Beyond the Laboratory, Into the Clinic: What Dogs with Disk Disease Have Taught Us About Photobiomodulation for Spinal Cord Injury.

BACKGROUND: For spinal-cord-injured (SCI) patients, integrative medicine approaches such as photomedicine and acupuncture can renew hope and offer previously unrecognized ways to help regain function and improve quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: By understanding the mechanisms of action that these two modalities share, practitioners can better target specific attributes of spinal cord pathophysiology that are limiting recovery. Naturally occurring intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) in dogs affords unparalleled translational opportunities to develop treatment strategies involving photobiomodulation and acupuncture.

CONCLUSIONS: Insights derived through clinical trials of dogs with IVDD have the potential to raise the standard of care for both human and canine SCI patients.