Canine Laser Therapy
How does Laser Therapy work?
Laser therapy accelerates the body's natural healing process through photobiomodulation. Photobiomodulation therapy is a form of light therapy based on the photochemical process. This cascade of events at the cellular level relieves pain, reduces inflammation, and increases microcirculation. These three effects result in accelerated healing and restoration of function within the tissue. Laser therapy effectively treats chronic conditions, acute conditions, and post-surgical pain and inflammation
What can Laser Therapy Treat?
Dog laser therapy can be used to treat a multitude of ailments, including but not limited too:
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Muscle, ligament and tendon injuries
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Post-surgical and soft tissue trauma
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Back pain
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Ear infections
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Gingivitis
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Hot Spots and open wounds
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Arthritis / hip dysplasia
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Degenerative disc disease
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Anal gland infections
What should I expect during the Laser Therapy Treatment?
During a treatment session, the handheld laser wand is slowly moved back and forth over the damaged tissue, producing a warm, pleasant sensation that most pets seem to enjoy and find relaxing. Sessions usually last 15 to 30 minutes, with the number of sessions and frequency of treatments dependent on the injury. Chronic conditions may be treated weekly, whereas surgical incisions and open wounds often require daily treatment.
How long after a Laser Therapy session will it take to see improvement?
Often you will see some kind of improvement after the first session but many times it will take several treatments to see a notable difference. We recommend all patients receive a loading dose when starting laser therapy, such as, daily for the first three sessions then every-other day for three sessions. After the loading doses have been administered, protocols usually involve one to three sessions per week for several weeks. Often, the number of sessions is tapered off as the animal improves, so visits are scheduled less frequently. The effects of laser therapy treatment are cumulative so there is a benefit to repeated sessions, but the goal is to achieve the greatest degree of improvement and maintain that level with the fewest treatments necessary.