Laser Therapy Q & A

Veterinary medicine has advanced leaps and bounds over the past few decades. Laser therapy is one of the most recent additions, allowing us another method to safely treat a wide range of conditions in dogs, cats, and even exotic pets.

We use our Companion Therapy Laser every day to enhance healing for surgical patients, decrease pain and inflammation from infections and injuries, and improve mobility for arthritic pets.

Many clients ask about how laser therapy works, and how it affects their pets. Here are answers to our most common questions:

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Q: How does laser therapy work?
​Laser therapy uses infrared light to activate the mitochondria in tissue cells, stimulating growth of new, healthy cells and encouraging vasodilation that increases the delivery of fresh, oxygenated blood to the affected area.

In other words, this targeted treatment helps your pet's body heal itself faster by regenerating injured cells.

See the following video for a scientific explanation of how laser therapy works:

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Q: What kinds of conditions does laser therapy treat?
Laser treatments can improve nearly any condition that benefits from decreased inflammation, pain relief, and increased blood flow.

There are too many to list, but common treatments include:

• Post-surgical: Incision sites (including tooth extraction sites) are treated after closure to encourage the body to begin the healing process and reduce pain during recovery.
• Open wounds, "hot spots", lacerations
• Skin & ear infections
• Arthritis, back & joint pain relief

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Q: Is laser therapy painful for my pet?
No - in fact, most patients seem to find the treatments soothing! (See how relaxed DaMa the Golden Retriever is in the video below.)

Your pet will feel a slight warmth at the treatment site. For deep tissue treatments (such as arthritis or back pain) we use a ball-shaped contact head that massages the area during laser therapy. Open wounds and incision sites are treated using a non-contact head, delivering laser emissions from a slight distance to avoid aggravating sensitive tissues.

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Q: What are those adorable goggles for?
The "Doggles" are more than a fashion statement. Direct exposure can affect the retina in the back of the eye, so our technicians and patients wear this protective eyewear for safety, and laser treatments are performed in a designated area in the hospital.

Want a picture of your dog or cat sporting Doggles during laser therapy? We're happy to snap a photo and email it to you!

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Q: Can you perform laser therapy on my bird/reptile/rabbit/ferret/etc.?
Yes! This treatment is incredibly flexible, and we are able to accurately control the dose to suit a variety of species.

​Image Credit: Companion Therapy, 2017

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Q: How long until I see results from laser therapy?
This depends on your pet's condition, but studies have shown treatments to continue to reduce inflammation for up to 24 hours after a session. Most patients with chronic conditions show a noticeable difference after 3 to 5 sessions.

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Q: How often will my pet need to come for laser treatments?
In most cases, laser sessions are scheduled 2 to 3 times per week for best results, with at least 48 hours between treatments.

Each session typically lasts less than 10 minutes. Follow-up treatments are set as technician appointments, allowing flexibility to meet your schedule's needs.

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Q: What does it cost?
Price depends on the number of treatment sites and the total number of sessions. We offer packages that allow you to prepay for several sessions and reduce the overall cost of treatment.

Call our office for a customized treatment plan based upon your pet's individual condition.

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Have more questions about laser therapy? Get in touch - we're here to help!