Kinesiology Taping and Laser Therapy for Dogs: What the Research Says
October 18, 2026
Many canine rehabilitation clinics in Canada keep two tools close to the underwater treadmill: a therapy laser and a roll of brightly coloured elastic tape. Both are offered for pain, stiffness and recovery after surgery, and both come with confident marketing. The research behind them is far from equal, though. Laser therapy for dogs has a small but growing body of controlled trials with mixed results, while kinesiology taping has barely been studied in canine patients. This guide sets out what each tool is, what the studies found, and how to judge whether either belongs in your dog's treatment plan.
Two different tools with one goal
Therapeutic lasers deliver red or near-infrared light energy to the skin and the tissue beneath it. The current umbrella term is photobiomodulation (PBM); older names include low-level laser therapy (LLLT), light therapy and "cold laser". Clinics use two broad types of device. Lower-powered Class 3B lasers do not warm the tissue noticeably, while Class IV therapy lasers are more powerful, reach deeper and do produce heat, which is why high-powered units are no longer described as low-level laser treatment.
Kinesiology tape, created for human patients by the chiropractor Kenzo Kase in the 1970s, is a thin, elastic cotton strip with an acrylic glue. It goes on slightly stretched and gently lifts the skin as it recoils. A compression bandage restricts movement; this tape flexes with the dog and can be worn for several days.
In veterinary medicine, both are used for various conditions as add-ons rather than stand-alone treatments, usually by veterinarians or rehabilitation practitioners as part of a wider program that often includes physical therapy and exercise.
How laser therapy for dogs is supposed to work
The proposed mechanism starts inside the cell. Light at certain wavelengths is absorbed by molecules in the mitochondria, notably an enzyme called cytochrome c oxidase, and that is thought to boost the cell's energy production, reducing inflammation and shifting local signalling toward tissue repair. Red light is absorbed close to the surface, so it is mostly used on wounds; near-infrared light penetrates further toward muscle and joints.
Proponents link those cellular effects to pain relief, better blood flow and blood circulation in the treated area, lymphatic drainage of swelling, and the ability to promote healing. Much of that chain, however, comes from laboratory and human work, where the same wavelengths have been studied for muscle pain and superficial wounds. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that the light dose needed to heal tissue and treat pain remains unclear, and that uncertainty runs through the clinical studies too.
What the research says about laser therapy for dogs
Canine studies of PBM are mostly small, with a few dozen patients at most, and they use various lasers, wavelengths and schedules. That makes it hard to combine their findings or to judge the effectiveness of laser treatment as a whole. Taken one specific condition at a time, though, a pattern does emerge.
Osteoarthritis and joint pain
This is where the evidence is strongest. A randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal in 2018 followed 20 dogs with elbow osteoarthritis for six weeks. Nine of the eleven patients that received real light sessions were able to reduce their anti-inflammatory medication, compared with none of the nine given sham sessions, and lameness and pain scores improved more in the treated group. A 2022 double-blinded trial in 20 dogs with hip osteoarthritis compared a Class IV laser with a course of an anti-inflammatory drug and found better pain and function scores with the laser for up to a month.
These are encouraging findings for chronic pain from arthritis, including joint pain linked to hip dysplasia, and for the quality of life of older dogs. Both trials were small, however, and neither suggests that light can replace weight control, exercise and medication. The elbow study measured how far drugs could be reduced, not whether they could be stopped.
After surgery for disc disease
Intervertebral disc disease, common in dachshunds and other short-legged breeds, can leave a dog unable to walk, and severe cases are often treated with surgery to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. In a 2012 trial at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, 36 dogs had spinal surgery for disc disease, and roughly half also received daily low-level laser therapy for five days afterwards. The laser group reached walking ability in a median of 3.5 days, against 14 days for the others.
That study assigned patients by alternating order rather than true randomization, and the investigators scored the dogs themselves, with no blinding reported. A later sham-controlled study of 32 dogs, published in 2017, found no difference in recovery times between those given light, those given physical rehabilitation and those given sham sessions only. For recovery from disc disease, the honest summary is "promising, unconfirmed".
Wounds and incisions
Wound healing is one of the most commonly advertised uses, yet a masked, placebo-controlled trial run by the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine found no effect. Ten dogs had small surgical incisions and wounds on both flanks, with one side lasered daily for five days and the other given a sham treatment. Healing time and wound size did not differ, and the authors concluded that the findings did not support using LLLT to speed up uncomplicated small wounds. Larger, slower-healing wounds and skin conditions have not been studied well enough in dogs to say either way.
After cruciate ligament surgery
In a 2018 randomized trial of 95 dogs having TPLO surgery for a torn cruciate ligament, a Class IV protocol around the time of the operation produced one measurable difference: owners rated their dogs' gait as more improved. Bone healing on X-ray, the time until anti-inflammatory drugs could be stopped and the other scoring systems were no different from placebo.
The overall picture
A 2023 systematic review of light therapy in animals looked at 45 studies, 24 of them in dogs, covering musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions, skin disease, wounds and pain. It found conflicting results, no agreement on treatment protocols, and a moderate or high risk of bias in most of the work. Some beneficial effects were reported, but the quality of the research was limited.
