength device.
Durability: Make sure the cold laser is built for equine use because this will ensure (usually) that the device is designed for more demanding settings"inside a barn, in the field, etc. versus inside a vet’s office.
Treatment Area: This is stating the obvious but the difference between treatment areas for a cat and a horse is immense. Horses will require a larger diameter probe in order to complete the treatment area faster.
Power: At Coldlasers.com we do not try to upsell our customers with more powerful cold lasers, especially with human applications as more power does not necessarily guarantee better results. But horses are relatively big animals. So in equine therapy, bigger (more power) can be better because you can treat larger in a reasonable amount of time.
Safety: With greater power (watts) comes greater care and responsibility. Powerful Class 3 and Class 4 lasers require a higher degree of safety. Laser googles must be worn by the caregiver and a horse’s eyes should always be covered to avoid damage.
For most deep tissue equine therapies, it is recommended you treat in the following way:
- Treat the pain first
- Treat the healing second
When treating the pain first, you’ll receive instant positive feedback from the animal. This will confirm that you are treating the right areas.
When treating deep tissues, tendon, and bone injuries, use a continuous wave (CW) in the range of 800 to 90nm wavelength. Devices that support pulsing and other wavelengths will also allow you to treat surface injuries such as open wounds and abrasions. But these are more expensive. If you are on a tight budget, opt for a device with more power.
For a superficial wound healing device, consider one in the 600nm to 680nm range of wavelength. The Thor and Avant offer both wavelengths. For these surface applications, power levels are less important.
Equine Lasers Comparisons
In this table you’ll find lasers that we sell here as well as other popular models. This will allow you to make an unbiased comparison with price, specifications, warranty and build quality.
Please note that we have not included every cold laser that could be used for equine therapy because those products are not specifically marketed for this kind of therapy. Also not included are desktop versions simply because they are not designed for use in more rugged environments.
These lasers are listed in order of increasing power.
|
Product |
Class |
Rugged |
Equipment Type |
Power Waveform and Wavelength |
Dual Wave |
Warranty |
Price |
|
ML830 (Battery version) |
3b |
Yes |
Flashlight style |
90mW @ 830nm CW |
No |
1 year |
$3,000 |
|
Vetrolaser |
3b |
Yes |
Flashlight style |
300mW@808nm |
No |
1 year |
$575 |
|
Laserex 3000 450a |
3b |
Yes |
Hand held Cordless |
450mW@808nm CW & Pulsed |
No |
2 years |
$2,672 |
|
LZ30p |
3b |
Yes |
Hand held Cordless |
600mW@808nm 80mW @ 637nm CW, Pulsed, Sweep |
Yes |
3 years |
$4,250 |
|
LZ30z |
3b |
Yes |
Hand held Cordless |
1400mW@808nm 1000mW @ 637nm CW, Pulsed, Sweep |
Yes |
3 years |
$4,950 |
|
Thor DDv- Vet Only (with probes) |
3b |
Padded |
Cordless Console + Probes |
2000mW@810nm P2:69 LED@660nm CW, Pulsed |
Yes |
1 year |
$10,520 |
|
SpectraVet Zeus and Pro2 with optional probes (Uses Apollo Probes) |
3b and IV | Similar to Apollo | Cordless Console + Probes |
P1:100 mW @650 nm P2: 750 mW @ 810 nm P3: 3000 mW @ 810 nm |
Yes | 5-year on probes | $4,000 and Up |
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Respond Systems |
3 or 4 |
Yes |
Hand held Cordless |
500mW@810nm CW & Pulsed |
No |
2 years |
$8,000 |
|
Apollo Portable +3000 |
4 |
All Metal |
Portable Console + Probes |
3,000mW@810nm CW |
No |
2 years |
$7,143 |
|
DioWave D10 |
4 |
Yes |
Controller + Fiber Optic Probes |
10,000mW@ 980nm CW, Pulsed, Sweep |
No |
3 Years |
$15,000 |
|
LiteCure Pegusus |
4 |
Yes |
Controller + Fiber Optic Probes |
10,000mW@ 980nm CW, Pulsed, Sweep |
No |
2 years |
$15,000 |
|
K-Laser Cube Vet |
4 |
Animal Only |
Console + Fiber Optic Probes |
200mW @ 660nm CW, Pulsed, Sweep |
No |
2 years |
$15,000 |
Summary
The equine market for cold lasers is the most unambiguous. At ColdLasers.Com, we recommend that most people buy as much power as they can afford as this just makes thing happen faster so people are happier. In general, buy the most powerful system with 808/8100nm for deep celluar stimulation and add on other wavelength for special purposes. 980nm is a good addition for imflammation control and 635nm is best for hoofs, abrasions and other superficial problems. We also a more rugged laser because life in the barn is challenging. If you are not going to do acupuncture or trigger point therapy on the horses, look for a laser with a large emitter for more even energy distibution.