# Anyone been dissappointed with Arc Equine?



## spacie1977 (27 June 2014)

I'm considering getting an arc equine kit for my horse who has osteoarthritis. There seems to be a lot of positive reviews/success stories but I can't find any research/scientific evidence into it working so I'm still skeptical as to whether it really makes such a huge difference to healing. Has anyone tried it and found they've not been amazed by the results? I need to be talked out of coughing up so much money for it as I really can't afford it. Apparently they can be rented but knowing my luck he'd break it and I'd still be facing a whopping bill.


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## Auslander (28 June 2014)

Try looking for research on the human medicine side. There's loads.

I can't comment further, as I'm delighted with mine. I've bought mine on a 12 month purchase plan, which makes the cost far more bearable


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## Scarlett (28 June 2014)

Yes, there are stories of  it causing all sorts of wierd reactions. I'm sure there's info in the threads in the Competition forum.


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## spacie1977 (28 June 2014)

Thanks for the replies. They're not helping with talking me out of buying one though! Lol
Aww shucks it looks like I'll have to bite the bullet and give it a go. I mentioned it to my husband and all I got was a grunt in return when I said how much they cost, so think I might have to keep quiet about this purchase!


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## ihatework (28 June 2014)

I refused to use my machine again after adverse reactions.


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## spacie1977 (29 June 2014)

ihatework said:



			I refused to use my machine again after adverse reactions.
		
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Seriously? THAT bad?! Could you please elaborate?


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## Auslander (30 June 2014)

I've heard of localised irritation/white hair growth where the raised carbon rubber electrodes sit - generally due to the straps being too tight, or insufficient gel - but haven't heard of anything major, Be interested to hear what the problems were


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## ihatework (30 June 2014)

Splint formation


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## Dottie (30 June 2014)

ihatework said:



			Splint formation
		
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How do you know the ARC was the cause of the splint formation?


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## ihatework (30 June 2014)

Trust me. I know.


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## Dottie (30 June 2014)

ihatework said:



			Trust me. I know.
		
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??? Did the splint form over wear the ARC pads were? How long did it take to form? What type of work was your horse doing at the time? Did your vet have an explanation?
I'm just interested in learning as much as I can about it.


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## ihatework (30 June 2014)

Yes.
2 days.
Horse was on box rest.
Switched legs for the arc and got another splint for my troubles.
Vet was interested.
Ian Thirkell was more interested in name dropping than taking the safety of his product seriously.

I work in a professional capacity in an industry where safety concerns reported about a medical product are treated extremely seriously. Arc equine have made no effort to investigate further with my case.


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## LegOn (1 July 2014)

Interesting.... I've read that this 'sensitivity' or reaction to the skin is uncommon but I'm finding the more people I talk to about it, more people have experienced it.  

I am another one who experienced the dreaded skin reaction, lots of leg scabs & white hairs on regrowth which was disappointing but my horse did come sound from a mystery lameness which was nothing short of a miracle but I have stopped using it because  it was a nightmare managing the scabs & trying to put the ARC on a bit of leg that wasnt scabbed - I would probably use it again if I had to though but since my horse is sound, I've stopped. 

My Dad went on to use it for a torn ligament in his ankle & while it did help - he couldnt take the pain of the sensitivity on his skin any more & had to stop using it, even after the unit had been 'upgraded' which is a pity cause it was working but they really did look like burns on his legs. 

I was using LOTS of gel & not putting it on over-tight, believe me, I was ultra-cautious with it.


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## pootleperkin (1 July 2014)

My horse had a reaction after 5 days of use  - a large bump on his canon bone and white hair. I stopped using it as bumps on a show horse aren't of much use. The bump did go down, but the white hair is still there.


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## Dottie (1 July 2014)

ihatework said:



			Yes.
2 days.
Horse was on box rest.
Switched legs for the arc and got another splint for my troubles.
Vet was interested.
Ian Thirkell was more interested in name dropping than taking the safety of his product seriously.

I work in a professional capacity in an industry where safety concerns reported about a medical product are treated extremely seriously. Arc equine have made no effort to investigate further with my case.
		
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That's interesting. Thanks for letting me know. Have you gone any further with trying to get it investigated? How big are the splints? Are they exactly over where the ARC pads were? Was this using the older system/leg gel? (Sorry for all the Q's. PM if you prefer)
I'm using mine for PSD and we are on day 9. I am being extremely vigilante about checking his legs as he is usually a very sensitive soul with his skin. I wash his legs off every time i take it off. He is grey as well, so there is no knowing if he will get grey hairs. The SW and medication didn't work and the insurance money has run out so i feel this is my only option now.


