Dove Mountain Veterinary
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy is a surgery-free, drug-free, noninvasive treatment to reduce pain, inflammation, and speed the healing process. Veterinary laser therapy has been scientifically proven to help treat post-surgical pain and many acute and chronic conditions.
Overview
Laser therapy uses a beam of light to deeply penetrate tissue, absorbing into the cell without damaging it and inducing a response called “photo-bio-modulation,” which helps reduce pain. While treating the affected area, the laser light generates a feeling of gentle and soothing warmth.
Why would my pet need laser therapy?
Therapy lasers are primarily used to reduce swelling, pain, and speed the healing process. These mechanisms allow us to successfully treat a wide range of conditions non-invasively and without drugs.
Studies indicate that laser-treated wounds heal 30-50% faster than the typical required healing time. Just a single laser treatment can reduce swelling and speed up the healing process post-surgery. Skin wounds, abrasions, bite injuries, dermatitis, and burns all respond well to laser therapy as well.
Our laser therapy uses a more modern and high-powered therapeutic laser that can deliver adequate dosages of laser energy (photons) painlessly and efficiently to deeper tissues. This laser is extremely beneficial in treating chronic conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, back disease or injury, and degenerative joint diseases. This is a great therapy option for geriatric patients who suffer from one or more of these chronic painful conditions, as well as the aches and pains that come naturally with aging. There are many reports of pets returning to normal, or almost normal function after laser therapy. More chronic and severe cases may require multiple treatment sessions to fully benefit.
When should I consider laser therapy for my pet?
Laser therapy can be useful for your pet in a number of ways. The following are common clinical conditions where veterinary laser therapy may be used as treatment.
Musculoskeletal pain
Immunoregulation
Traumatic wound healing
Surgical wound healing
Increasing the metabolism of specific tissues
How does laser therapy work?
Treatment protocols are unique to each patient and condition, varying in time, complexity, and cost. Laser therapy can also be used to enhance other treatment plans we recommend.
Fortunately, laser therapy can be administered without touching the painful area, providing immediate pain relief and edema control to sensitive tissues. We also use therapeutic lasers to stimulate muscle and acupuncture points painlessly and without needles so your pet is as comfortable as possible. With advanced equipment and progressive methodology, we are committed to providing the best possible laser therapy pet care for your furry friend. Every test, decision, and treatment is customized to the specific needs of your pet so that they can manage their condition or recovery and live out their happy, healthy life.
Class IV Laser Therapy
We live in an era of modern medical technology, not just for human patients, but also for our pets -- and laser therapy is a prime example. The focused use of low-level amplified light can convey some astonishing benefits to animals, providing them with a safe, non-pharmaceutical means of managing chronic pain and boosting their bodies' natural healing abilities. Here at Dove Mountain Veterinary, we're proud to provide advanced Class IV laser therapy for pets just like yours.
Principles of Low-Level Laser Therapy
Lasers have played important roles in medicine for many years now, but most people have known them as surgical tools. While surgical lasers are indeed highly precise and effective, they operate at a relatively high-frequency level to cut and seal tissues. By contrast, low-level lasers (sometimes referred to as “cold” lasers) do not disrupt tissue at all; in fact, they pass right through the skin, completely harmlessly, to a depth of several centimeters. The underlying tissues receive the full benefit of this frequency range, which is known to trigger the production of ATP. ATP is a substance that gives cells the energy they need to rebuild tissues. Laser therapy, therefore, helps bodily structures repair themselves more quickly and easily than they could otherwise, giving injured or ailing pets a big boost in the healing process. Therapeutic lasers don’t just aid tissue repair; they also ease pain naturally. The energy from the laser improves blood flow to the treatment site while also encouraging fluid drainage away from injured or inflamed tissues. This combination of attributes provides powerful pain relief and anti-inflammatory benefits for animals who suffer from acute or chronic pain.
Laser Treatment
Any veterinarian at Dove Mountain Veterinary can make use of laser therapy to help your pet feel and function better. We first evaluate your pet’s condition to see if it is likely to respond to this form of care. Laser therapy is commonly prescribed as a treatment for:
Back pain
Postoperative pain and recuperation
Acute wounds and musculoskeletal injuries
Gingivitis
Degenerative disc disease
Osteoarthritis
Our office uses a state-of-the-art Class IV therapeutic laser for all of our laser treatment sessions. This kind of laser can penetrate more deeply and cover a wider area of tissue than the older Class III lasers.
