While laser therapy may seem a little cutting-edge for the veterinary world, it is an exciting treatment reality that Billings Animal Family Hospital offers to our pet patients. For those of you that are not familiar with therapeutic laser treatments, we want to help you understand why it’s such an exciting option for your pet’s pain management and wound care.
The Use Laser Therapy for Pets
For many of you, laser therapy may sound like something straight out of science fiction, but it’s actually an effective treatment that is approved by the FDA as a safe and effective modality for pain relief and healing.
Laser therapy utilizes concentrated light particles (photons) that stimulate healing on a cellular level. When the photons reach the affected cells, they increase the cells’ ability to perform the necessary functions for healing and rejuvenation. The benefits of this type of therapy are very positive, and better still this type of therapy is minimally invasive and virtually pain-free. Laser therapy can help with the following:
Your Pet’s Laser Therapy Session
Unlike surgery and other medical treatments, laser therapy sessions are non-invasive and can be done quickly. A hand-held probe is used target the photons to a selected area on your pet. It is a gentle, painless procedure and your pet may experience a gentle warming sensation during the treatment. Most pets don’t even needs to be sedated for the procedure, and may even enjoy it.
Long-term illnesses and serious injuries can mean a need for several treatments, however, many pets experience positive benefits immediately. The are currently no recognized side effects of this treatment option either.
Problems That Benefit From Laser Therapy
If your pet is experiencing pain or inflammation, or they have an injury, he or she can benefit from laser therapy in addition to more traditional treatments. That means combining normal veterinary medicine with laser therapy. Some of the more common issues laser therapy is used for include:
If you believe your pet could benefit from laser therapy, please feel free to talk to us about it at your pet’s next appointment.
