If you've let your dog out into the backyard and they've returned with a limp and you're not sure why, it could be that they've pulled or otherwise injured a muscle. A trip to the vet can help you figure out what's wrong with your dog, and one of the methods used to treat them might be cold laser therapy. Here's some information to help you understand how this treatment works.
What Does the Laser Do?
If you're like many people, when you hear the word "laser," it immediately brings to mind the kind of laser treatment that is used to cut into the eye or other parts of the human body. However, those are typically referred to as hot laser treatments. By contrast, cold laser treatment is done with a strong laser light, set to a certain wavelength, that penetrates through the layers of your dog's fur into the deep tissues of the muscle that is experiencing the problem. There is no cutting, and there is no blood. Therefore, there is no suture that will remain after the treatment that you have to work to get your dog to ignore. Your vet will tell you whether your dog needs one or a few treatments.
How Does That Help Your Dog?
The cold laser works on torn muscles by increasing the circulation of blood, which allows your dog's body to bring healthy, nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to the area to repair it and decrease inflammation. You may already know from your own accidents that when you hurt a part of your body, that part swells and becomes uncomfortable; if that has happened with your dog, the laser will work to decrease that swelling. Cold laser treatments also repair mitochondrial DNA and effectively rehabilitate the affected cells and repair connective tissue. As a result, your dog will experience relief of pain.
What Does Your Dog Experience?
One of the best things about these laser treatments is that your dog should not experience pain or any negative reaction to them. All they need to do is to remain calm and still underneath the laser during each treatment and they should start to gradually feel better. After they move normally and seem completely without pain, the treatments can stop and you and your dog can go about your lives happily.
Now that you know more about cold laser treatments and how they can help your dog when they've been hurt, mention these treatments to your vet. They can tell you more about veterinary lasers and whether they're suitable for your particular dog.
