Cold Laser Therapy For Your Pets

For over a year now we have been using Therapeutic cold laser therapy for a variety of inflammatory conditions, in addition to its benefits in treating acute and chronic pain.  If you are not familiar with this form of therapy, let me introduce you.

Therapeutic laser involves the delivery of low-level light energy into the tissues to create a phenomenon called photobiomodulation.  At the cellular level, the light absorbed stimulates a variety of benefits such as increasing white cell activity (the cells that fight infection), fibroblast activity (cells responsible in healing), decreasing inflammation, increases microcirculation and releases endorphins (responsible for pain relief).

In our practice we have utilized the laser therapy to help relieve the chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis.  With it's use for these patients, we have been able to reduce the need for oral pain medications, many of which can cause gastric upsets and disrupt liver function.  We have also utilized laser therapy for animals that have suffered from fractures and extensive wounds following trauma.  Laser therapy has help these animals not only in the reduction of their pain, but also decreased their healing time significantly.  Lick granulomas and acute moist dermatitis (hot spots) have also been treated with laser therapy with good results in decreasing the pain associated with them and decreasing their healing time without other medications such as steroids.

Wound following two weeks laser therapy debridement. 

Following 4 weeks laser therapy and partial surgical closure

These pictures were taken of a cat that suffered from thermal burns having rode on the manifold of a car.  Laser therapy was initiated initially to help in the debridement of necrotic tissue for two weeks, the result is seen in the first photo.  The second photo shown was after four weeks of laser therapy and partial surgical closure of the wound.

We are proud to say this cat has fully recovered with minimal scarring and in approximately half the time that it would have taken without laser therapy.

Laser therapy is beneficial for any condition where inflammation is present; ear hematomas, post-surgical procedures, intervertebral disc rupture.

We have also used laser therapy extensively for sore muscles in horses associated with over use,  and trauma.

Can laser therapy help your pet or horse?  Call and talk to our technical staff or doctor.