Risa B. Simon
March 10th, 2019.
We recently started our 13-year-old Maltese Allie on laser therapy for her arthritic limbs. Poor Allie spent the first 11 years of her life in a state of horrible neglect as a breeding dog at a puppy mill before being unceremoniously dumped at an animal shelter in Hesperia, CA.
As a result, Allie came to us with terribly painful joints, particularly her front elbows and shoulders. Because the damage to her joints was so extensive as to preclude repair, our only treatment option was pain management. For the past two years, we have been giving Allie the anti-inflammatory Metacam with some success. Alas, recently, she began to show signs of deterioration. On the advice of her orthopedist, we added Gabapentin to her pain management regimen. Unfortunately, that did not appear to alleviate Allie’s discomfort. As she is now maxed out on pain medications, we decided to give laser therapy a try. Wow! Are we ever happy we did!
Allie is undergoing Class IV laser therapy (also known as cold laser, low-level laser, red light, or photobiomodulation therapy) at Pet Dominion in Rockville, MD with the most gentle and talented therapists ever, Aidan and Justin. I have rarely been so impressed. We began to see immediate improvement in Allie’s mobility and gait after just one treatment!
Laser therapy uses light energy, which is cold or low level, to generate a physiological change at the cellular level—the level of the mitochondria where cellular energy production takes place. These changes can include replenishing adenosine triphosphate (ATP, the molecule that carries energy in the cells of every living being), reducing inflammation, and decreasing pain transmission. Essentially, the laser catalyzes healing processes at the cellular level. Pretty cool, huh?
Laser therapy can provide relief for more than just joint pain. It can be applied to a variety of other ailments, including:
- Muscle, ligament and tendon injuries
- Post-surgical and soft tissue trauma
- Back pain
- Ear infections
- Gingivitis
- Hot Spots and open wounds
- Hip dysplasia
- Degenerative disc disease
- Anal gland infections
- Surgical wound healing
- Traumatic wound healing
- Reduce the formation of scar tissue
- Immunoregulation
- Improve nerve function and nerve regeneration
- Release of painful trigger points
We’ve been thoroughly impressed by laser therapy and will continue to take Allie for weekly treatments. As with any treatment, please consult your veterinarian fist. Laser therapy is not appropriate for all conditions and may be harmful in some situations. Good luck and remember:
Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional.
Life is better with senior pets!
