Pet Cold Laser Therapy
Treatment Costs…
Package of 6 Treatments = $199.00
Single Treatment = $37.00
Post-Operative Treatment = $16.50 (price is for 3 treatments)
The Science Behind It…
“Cold” laser is a low level energy used to stimulate healing. The beam is directed over the area to be treated, where it speeds up the reproduction of healthy new cells by increasing the action of ATP (adenosphine triphosphate), the cell’s energy. The increased cellular metabolism allows the cells to take in nutrients faster and get rid of wastes sooner. This can affect the fluid and cartilage in the joints, helping to decrease pain and swelling. It also increases blood flow to the area, which helps with the healing process.
The Method of Delivery…
Laser therapy is simple to administer: a painless, non-invasive instrument is held over the affected area in a particular strength and pattern to deliver the recommended amounts of energy depending on the therapeutic goals. The patient requires no sedation or pain medication for the procedure. The laser can be used in addition to traditional medications.
How It Is Used At Our Hospital…
The most common use of cold laser therapy in our practice is to ease orthopedic pain. Arthritis, torn cruciate ligaments, and sore muscles/joints can be helped. These conditions are best treated with 2-3 sessions in the first week, two sessions in the second week, and one session for an additional 1-2 weeks for the initial six treatments. After the initial treatment course, the laser can be repeated weekly to monthly to continue controlling long term problems. Cold laser therapy won’t cure arthritis or trauma, but it can help reduce pain/swelling and increase patient’s range of motion.
Another great use of cold laser therapy is for surgical patients. Any soft tissue or orthopedic surgery site can be treated with laser on the surgery table, later the same day upon recovery, and at the hospital the morning following surgery. This helps to control post-operative inflammation/pain and speeds healing. This can be done during the hospital time already scheduled with each surgery.
Lick granulomas are a particularly challenging skin lesion caused by excessive self-licking. Some dogs develop the compulsive habit of licking one spot until it becomes significantly raw, swollen, and infected. Bandages, Elizabethan collars, antibiotics, and topical treatments alone are sometimes insufficient in controlling these lesions. For these lesions, laser therapy is best used once daily for five days, discontinued two days, then treated another five days.
