The study was aimed to investigate the influence of diode laser on osteoarthritis (OA) of stifle joint induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). Sixty 10-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. Right stifle joint was operated to create ACLT or sham. There were five study groups: control, Sham, ACLT, ACLT + Laser irradiation (ACLT+L) and ACLT + meloxicam administration (ACLT+M). Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) was applied at the operated stifle joint twice a week using an 808-nm indium-gallium-arsenide (InGaAs) diode laser during 8-week experimental period. Radiographical, gross morphological and histopathological findings were examined at 2, 4 and 8 weeks post-surgery. Radiography, CBC and chemistry tests showed no significant difference between groups. ACLT+L group showed remarkable cartilage damages compared with sham group morphologically and histopathologically at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. ACLT+M group also had more cartilage damages compared with sham group. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) showed limitation to prevent progression of OA in the rat anterior cruciate ligament transection models; on the contrary it accelerated cartilage damage. It is assumed that the aggravating results of LLLT in this study might be due to excessive unstable movement of stifle joint from the pain-relieving effect of LLLT, rather than direct damaging effect of irradiation since LLLT did not affect cell viability.