Laser therapy

[BallyRoanBaubles]

A friend has been recommended some laser therapy for her dog to help with arthritis, after a mobility assessment at a place that offers laser.

Anyone ever used it and does it work?

 

[Books'n'dogs]

Never used it for arthritis but one of my females had it done on her spay incision that wasn't healing as well as it should have, the laser therapy worked impressively fast at reducing inflammation and promoting the incision site to heal.

 

[Boulty]

Heya we started offering it at work about 6 months ago. Seems to work really well for some and minimally for others but risk of adverse reactions is extremely low so worth trying as can help reduce doses of other drugs they’re on if it works well. We were advised that they should have frequent (multiple times a week) sessions to start with as a kind of loading dose type thing and then you gradually taper them to be less frequent (ie every few weeks or every months depending)

I use it to keep on top of the Hooligans otitis and it’s worked really well for this. Has totally sorted the issue that 3 months of meds didn’t totally get on top of with no reoccurrence. He only has it once a month now so it only works out at a few hundred quid a year.

 

[Katieg123]

I have seen the K-Laser used before on myriad of issues including arthritis and it does have very impressive results (despite being skeptical to begin with)

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Thank you might be worth a shot them, even if it doesn’t help hopefully won’t harm!

 

[SAujla]

The place where I take Clover swimming do it for clients with dogs who have arthritis or mobility issues, and they've had great results

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

The place where I take Clover swimming do it for clients with arthritis or mobility issues, and they've had great results

Great that’s good to know

 

[fiwen30]

I’ve been using laser on and off with my 13 year old boy for a few years now.

It started as assistance for recovery after a TPLO for a ruptured cruciate, and then later as additional management for arthritis pain. It has done him wonders, along with appropriate pain medication, reduced exercise, home adaptions, and hydrotherapy.

We have done a couple of intense bouts over the years - where a bad flare up has meant that he needed 2-3 sessions a week, for about 4 weeks. At the moment he’s in a good place and we’re on top of his pain, so there’s no spikes. He’s doing on 1 session every 4 weeks for maintenance, and I bring him in for extras if I think he’s particularly sore.

I was sceptical at first, but watching his very acute trigger points of pain lessen and then disappear over those intense bouts of treatment completely changed my opinion of it. Would definitely recommend, and having him seen by the vet physio who administers it is never a bad thing either.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

I’ve been using laser on and off with my 13 year old boy for a few years now.

It started as assistance for recovery after a TPLO for a ruptured cruciate, and then later as additional management for arthritis pain. It has done him wonders, along with appropriate pain medication, reduced exercise, home adaptions, and hydrotherapy.

We have done a couple of intense bouts over the years - where a bad flare up has meant that he needed 2-3 sessions a week, for about 4 weeks. At the moment he’s in a good place and we’re on top of his pain, so there’s no spikes. He’s doing on 1 session every 4 weeks for maintenance, and I bring him in for extras if I think he’s particularly sore.

I was sceptical at first, but watching his very acute trigger points of pain lessen and then disappear over those intense bouts of treatment completely changed my opinion of it. Would definitely recommend, and having him seen by the vet physio who administers it is never a bad thing either.

Thank you for a detailed reply I’ll pass it on

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Has anyone bought their own laser to use at home? I’ve seen they are not super expensive, but not sure if they are the same wavelength etc

 

[Boulty]

There’s various classes of laser. The powerful class 4 ones that are what physios & vets use are thousands / tens of thousands of pounds to buy (unsure of exact price). Ones that are easily available to buy are usually a lot less powerful meaning that treatments take longer, the area you can treat is smaller (so you have to be a lot more precise) and they’re not generally as effective. If your friend wants to go down that route probably best to discuss with her physio as I think there’s one or two of them that are better than the other options and can be ok for top ups in between sessions with something more powerful. (She’d need someone to train her how to use & about the H&S stuff anyway as you & usually the animal have to be using eye protection)

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

There’s various classes of laser. The powerful class 4 ones that are what physios & vets use are thousands / tens of thousands of pounds to buy (unsure of exact price). Ones that are easily available to buy are usually a lot less powerful meaning that treatments take longer, the area you can treat is smaller (so you have to be a lot more precise) and they’re not generally as effective. If your friend wants to go down that route probably best to discuss with her physio as I think there’s one or two of them that are better than the other options and can be ok for top ups in between sessions with something more powerful. (She’d need someone to train her how to use & about the H&S stuff anyway as you & usually the animal have to be using eye protection)

Thanks will have a look

 

[fiwen30]

It’s not just the buying of the laser either (and it’s right that home-use ones aren’t as effective), it’s that when you go for a laser session with a qualified(!), experienced(!) vet physio, they can actually get hands on with the dog, and actually know what they’re doing with the laser to be of best use.

I’d equate it to the choice between taking your dog to the vet, or googling and doing home remedies. For a serious, on-going issue like arthritis, I’d go with sessions with a proper laser and a proper physio over home treatments, any day.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

It’s not just the buying of the laser either (and it’s right that home-use ones aren’t as effective), it’s that when you go for a laser session with a qualified(!), experienced(!) vet physio, they can actually get hands on with the dog, and actually know what they’re doing with the laser to be of best use.

I’d equate it to the choice between taking your dog to the vet, or googling and doing home remedies. For a serious, on-going issue like arthritis, I’d go with sessions with a proper laser and a proper physio over home treatments, any day.

See the place that does the laser aren’t qualified vet physios think they have just done a laser course, hence wondering if a home laser would be more cost effective will see if there are any physios around might be a better bet