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Laser Therapy

You can buy a laser pointer for a few dollars, but the amount of light energy that it produces will be a few thousandths of a watt at the most. It might look bright, but it won’t have much effect on anything you point it at.

At East West Vets, we have a K-Laser class-IV high power multi-wavelength therapeutic laser system which can deliver up to 15 Watts of continuous power (or 20W in pulses). That’s enough to have a very significant effect on tissue in a relatively short space of time.

Of course having so much power available means that it has to be used very carefully to avoid any unintended damage, and all our clinical staff have been fully trained and certified in how and when to use it safely. The laser unit itself has built-in software that directs the operator in selecting the correct mode of operation, and although the laser treatment may be administered by any of our trained nurses, the therapy is always under the direction of a qualified vet.

Cat receiving lasr therapy

The K-Laser can operate at four different wavelengths, which penetrate and interact with living tissue in quite different ways:

660 nm

Irradiating an area with 660nm, a wavelength where melanin in skin absorbs very well, will ensure a large dose to the superficial region. Since light can both inhibit bacteria and promote cell growth, laser therapy at this wavelength has incredible results in wound healing and scar tissue regulation.

970 nm

Water in your pet’s blood transports oxygen to the cells, carries waste away, and absorbs very well at 970nm. The energy created from absorbing a photon gets converted to heat, creating a temperature gradient at the cellular level, stimulating microcirculation, and bringing more oxygen-fuel to the cells.

905 nm

The quicker oxygen is released into the blood stream, the more fuel the cell has to carry out all of its natural healing processes. The peak of a blood cell’s absorption lies at 905nm; when this wavelength is absorbed, more oxygen fuel is made available to the cells.

800 nm

The enzyme determining how efficiently the cell converts molecular oxygen into energy has the highest absorption at 800nm. Regardless of the enzyme’s molecular state, when it absorbs a photon it will flip states. Photon absorption will accelerate the process and increase cellular energy production.

Penetration

While energy at the shortest wavelength is absorbed mostly in the skin, the power at the longer wavelengths can penetrate several centimetres, allowing useful therapy to be delivered to deep tissues and joints.

What do we use it for?

Typically after surgery, in cases of injury, and for intractable back soreness or stiffness. It is completely non-invasive and promotes faster recovery.

Henri

Henri has laser therapyHenri had extensive hip surgery (a double pelvic osteotomy) at a specialist centre in February 2017, followed by intensive physiotherapy.

He was brought to East West Vets in March for a second opinion, because he was not healing well and his recovery was slower than expected. His gait was weak on one side and he was dragging his toes. His bowels were functioning poorly, possibly due to the high doses of NSAIDS prescribed after the surgery, and Henri’s owners reported him being unusually restless and very anxious.

We replaced Henri’s NSAIDs with a more natural anti-inflammatory (Glucosamine with boswelia and bromelia, plus MSM) and commenced fortnightly Laser Therapy. His owners were delighted to see an immediate improvement in Henri’s movement, and further improvements over the remaining 3 months of the therapy. He now receives a monthly top-up Laser session. and has MSM sprinkled daily on his food.

Henri really enjoys his laser therapy and his owners say there is a very visible increase in flexibility for the days following laser treatment.

Henri was reviewed in October by his surgeon, who commented that Henri was doing very well. Not only has Henri’s movement significantly improved, but his owners have noticed a complete change in his behaviour. He is now a calm and happy dog who loves going for his walks.