There's no prize for a dog who makes it to 17.
Veterinarian Tom Walsh says the goal was never a longer life. It's a better one, at whatever age your dog is right now. Here's what that looked like for the older dogs in his 25-dog study.
From a conversation between Tom Walsh, DVM, of PrimePet Rehab and Mark L Fox, founder of Resona Health
Longer was never the point
Dr. Walsh runs PrimePet Rehab, a veterinary rehab practice in Myrtle Beach. Most of the dogs he sees are past their prime: stiff joints, surgeries behind them, years of slowing down. When Mark asked what he's really trying to do for them, his answer had nothing to do with the calendar.
No pet owner just wants an animal that lasts longer but has a pitiful existence. There's no achievement in getting to 17 or 18 years old as a dog if the last four years were miserable. What you want is the best life for that animal at whatever age they are and whatever condition they are. And we are seeing those types of results.Tom Walsh, DVM
Some of the older dogs in the study. Most study dogs were between 10 and 14.
"I've always said to my clients: if I can make your dog feel 10% better, that's like making us feel 100% better. They're not carrying around the emotional baggage."
Tom Walsh, DVM, PrimePet RehabA little better goes a long way
That's why a small change in an older dog looks so big from the couch. Dr. Walsh watched it happen dog after dog.
Golden retrievers that were not walking more than a half mile, within four or five days, are now taking their own two-mile walks without repercussions.Tom Walsh, DVM
Louise, 10
Louise came to Dr. Walsh after knee surgery. Months earlier she'd lost her brother in a dog fight, and she'd been grieving ever since. During the study, her playfulness came back. "That general enthusiasm for life," Dr. Walsh says. "I'm happy that you're home, let's go do something. And that energy lifts your spirit as a human, because you're looking at an animal that is so happy. That's what Louise is back to now."
A dog can't tell you it feels better. Dr. Walsh says you'll see it instead:
My energy level's going to be up. I'm going to want to go on longer walks. I've got a better appetite. They're going to show it in action, because they only have a couple of ways to communicate it to us.Tom Walsh, DVM
At the end of the study, Dr. Walsh asked every owner one question: "How is your dog doing?" All 25 said their dog was doing better.
Every one of those dogs spent the study the same way: a VIBE at the chest, in a vest or bandana, running a protocol picked for that dog, at home. Here's how to get the same setup.
What the study dogs used
VIBE + Dog Vest Bundle
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- The VIBE plus a vest that holds it over the heart and vagus nerve, the study placement
- Best for daily sessions, walks, and active dogs
The device by itself
VIBE
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- 60 protocols built in, including Arthritis, Anxiety, Sleep, and Vagus Nerve
- Works for dogs, cats, horses, and people
Already have a VIBE?
Dog Bandana
$29.99
- Zip pocket keeps the VIBE at the chest
- Soft and washable. Great for couch sessions, storms, and travel.
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Read the research
Start with our study, as a short summary or the full report. The four published trials and review below were run by university and hospital researchers using other PEMF devices, and show what the wider research on PEMF in dogs has found.
- Our study: summaryC3I Study Results, PrimePet Rehab, 2026Four pages: how the study worked, the before-and-after scores, owners' own words, and what the collars recorded.Download the summary
- Our study: full reportC3I Study Report, PrimePet Rehab, 2026Tom Walsh, DVM, and Mark L Fox. All 21 pages: methods, statistics, results for every dog, collar data, limitations, and every owner's written response.Download the full report
- OsteoarthritisŠutalo S, et al. BMC Veterinary Research, 2025Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 21 dogs with osteoarthritis. Dogs receiving PEMF showed significantly better gait symmetry after six weeks.Read the full study
- Hip painKühl LF, et al. Veterinary Research Communications, 2025Randomized trial in 20 dogs with hip osteoarthritis. The PEMF group showed significant pain reduction on two validated canine pain scales.Read the study
- After surgeryAlvarez LX, et al. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 2019Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 53 dogs after spinal surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York. PEMF dogs had better wound healing at six weeks and needed pain medication less often in the first week.Read the abstract
- OverviewGaynor JS, et al. Research in Veterinary Science, 2018A review of PEMF in veterinary medicine, covering the evidence for bone healing, wound healing, osteoarthritis, inflammation, and post-operative pain.Read the review