Put plainly, the level of evidence for laser therapy for dogs is low to moderate and depends heavily on the condition being treated: reasonable for osteoarthritis pain, mixed after spinal surgery, weak for small wounds and largely untested elsewhere.
What a laser session involves
Anyone in the room, including an owner who stays, wears eye protection to prevent retinal injury, and the dog's eyes are covered with small canine goggles or a shield. The operator moves a handheld wand slowly over the affected areas for a few minutes per site, depending on the condition. With a Class IV unit the dog feels warmth; with lower-powered lasers, often nothing at all. Most dogs lie quietly and need no sedation, and they can go home or carry on with a rehab session straight afterwards.
Schedules for laser treatments vary widely. A common pattern is several sessions a week at first, tapering as the dog's condition responds, with occasional maintenance visits for chronic conditions. Because no protocol is agreed, it is reasonable to ask how many laser treatments your veterinarian expects before reassessing, and what change (in lameness, medication needs or daily activity) will show whether it is worth continuing.
When to avoid laser therapy for dogs
PBM is generally regarded as low-risk when trained staff follow safety rules, but Merck lists several situations where it should not be used or needs extra care:
- over known or suspected tumours, and in patients with lymphoma;
- anywhere near the eyes, since direct exposure can damage the retina;
- over a pregnant uterus or an area that is actively bleeding;
- over the thyroid gland when the thyroid is overactive;
- over the growth plates of young, still-growing dogs, which higher-powered lasers may cause to close early;
- in patients on immunosuppressive drugs, and at lower intensity in those taking medications that increase light sensitivity.
Dark tattoos absorb more energy and can become painful. Home light devices are sold directly to pet owners, but without a diagnosis it is easy to treat the wrong problem, or a tumour, so any home use should be agreed with your veterinarian first.
Kinesiology tape: claims and research
Tape is said to work in several ways: lifting the surface layers to make room for blood and lymph to move, reducing swelling, supporting weak muscles, helping to reduce pain and improving proprioception, the body's sense of where its limbs are. In people, kinesiology taping has been tested in many clinical trials, and most found little or no benefit for pain, strength, circulation or injury prevention.
Canine research is very new and very small. In a 2025 study from the University of Tennessee, ten healthy dogs were recorded with 3D motion capture and walked over a force platform with and without tape across the hock; the tape made no measurable difference to joint motion or to the forces through the limb. A 2025 study of eight healthy dogs with tape over a thigh muscle found minimal and inconsistent effects on gait, and whether the hair had been clipped changed the results.
The one clinical finding so far is narrower. A randomized study published in 2026 taped 16 of 31 knees immediately after TPLO surgery in a pattern meant to aid lymphatic drainage, and found less swelling around the knee at 18 and 24 hours than in untaped knees, with no adverse effects. Whether that early reduction changed comfort or recovery later on was not measured.
That leaves the evidence for taping at a very early stage: one small study suggesting it may limit swelling after knee surgery, two in healthy dogs showing little effect, and no controlled trials in arthritis, back pain or sport injury. Positive reports from therapists exist, based on their clinical experience, but they are observations rather than tested outcomes.
How tape is applied and when to skip it
Taping is a hands-on skill. The direction, stretch and shape of each strip depend on the tissue being targeted, so a veterinary rehabilitation therapist should apply it first and, if home taping is planned, show you how. A few practical points hold whatever the pattern:
- Skin problems rule it out: open wounds, hot spots, infections, irritated patches and tumours stay untaped.
- Tape grips only a clean, dry, brushed coat; on a long-haired dog, the area is trimmed short, not shaved to the skin.
- A dog that fusses at the strip, chews it or shows reddened skin under it should have it taken off straight away.
- Most strips come off within a few days, peeled gently in the direction the hair grows.
- Swallowed tape usually passes, but keep an eye on the dog and phone your vet if anything seems off.
Because it is cheap and well tolerated, tape is easy to add. That is also the reason to be clear about what you expect from it and to treat it as a minor extra.
Side by side
| Laser (PBM) | Kinesiology tape | |
|---|---|---|
| Main uses | Osteoarthritis pain, recovery after surgery, wounds, back pain | Swelling after surgery, muscle support, back and knee pain |
| Best evidence | Small randomized trials in osteoarthritis with positive findings | One small randomized study showing less swelling 24 hours after TPLO |
| Weak spots | Mixed results after spinal surgery for disc disease; no effect on small wounds; no agreed protocol | No effect in healthy dogs; no trials in chronic conditions |
| Main risks | Eye injury, heating, use over tumours | Irritation, swallowed pieces |
| Who applies it | Trained clinic staff | Vet or rehab therapist; owners after instruction |
Fitting either one into a rehab plan
Neither tool replaces the parts of rehabilitation with stronger evidence behind them: an accurate diagnosis, pain management with appropriate medication, controlled exercise, weight control and, for many dogs, water-based work in a pool or on an underwater treadmill. Laser and tape are best seen as extras that may make those core pieces easier.
Before agreeing to a course, ask a few direct questions. What exactly is being treated? What result should you notice, and by when? How many sessions will there be before the plan is reviewed? A veterinarian who answers those clearly, and is open about the limits of the research, is more likely to be choosing laser therapy for dogs or taping for your dog's specific needs than simply because the equipment is on the shelf. If the answers stay vague, it is fair to ask for a short trial with a set review date.