Biophysical stimulation for treatment of the avascular necrosis in the dog: a case report

Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCP) disease, also known as avascular necrosis, is an idiopatic aseptic necrosis of the femoral head and neck that occurs in small breeds of dog. Conservative management is always attempted in humans for the treatment in early stage of LCP disease. The stimulation with pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) has been proposed as a method to prevent or delay the progression of LCP disease, because it conserves bone or promotes osteogenesis and angiogenesis. In dog PEMF has been used with successful for treatment of osteoarthritis. In this study PEMF has beenapplied for treatment of LCP in a dog. The improvement of clinical sign and the reduction of the radiographic evidence of LCP induce to consider this treatment in other dogs with avascular necrosis in early stage, and to investigate on its effectiveness.