So how can a LASER be therapeutic in veterinary medicine? No, it’s not the annoying pointers that everybody shines in our eyes. And no, they aren’t the kind used on sharks by evil geniuses. They actually fall right between these two classes of LASERs. There is no easy explanation for how they work, but simply put they use light to accelerate healing and reduce pain and inflammation. They are NOT surgical LASERs, which can be used to make incisions and cuts for surgery. These are “cold” LASERs that have virtually no side effects when used appropriately. Research using these LASERs has shown that their energy is accumulative, whereby each subsequent treatment increases its effectiveness. Since the idea of the LASER is to stimulate healing, one of the few contraindications is with cancer.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common afflictions of geriatric pets. This is a chronic, progressive, irreversible change that occurs in the joints, causing daily pain and decreased activity. Recent studies have discovered that combining several different therapies to manage osteoarthritis provides the best results. LASER therapy is an ideal method to combine with traditional medical and other therapeutic treatments. We have recently started LASER therapy at our practice and have noticed improvement almost immediately in several cases, but treatment is needed regularly over the course of a month for maximum results. When used in this manner, your pet’s daily pain can be most effectively managed. Other musculoskeletal benefits include neck/back pain and dysplasia.
The benefits are not just restricted to bones. Many skin conditions including surgical incisions, lacerations, “hot spots’, lick granulomas and scarring can be managed with therapeutic LASERs. In truth the list of indications is extensive so, if you think your pet may benefit from this treatment please discuss with you veterinarian. If you are already a client of ours, we are happy to now offer this service to you!