Laser Therapy, also known as Low-Level Laser Therapy, in veterinary medicine is an emerging treatment modality due to its ability to stimulate the body’s natural healing process. Laser is monochromatic light that stimulates localized healing and induces cellular growth, proliferation, and repair; it is also largely safe to use.[1]
Since Laser Therapy is considered safe and doesn’t involve any invasive or pharmacological methods, it is growing in popularity and slowly becoming a mainstream method of treatment. In North America, around 20% of veterinary hospitals reportedly use Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) in their practice.[2] It also finds several applications in many dog-related problems.
Laser Therapy for Dogs: How Does it Work?
In simple terms, monochromatic, coherent, and collimated light is used in Laser Therapy to induce physiological changes. Light kickstarts a series of photochemical events, including enhanced ATP production and Nitric Oxide release which, which result in accelerated healing and cellular regeneration. Laser Therapy is known to enhance:
- ATP production
- NO (Nitric Oxide) release
- Collagen synthesis which increases healing
- Endorphin release
- Muscle relaxation
- Blood circulation
- Nerve healing and repair
Nitric Oxide is an important molecule known for signaling the body’s cardiovascular system. Research shows that light in the right frequency can enhance NO production, which can have vasodilatory, analgesic, and overall healing effects. The working mechanism behind Laser Therapy largely rests in its ability to produce Nitric Oxide.[3]
Laser Therapy and Treatment of Dogs
Since ample amount of evidence supports the use of laser in alleviating pain and inducing healing, Laser Therapy is being used by veterinary doctors to treat dogs that suffer from various complications or just to manage overall health. Here are some of the research-backed applications of Laser Therapy for dogs.
Osteoarthritis
In the US, osteoarthritis affects around 20% of dogs that are above 1 year old.[4] It doesn’t just cause pain but also severely affects their quality of life. Common treatment involves drugs that pose the risks of addiction, dependence, and other side effects, including renal, hepatic and gastrointestinal problems. The most promising non-pharmacological medical treatment that has shown promising results in both human and canine osteoarthritis is Laser Therapy.[5] Research shows the clinical usefulness of LLLT in the treatment of pain associated with osteoarthritis, which can also help improve a dog’s quality of life. [6]
Post-Surgery Recovery
Since Laser Therapy or photobiomodulation induces healing, it has been shown to assist in post-surgery recovery. One study investigated the effects of laser treatment in thirty-six dogs that underwent a surgical procedure for a herniated disk. The dogs were divided into two groups, with the control group receiving LLLT postoperatively for five consecutive days. The results concluded that when compared to the control group, the dogs that received treatment showed a significantly reduced time to ambulation.[7] Another research study showed positive results in surgical wound healing in canines that had to undergo thoraco-lumbar hemilaminectomies.[8] Laser Therapy improved the overall cosmetic appearance of wounds and incisions in all participant dogs.
Relief from Pain and Joint Disorders
Traumatic injuries or muscle diseases can lead to joint pain in dogs. Older dogs can also have joint pain or disorders. When it comes to chronic joint problems, low-level laser therapy has been shown to significantly lower pain and improve the overall health of patients.[9] One research shows a reduction of pain in up to 64% of the patients with joint problems who received regular Laser Therapy.[10]
Infection
Greater fluences of laser light are shown to have cytotoxic effects, which suggests practical applications of laser in the treatment of infections.[11] One study evaluated the effects of LLLT on bacterial loads of wounds.[12] The study was conducted on fourteen dogs that had traumatic bites or laceration wounds. The results concluded a significant reduction in bacterial loads of contaminated wounds in all dogs who received Laser Therapy at the wavelength between 805 to 907 nm.
Nerve Regeneration
Nerve injury is common among dogs and can lead to partial paralysis, weakness in limbs, or even muscle wasting due to loss of sensory/motor functions. According to animal studies, laser phototherapy has a rapid protective effect when it comes to nerve regeneration: It maintains the injured nerve’s functional activity, reduces the formation of scar tissue at the injury site, slows the degeneration of the corresponding motor neurons in the spinal cord, and significantly boosts axonal growth and myelination.[13] [14] [15]
Research shows the practical efficacy of Laser Therapy in the treatment of dogs. You can use lasers to either treat a condition or just to maintain the general overall health of your pet. Want a safe, effective, side effect-free treatment for canines? Check out Berman Partners’ collection of handheld Laser Therapy devices. These devices offer a broad range of customization and come in a variety of wavelengths. For more details, feel free to contact us.
