How the Assisi Loop Helps Cats With Arthritis

This post is sponsored by Assisi Animal Health

When your cat is sick or in pain, there’s probably nothing you wouldn’t try to get him or her to stop hurting. Unfortunately, treating pain in cats is often challenging. For starters, cats are masters at masking pain. Then, once pain is diagnosed, there are very few medications that are approved for long-term use in cats that don’t also carry some serious risks.

As an alternative to pharmaceuticals, many cat owners have turned to non-drug modalities like Reiki and acupuncture.  Another therapy that is garnering more widespread use is targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (tPEMF™). This therapy can benefits cats with pain associated with arthritis, pancreatitis, wounds, or post-surgical swelling as well as many inflammatory conditions.

What is targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy?

tPEMF, which was first studied in the 1970s and is FDA-cleared for use in humans, uses low-level pulses of electromagnetic energy to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanisms to help relieve pain and swelling.

Assisi Animal Health created the Assisi Loop, a non-pharmaceutical, non-invasive device that is well tolerated by most cats. In fact, many cats really enjoy receiving Loop treatments. Because the Loop stimulates the body’s own healing process, rather than introducing a new substance (like a medication), even a sensitive cat body can handle it easily.

The Loop’s most famous feline patient

The Loop’s most famous patient is Lil BUB. BUB was born with several genetic mutations, including a shorter lower jaw and no teeth. She also has dwarfism, which means she will stay kitten-sized for her entire life, and she is the only cat in recorded history born with a rare bone condition called “osteopetrosis”. When BUB began to lose mobility and soon was hardly able to walk, her “dude,” Mike Bridavsky, was worried that she might have to be euthanized. Mike heard about the Loop from a fan, and was shocked by the improvement in BUB after he began using it. Now, BUB has gone from being practically immobile to playing, running, jumping, and climbing the stairs.

How the Loop is helping Daisy with severe hip arthritis and spinal stenosis

18-year-old Daisy belongs to Pam Wheelock and her family. Pam is the founder of Purrfectplay. Five years ago, Daisy started having difficulty urinating and defecating. She was diagnosed with severe hip arthritis and spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the open spaces within the spine, which can put pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine.) Daisy’s spinal nerve impingement causes her to retain urine and bowel material. When there is a big enough volume, the “stretch reflex” allows her to empty her bladder/bowel. “Daisy had no idea when this might happen,” says Pam. “It used to happen even when she was sleeping.”

They changed Daisy’ diet, added nutritional supplements, and started Adequan injections, which they can give at home. “These helped,” said Pam, “but her walking and ability to use the litter box were still poor.” Three years ago, they started Daisy on laser treatments at their vet clinic. “These helped some more, but they are expensive, and weekly vet visits are a scheduling problem.” On top of that, Daisy hates going to the vet. “So, this process was almost zero sum for our family,” says Pam.

Four months ago, they purchased an Assisi Loop. Daisy gets three treatments a day. “They’re easy, cost effective, and she enjoys them,” says Pam. “I simple lay the loop on her hips when she is resting. When the battery/timer light goes off, we are done.” Daisy is walking better and eating better. “She’s even able to understand when she has to ‘go’, doing so in more appropriate places,” adds Pam. “Great news for all of us!”

A month ago, their Assisi Loop’s battery ran out. “We were without a loop for one week,” says Pam, “and within that time we saw a decline.” Two weeks later, with three treatments a day, Daisy is doing really well again. “We will never be without an Assisi Loop again,” says Pam. “We have four elder cats. Since you have to wait two hours between uses, we are ordering a second Loop ASAP!”

How the Loop is is helping Nala with arthritis in her knees and spine

13-year-old Nala suffers from degenerative arthritis in her knees and the base of her spine. She also has inflammatory bowel disease and a sensitive stomach. Her guardian Keely F was looking for an effective alternative to drugs to help ease the pain in Nala’s joints. After giving Nala three Assisi Loop treatments a day for a month, Keely noticed that Nala was more mobile. “She’s willing to play more often, and not as stiff as she was prior to starting,” says Keely. “She doesn’t mind the Loop and will sleep through most of the short treatments. I love it and will continue to use it on her!”

How the Loop is helping Buggy with achy knees

11-year-old Buggy belongs to feline veterinarian Andrea Tasi, VMD of Just Cats Naturally. Buggy has torn both his ACL (anterior cranial cruciate) ligaments in the past, and as a result, has a tendency to get achy knees. “He limps and is much less active when his knees bother him,” says Dr. Tasi. During a flare up of his discomfort this winter, Dr. Tasi used the Assisi Loop daily, and Buggy responded positively. “I was rarely able to use the loop twice daily, as they advised,” says Dr. Tasi, “but even with once daily use, he was noticeably more mobile within a week.” Dr. Tasi continues to use the Loop several times a week as “maintenance” now. “On his worst flare up days, I did use some NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) pain relief as well,” adds Dr. Tasi, “but the combination of the Loop and the medication gave better relief than I saw from the medication alone.”

More information about the Assisi Loop

The Loop comes in two models. The Assisi Loop 2.0 offers a minimum of 150 15-minute treatments, the Assisi Loop 2.0 Auto-Cycle offers a minimum of 100 15-minute treatments. One Assisi Loop can last anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months, depending on the condition being treated and the number of treatments required per day.

For more information about how the Loop could help your cat, visit Assisi Animal Health’s website, contact them via email at info@assisianimalhealth.com, or call 866-830-7342.

Coming next month:
another chance to win an Assisi Loop for your cat!

Photos of Nala ©Keely F, photo of Daisly ©Pam Wheelock, photo of Bug ©Dr. Tasi, all used with permission

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Assisi Animal Health, which means I was compensated to feature this content. Regardless of payment received, you will only see topics on this site that I believe are of interest to my readers.

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