Tail wounds in military working dogs: Clinical characterization and a randomized sham-controlled trial of photobiomodulation.

BACKGROUND

Tail wounds in military working dogs (MWDs) are a clinically significant and challenging condition characterized by recurrent trauma and delayed healing. Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been proposed as a non-invasive therapy to enhance wound repair.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the clinical presentation of tail wounds in MWDs and to evaluate the effect of PBM as an adjunctive treatment.

METHODS

This prospective study included an observational cohort of 21 active MWDs (age 4.1 ± 2.2 years; 95% male; predominantly Belgian Malinois [57%]) with clinically evident tail wounds and a randomized, sham-controlled interventional subset of 16 dogs (PBM n = 8, sham n = 8) that excluded dogs that were not available for the intervention due to activity duties. Dogs received daily PBM or sham treatment for 2 weeks. Wounds were assessed at baseline and 2 weeks of treatment using surface measurements, thermal imaging, and a modified canine Bates-Jensen Wound Assessment Tool (BWAT). The primary outcome was change in wound area.

RESULTS

Tail wounds were predominantly chronic (≥1 month) (76%) and recurrent (62%), with moderate-to-marked bleeding in 53% of cases. Thermal imaging demonstrated higher temperatures in the wound bed compared to surrounding tissue (Δ2.8 ± 0.7 °C, p < 0.001), indicating preserved perfusion. In the randomized cohort, wound area did not significantly change over time (PBM: 0.6 ± 0.4 to 0.7 ± 0.4 cm²; sham: 1.3 ± 1.0 to 1.1 ± 0.7 cm²). In contrast, the surrounding hairless area decreased significantly in both groups without significant between-group difference ( p = 0.077). BWAT scores showed non-significant improvement in both groups.

CONCLUSION

PBM, as applied in this protocol, did not improve healing of tail wounds in MWDs. These findings suggest that persistent trauma may limit wound healing despite preserved repair processes.