What if there was a drug-free, pain-free way to treat your pet’s injury or ongoing health condition?
In many cases, laser therapy can do just that!
Q #1: How Does Pet Laser Therapy Work?
A: Laser therapy can be used in dogs and cats, as well as other species. The treatment stimulates the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy within cells that helps the body repair itself. As ATP production increases, injured cells get healthier, repairing tissue in the process. What this means is that healthy cell growth is promoted so that wound healing will occur faster and inflammation becomes decreased. Both of these lead to reduced overall pain levels for your pet. It also helps to increase vascular and metabolic activity and even improve nerve function!
Treatment takes place by moving the laser hand piece gently on the affected area or – if the area is too painful – very close to the skin of the affected area. Many pets find laser therapy treatment to be very relaxing as the warm massage-like feeling spreads, helping to alleviate their pain and inflammation – many times they may even fall asleep! Laser therapy is a wonderful FDA-approved option that we are happy to be able to provide to our clientele.
Q #2: How Many Treatments Are Needed?
A: While it is quite possible for results to be seen after even the first treatment, the overall benefits continue to happen over time. This means you may have to bring in your pet for multiple sessions before more effective changes occur. How many sessions are required depends on the condition being treated, the health of your pet and how accommodating he or she is, but most conditions need between six and ten treatments. The larger the area to treat and the more serious the injury, the more sessions your pet will need. Your vet will help you determine the number of treatments needed to reach the cumulative effects desired.
Q #3: What Kind of Conditions Can You Treat with Pet Laser Therapy?
A: Laser therapy can help with any condition that causes inflammation and pain and helps to speed up healing. Although this type of treatment is quite effective for arthritis and chronic pain in general, it can also be used for fractures, wounds and muscle injuries. Many dermatological problems also respond well to laser therapy.
Laser therapy can help to treat conditions such as:
- Degenerative disc disease
- Acute and chronic otitis
- Periodontal disease
- Arthritis
- Lick granulomas
- Sinusitis and rhinitis
- Cystitis (in cats)
- Hip dysplasia pain
As with other forms of natural, non-invasive therapy, lasers can be used in conjunction with other treatments. For example, pets taking medication for pain can also use lasers to help speed up recovery. Laser therapy can also be used after surgery as part of rehabilitation or following an accident or traumatic injury.
Laser therapy is an ideal form of treatment for many conditions because it offers so many benefits:
- It is completely painless
- It requires no sedation and no pre- or post-treatment care
- It has no side effects
- A session can take as little as three minutes, depending on the size of the area to be treated.
Q #4: How Effective Is It?
A: While no vet can guarantee that a specific treatment will work for every pet, laser therapy is highly effective. In fact, laser therapy has been shown to be greatly effective in treating both human and animal pain.
For example, a study conducted by University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine examined the effect of laser therapy in dogs with intervertebral disc disease. The results? According to the study, “dogs that receive low-level laser treatment after initial surgery are walking a full week earlier than patients that do not receive the treatment.”
If your pet is living with pain, stiffness or discomfort, make an appointment to discuss laser therapy with your vet. Laser therapy has become an effective, affordable solution that might potentially change your pet’s life.