Cold laser therapy is frequently used as a treatment to help your dog's tissues heal quickly. In this post, our Sharpsburg veterinarians explain how cold laser therapy can help your dog heal.
What is cold laser therapy?
Cold laser treatments for dogs or CLT, uses focused light to increase blood circulation and stimulate the regeneration of cells.
Inflammatory conditions are treated with this non-invasive, drug-free treatment. It's been used in conjunction with traditional medical treatments to treat soft tissue and tendon injuries, as well as arthritis, in recent years. It can also be used to speed up the healing of wounds.
What conditions are treated with CLT?
Cold laser therapy can be used to treat a variety of diseases, injuries, and conditions, including tissue injuries (such as strains and sprains) and arthritis.
Pets who suffer from the following conditions can be treated with CLT:
- Tendon and ligament injuries
- Traumatic injuries
- Chronic arthritis
- Surgical incisions
- Liver disease
- Decreased organ function
- Minor aches and pains
How does dog cold laser therapy work?
Cold laser therapy uses a cold laser with short wavelengths to emit light energy into damaged tissue cells. Hitting the injured cells with a laser accelerates their regeneration and creates a faster healing period for your pet. Cold laser therapy reduces pain and inflammation and speeds up the healing process for injured pets.
What are the benefits of cold laser therapy?
Over time, the effects of cold laser therapy are beneficial when completed at the frequency recommended by your veterinarian.
- Enhance circulation
- Decrease nerve sensitivity
- Reduce pain and swelling
- Speed the healing process
In addition, laser therapy does not have any negative side effects and no sedation is required. We also do not need to clip or shave the area being treated.
Does cold laser therapy hurt?
There should be no pain for your dog if the veterinarian is well-trained and experienced in administering laser therapy and the treatment is performed correctly.
If done correctly, the laser wand moving back and forth over injured tissue creates a pleasant sensation that most pets find soothing or relaxing.
Though no pain is caused to the pet during treatment, vets and staff need to take extra precautions with the lasers. All veterinary staff and patients must wear protective goggles. This is because laser beams directed at an eye are capable of causing permanent damage to both human and canine retinas.
How long does a cold laser therapy treatment last?
The duration of sessions fluctuates depending on the treatment area and the energy dosage administered by the laser. A standard laser therapy session typically spans from 5 - 20 minutes.
Before commencing treatment, a comprehensive physical examination will be conducted, along with any necessary X-rays, to ascertain the suitability of cold laser therapy as the optimal treatment for your pet.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.