No owner wants to see their dog suffer. Many behaviors and physical changes can alert us when our pet is in discomfort. What we have to do is to go to the vet and follow the doctor’s advice.
Our luck is that veterinary medicine has advanced. Now, other treatment methods can be used instead or along with classical ones. One such therapy is cold laser therapy.
Cold laser therapy for dogs is a relatively new therapy that has many benefits for the body. The light energy emitted by a cold laser therapy device for dogs can reduce pain and inflammation, accelerate healing in damaged tissues, relax muscles, and stimulate nerve regeneration.
What is cold laser therapy for dogs?
This therapy is also called low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and uses visible light radiation to produce a photochemical reaction in the body’s cells. It does not emit heat and does not warm up the area where it is applied, which is also the reason why it is called cold laser therapy. As a result, you will no longer need protective glasses when you go to the vet with your dog.
The cold laser therapy device for dogs uses wavelengths in the visible light spectrum, which stimulate the natural healing process and your dog will recover faster. This recovery can come after an injury, surgery, or a general health problem.
How does cold laser therapy work for dogs?
The cold laser stimulates the dog’s body to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – a component found in all body cells. ATP is formed when energy is released from nutrient molecules during cellular respiration. Cells contain enzymes that split ATP into ADP, phosphate, and energy, which are then available for cellular activities.
Cold laser therapy has a photochemical effect as it happens in plant photosynthesis. If the correct wavelength and the right time are applied, the beneficial effects will appear in no time.
What conditions does cold laser therapy treat in dogs?
Laser therapy can be used for many conditions in dogs, including:
- Osteoarthritis and arthritis
- Spinal pain
- Diseases of the intervertebral discs
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain and myofascial pain (chronic muscle pain)
- Neuralgia (severe pain along the path of a nerve)
- Neuropathy (caused by nerve damage)
- Postoperative pain
- Tendinitis (inflammation of the tendons)
- Traumas, as well as injuries caused by repetitive movements (segmental overuse)
- Burns and other dermatological problems
- Gingivitis and stomatitis
- And many more
What are the benefits of cold laser therapy in dogs?
Cold laser therapy has plenty of benefits, among which we list:
- It is a non-invasive and painless method.
- It does not require the use of drugs.
- It helps to reduce inflammation and pain.
- It helps to accelerate tissue repair and cell growth.
- It improves vascular activity.
- It has no adverse effects.
- Your pet will stay relaxed.
- It only takes a few minutes.
- There is no need to take your dog to the vet if you opt for home-use devices.
How to use the cold laser therapy device for dogs?
If you have opted for the home-use cold laser device, here is how you should use it:
- Remove clothe and bandages and shave your dog’s affected area for better results.
- Align the cold laser device over your dog’s affected area.
- In case of burns and opened wounds, as a hygienic measure, keep the cold laser therapy device for dogs at 0.5 inches away from the affected area.
- Do not press the wand on the affected area.
- Keep the device wand still until the set time expires and do not move it left or right, forward or backward.
- Keep the cold laser therapy device for dogs at 90 degrees.
The waiting time depends on the surface you will treat and the size of your dog. Large dogs and extensive lesions can take up to 30 minutes per session for treatment.
For the first session, set the cold laser therapy device for dogs’ to 1.5 minutes, then to 4 minutes for the following sessions, until the treatment scheme is finished. You will hold the device for 4 minutes on each side of the affected area.
For improved results, use the cold laser therapy device for dogs twice a day. You should see some results from the first sessions but you must continue the treatment as long as your vet recommends it. The duration of the treatment depends on your dog’s condition.