Laser therapy is an advanced physical therapeutic technique also used in veterinary medicine for companion animals due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-edema, analgesic, and biostimulatory effects.
It is painless, non-invasive, easy and quick to apply, provides immediate beneficial effects, and usually does not require sedation. For these reasons, it is also well tolerated by exotic animals.
The term “LASER” is an acronym for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation”; laser therapy uses photonic energy to induce effects in tissues exposed to the light beam. The laser beam is delivered through a transducer on the body surface, and the absorbed light energy produces physiological changes at the cellular level responsible for the therapeutic effect: this process is known as “photobiomodulation”.
The systemic effects include:
- Analgesic: heat-induced hyperemia drains pain-causing substances and reduces pain
- Anti-inflammatory and anti-edema: induced vasodilation increases permeability of lymphatic vessels and capillaries, promoting the elimination of pro-inflammatory molecules
- Biostimulatory: improved circulation increases the supply of nutrients and oxygen to tissues and promotes repair processes
As a result, laser therapy is used in various situations:
- Superficial skin lesions (wounds, ulcers, sores, hot spots, granulomas, abscesses)
- Healing of surgical wounds
- Bacterial skin infections and pododermatitis
- Perianal fistulas
- Musculoskeletal injuries (contusions, hematomas, edema, strains, muscle contractures, tendon injuries, fractures)
- Degenerative joint diseases
- Disc diseases
- Gingivitis-stomatitis
- Non-inflammatory alopecia
- Shell and plastron injuries and fractures in turtles
Laser therapy usually involves a series of sessions, the frequency of which is determined by the veterinarian. In acute conditions, sessions are closer together with faster recovery, while chronic conditions require longer and more spaced treatments.
Laser therapy can be combined with pharmacological treatment for a multimodal approach.
