Laser therapy is proving a useful tool to help pets regain or improve their mobility.
It can be used with conditions like arthritis and in supporting post-operative recovery.
Laser therapy involves directing infra-red radiation into inflamed or damaged tissues to accelerate the body’s natural healing process.
It helps with pain, reduces swelling, soothes muscle tension, accelerates tissue repair and speeds up wound healing.
One patient who has experienced the benefits of laser treatment is Bruno, who is a Rottweiler Newfoundland cross. He came to us in 2017 needing surgery for a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right hind leg.
Afterwards he recovered well and resumed his usual walks until last year when his owner noticed he was limping again. Medication helped for a while but then he became lame once more.
Paragon recently invested in a new MLS Class 4 laser and Bruno’s owner decided to try laser therapy for him.
The process is not invasive and is usually a relaxing experience for the pet.
Bruno’s owner said: “The laser therapy made a big difference. He is so relaxed and pain-free after every session that he comes home and falls asleep, raring to go for walkies the next day.”
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the end of the story for Bruno who suffered a rupture to the cruciate ligament in his left hind leg and needed a further surgery this year.
We implemented a programme of laser therapy as part of his recovery regime, to treat the wound and also to help reduce his pain. He had the first treatment while he was coming round from the anaesthetic immediately after his surgery.
Bruno then had treatments every other day for 10 days, followed by twice a week.
He is now on a maintenance regime of one session a month which will continue, as he suffers from arthritis. He is now doing well and the range of movement in his leg is good.
Laser therapy sessions can last anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour depending on the needs of the individual animal.
They feel no heat from the laser, and it causes no pain. Most of them go to sleep. The treatment opens up the tissues, transports oxygen around the body and releases endorphins which are the feel-good hormones.
We are now using the laser regularly for arthritis, cruciate operations and increasingly for wound management if a wound is not healing, and I am very pleased with the results.
We hope to be able to resume our routine laser therapy sessions as lockdown eases.