Laser Therapy.... Healing Without Harm
LASER:
Light
Amplification of
Stimulated
Emission of
Radiation
What?? This basically means the emission of focused, penetrating, light beams.
WARNING: SENSITIVE IMAGES BELOW.
Laser Therapy, also called photobiomodulation, is a clinically proven modality used in human and veterinary medicine. It uses light energy to help reduce inflammation, reduce pain, and speed up the healing process.
Laser Therapy is a holistic, biologic, and targeted treatment option for numerous conditions from ear infections and hot spots, to osteoarthritis and constipation, and much much more. It is also utilized after surgical and dental procedures to reduce patient's pain and speed up the time it takes for them to heal. It is side effect free, pain free, and pets look super cool while enjoying their treatment in their doggles.
Darla wearing doggles during treatment
Laser Therapy is similar to acupuncture, massage therapy and pain therapy all rolled into one and can be used with or without conventional medicine for pain, inflammation, wound healing, chronic arthritis and on and on.
Wound healing after Therapeutic Laser Treatment.
The Science:
The key word here is Photobiomodulation. But what exactly is that? Well, the energy emitted by a therapeutic laser is absorbed within cells. This energy is used to provide increased “power” inside affected cells and this “power” will then activate the cells. The activated cells respond by allowing a wide range of outcomes:
Reducing pain by releasing the body’s own natural opioids
Decreasing the release of inflammatory signals to relieve inflammation
Causing blood vessels to relax to allow increased blood flow, oxygenation, and nutrients to flood the affected tissue
Stimulating the lymph system to decrease swelling and edema
Increasing healing speed by bringing natural healing cytokines and growth factors (among other things) to the area
Stimulating bone healing with improved vascular pathways and increasing new bone development
Improving pain and inflammation associated with deep tissue and musculo-skeletal conditions such as arthritis.
Laser therapy is used after surgical and dental procedures.
Laser therapy is used with or without routine pain protocols.
Laser therapy is used for acute and chronic conditions.
Laser therapy is used for inflammatory conditions.
Laser therapy should not be used for malignant tumors.
Laser therapy is particularly useful if one of our pets has decreased medical options, including:
If an animal has liver disease and cannot tolerate a variety of oral medications.
Cats. We are limited to very few pain medications in the cat world, so laser therapy is very useful in this setting, especially for chronically painful conditions.
Exotic pets where medicating can be difficult or impossible.
Our geriatric furry friends with less functional organ systems.
Laser therapy is safe and effective if used correctly and with the proper training.
Sessions usually last from a few minutes to 20 minutes, depending on what is being treated and the size of the area receiving therapeutic laser. The laser is set specifically for each patient and the medical issue being treated. Mum or dad can stay with their pet, provided all wear specific safety glasses, including the patient!
Dr. Charlie with Hugo wearing his doggles during treatment
The laser is passed over the area of affected tissue. It feels warm and soothing, it is not painful. Most pets relax into the process and actually quite enjoy it. Acute medical problems may require a single treatment, chronic problems may require multiple treatments ranging from daily sessions, to every other day, to weekly. But above all, Therapeutic Laser is a safe, effective, and non-painful modality we can use for our pets of all shapes and sizes, all creatures great and small.
Therapeutic Laser…. Healing Without Harm.
Feel free to discuss the benefits of therapeutic laser for your furry friend with one of our doctors.
“Animals are born who they are, accept it, and that is it. They live with greater peace than people do.”
- Gregory Maguire