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## LegOn (2 July 2014)

Dottie said:



			That's interesting. Thanks for letting me know. Have you gone any further with trying to get it investigated? How big are the splints? Are they exactly over where the ARC pads were? Was this using the older system/leg gel? (Sorry for all the Q's. PM if you prefer)
I'm using mine for PSD and we are on day 9. I am being extremely vigilante about checking his legs as he is usually a very sensitive soul with his skin. I wash his legs off every time i take it off. He is grey as well, so there is no knowing if he will get grey hairs. The SW and medication didn't work and the insurance money has run out so i feel this is my only option now.
		
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I think this is what happens with people though - when you are down to a last resort, you will try anything & you may or may not get an adverse reaction but if you do, your horse may have felt the benefits of the Arc at that stage so you stop caring about the side-effects.  What is some scabs/white hairs in comparison to a sound/healthy horse, right?? 

It was a few months before my horse took a reaction & at that stage & I felt too invested in it to stop - plus like you, I had nothing else left to try so I kept going.  I cannot deny it didnt work, because it did.  I have a sound horse that was back out competing & hunter trialling with no issues since we finished up using it.  And I think I would use it again if I was in a similar situation.  

I think its an amazing technology & I found them very helpful - they tried their best of answer my concerns at every stage so I cant fault them their either.  The only thing I was a tad disappointed in, was not knowing about this side-effect in advance & it was made out like it was rare but turns out its very common. 

 They also seem now to be undecided about which pads are most suitable for equine use - recently on their facebook page they posted that the sticky gel pads should not be used on a horses.  I started out using the original design, old carbon leg straps & when they caused the scabs, they had just released the sticky pads & the RECOMMENDED them to me! So I used them for months - actually I thought they were better than the carbon ones.  Now it seems a NEW carbon pad is on the way & that is the only one for equine use... seems alot of back & forth over which should be used!!! And people have spent money getting new & then newer ones...!


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## Vickijay (5 July 2014)

Auslander said:



			I've heard of localised irritation/white hair growth where the raised carbon rubber electrodes sit - generally due to the straps being too tight, or insufficient gel - but haven't heard of anything major, Be interested to hear what the problems were
		
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That's sales speak. I tried the machine on 1 of mine. After speaking to Ian I tried loose straps, different electrodes, tons of gel, different gels, the works. 

One horse had such a bad reaction I had to get the vet to scan her leg to see what was going on. It was a HUGE reaction and I can well believe what ihatework says. It created massive, boiling hot and hard swellings wherever the electrodes sat, even after 1 cycle. It was awful. The lumps took months to go down, although now after hearing that, it just makes me glad that they did go down. 

More recently I tried it on a different horse, with very similar results, so stopped immediately. 

I know that my horses are thin skinned, delicate types but the reaction was awful. I have sold the machine to a friend who has no problems with it whatsoever, which proves it was my horses, but that doesn't take away the awful side effects. 

I'm also getting more fed up with the "this machine can fix/help/repair ANYTHING" idea that it is marketed with. No machine or product can say that.


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## Jesstickle (5 July 2014)

Is there no regulation for this kind of kit, surely it is a medical device and should be tested as such. Such (seemingly) common and severe reactions sound like something which should be investigated properly in a regulated environment before being passed safe for use.

Has this happened? 

Sorry I work in diagnostics (human) so am not au fait with medical device licensing for vet purposes...

Unless the efficacy is excellent and provable in a large number of cases surely the possible side effects are a serious concern?


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## pootleperkin (6 July 2014)

Vickijay said:



			I'm also getting more fed up with the "this machine can fix/help/repair ANYTHING" idea that it is marketed with. No machine or product can say that.
		
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Me too - it's crazy. If the technology were so compelling, big pharma and med firms would have been into it, in a big way, ages ago. There are other ultrasound/similar human devices on the market, but you don't hear too much about them and there are still sceptics. I agree there are some studies in the literature that suggest the ideas behind the technology work and I remain interested in it, but I would wish to see independent controlled studies done to prove its efficacy, which is unlikely to happen. I was one of those who was prepared to try anything (within scientific reason) to get us to HOYS, but it certainly wasn't the right path for us. 



Jesstickle said:



			Is there no regulation for this kind of kit, surely it is a medical device and should be tested as such. Such (seemingly) common and severe reactions sound like something which should be investigated properly in a regulated environment before being passed safe for use.

Has this happened? 

Sorry I work in diagnostics (human) so am not au fait with medical device licensing for vet purposes...

Unless the efficacy is excellent and provable in a large number of cases surely the possible side effects are a serious concern?
		
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I just lost a reply, but in brief, it's not generally prescribed for use by vets, for veterinary purposes, so as such doesn't have to be tested for vet/medical use. It is akin to you going into Boots and buying an off the shelf ultrasound device for your own use. I guess it complies to European CE standards that apply to it or the like (?) or perhaps not?


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