Introduction: Osteoarthritis in dogs is a slowly progressive inflammatory chronic disease, characterized by degeneration of the cartilage, hypertrophy of margins of the bones and changes in the synovial membrane. Conventional treatments of osteoarthritis involve nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, chondroprotectors and other complementary medications. Conventional treatments could affect the patient health condition. Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and MLS® laser therapy, are considered good options for the treatment of osteoarthritis in these patients.

Conclusion: Acupuncture and MLS® laser therapy have proved to be useful in the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal
conditions such as osteoarthritis in older dogs. The contribution of acupuncture to pain control includes muscle relaxation and improvement in oxygen and nutrient distribution to the affected area. In a veterinary previous study, MLS® laser therapy demonstrated the same efficacy in pain and inflammation control as drug therapy, but without its side effect, in dogs with osteoarthritis.