Laser therapy has a relatively recent history of relieving chronic pain and inflammatory conditions in both humans and pets. Laser therapy, otherwise known as, photobiomodulation, consists of concentrating beams of light that travel at a particular frequency to generate increased blood flow, amongst other effects, assisting in healing and reduction of pain in our pets. All our pets feel during a laser therapy is a gentle warming sensation, but the lasting reduction in pain and inflammation is what get’s us excited about providing this treatment! We’ve been closely watching advancements in laser therapy technology and are now excited to offer laser therapy with Companion Animal Health’s CTX-IQ, a Class IV laser exclusively designed for veterinary medicine.
Laser therapy can effectively reduce pain and inflammation associated with a variety of acute and chronic conditions, including:
Osteoarthritis
Infections
Sprains & strains
Inflammation
Wounds & fractures
Degenerative joint disease
Pets with limited medical treatment options 1
This non-invasive procedure is very comfortable for pets and generally does not require sedation or shaving. In a standard Laser Therapy session, the beam is applied to the area being treated. Depending on the pet’s size, the targeted area, and factors like coat color and length, an individual session can take one to fifteen minutes per area.
“Laser Therapy is a non-painful and non-invasive way to relieve a variety of conditions. We use it to manage pain after surgery and to treat inflammatory conditions like painful ears and rears.”
Dr. Robert Plourde
While acute conditions may only necessitate only one or two treatments, chronic conditions like arthritis typically require a minimum of two to three weeks of multiple sessions as a “loading dose,” which is then gradually weaned down to a maintenance program based on your pets needs to minimize inflammation. For chronic conditions, most clients start to see a difference in their pets after 6 sessions. Studies have shown that pets previously on anti-inflammatory medications for pain are often able to minimize and even discontinue their medications and remain comfortable just on a laser therapy regimen.
Before laser therapy is prescribed, your pet will be given a full examination and tailored treatment plan created by one of our veterinarians so we can determine effective dosing. Afterwards, treatment is administered by our veterinary technicians. We are currently offering laser therapy at BLVD Vet River North with the option of individual treatments or as packages for chronic therapies that necessitate multiple sessions with savings built in.