Citations
[1] Chung H, Dai T, Sharma SK, Huang YY, Carroll JD, Hamblin MR. The nuts and bolts of low-level laser (light) therapy. Ann Biomed Eng. 2012 Feb;40(2):516-33. doi: 10.1007/s10439-011-0454-7. Epub 2011 Nov 2. PMID: 22045511; PMCID: PMC3288797.
[2] Pryor B, Millis DL. Therapeutic laser in veterinary medicine. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2015 Jan;45(1):45-56. doi: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2014.09.003. PMID: 25432681.
[3] Mitchell UH, Mack GL. Low-level laser treatment with near-infrared light increases venous nitric oxide levels acutely: a single-blind, randomized clinical trial of efficacy. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Feb;92(2):151-6. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0b013e318269d70a. PMID: 23334615.
[4] Brown DC, Boston RC, Coyne JC, Farrar JT. Development and psychometric testing of an instrument designed to measure chronic pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. Am J Vet Res. 2007 Jun;68(6):631-7. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.68.6.631. PMID: 17542696; PMCID: PMC2907349.
[5] Barale L, Monticelli P, Raviola M, Adami C. Preliminary clinical experience of low-level laser therapy for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis-associated pain: A retrospective investigation on 17 dogs. Open Vet J. 2020 Apr;10(1):116-119. doi: 10.4314/ovj.v10i1.16. Epub 2020 Mar 30. PMID: 32426264; PMCID: PMC7193873.
[6] Looney AL, Huntingford JL, Blaeser LL, Mann S. A randomized blind placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) on canine elbow osteoarthritis. Can Vet J. 2018 Sep;59(9):959-966. PMID: 30197438; PMCID: PMC6091142.
[7] Draper WE, Schubert TA, Clemmons RM, Miles SA. Low-level laser therapy reduces time to ambulation in dogs after hemilaminectomy: a preliminary study. J Small Anim Pract. 2012 Aug;53(8):465-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2012.01242.x. Epub 2012 Jul 11. PMID: 22783835.
[8] Wardlaw JL, Gazzola KM, Wagoner A, Brinkman E, Burt J, Butler R, Gunter JM, Senter LH. Laser Therapy for Incision Healing in 9 Dogs. Front Vet Sci. 2019 Jan 29;5:349. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00349. PMID: 30761311; PMCID: PMC6362418.
[9] Bjordal JM, Couppé C, Chow RT, Tunér J, Ljunggren EA. A systematic review of low level laser therapy with location-specific doses for pain from chronic joint disorders. Aust J Physiother. 2003;49(2):107-16. doi: 10.1016/s0004-9514(14)60127-6. PMID: 12775206.
[10] Momenzadeh S. Low level laser therapy for painful joints. J Lasers Med Sci. 2013 Spring;4(2):67-9. PMID: 25606309; PMCID: PMC4281983.
[11] Huang YY, Sharma SK, Carroll J, Hamblin MR. Biphasic dose response in low level light therapy – an update. Dose Response. 2011;9(4):602-18. doi: 10.2203/dose-response.11-009.Hamblin. Epub 2011 Sep 2. PMID: 22461763; PMCID: PMC3315174.
[12] Rico-Holgado S, Ortiz-Díez G, Martín-Espada MC, Fernández-Pérez C, Baquero-Artigao MR, Suárez-Redondo M. Effect of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Bacterial Counts of Contaminated Traumatic Wounds in Dogs. J Lasers Med Sci. 2021 Dec 12;12:e78. doi: 10.34172/jlms.2021.78. PMID: 35155163; PMCID: PMC8837844.
[13] Anders JJ, Geuna S, Rochkind S. Phototherapy promotes regeneration and functional recovery of injured peripheral nerve. Neurol Res. 2004 Mar;26(2):233-9. doi: 10.1179/016164104225013914. PMID: 15072645.
[14] Rochkind S, Drory V, Alon M, Nissan M, Ouaknine GE. Laser phototherapy (780 nm), a new modality in treatment of long-term incomplete peripheral nerve injury: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Photomed Laser Surg. 2007 Oct;25(5):436-42. doi: 10.1089/pho.2007.2093. PMID: 17975958.
[15] Rochkind S. Phototherapy in peripheral nerve regeneration: From basic science to clinical study. Neurosurg Focus. 2009 Feb;26(2):E8. doi: 10.3171/FOC.2009.26.2.E8. PMID: 19199510.
