The buzz around Laser Therapy developed from the positive results many dog owners have seen in their furry friends. Specifically, Low-level Laser Therapy (LLLT) has been the topic of most Laser Therapy related discussions. LLLT draws attention for being noninvasive, painless and without side effects. Additionally, its benefits can be summarized as improving tissue metabolism and functionality.
LLLT induces photobiomodulation or PBM, aiding these benefits.
“(PBM) induced by laser therapy is the application of electromagnetic radiation within the near infrared spectrum and is aimed at stimulating healing or analgesia within the target tissue,” according to a 2019 study by Jennifer Wardlaw and other scientists.
The initiation of cellular repair within bodily tissues by LLLT has led researchers to pursue its use in rehabilitation for ailments such as osteoarthritis, exposed pulp tissue in teeth, skin lesions and disorders, and wound and incision healing.
Wardlaw and researchers found that LLLT used on surgical incisions once a day for seven days resulted in faster healing and improved cosmetic scores. LLLT was also used as the sole treatment in a 2016 study which determined that using LLLT for skin lesions on dogs significantly helped to avoid regression of wound.
However, LLLT has also been tested in combination with other medications and procedures. For example, LLLT was tested on dogs with exposed pulp tissue, living tissue in teeth, with and without the use of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). Results showed that the type of pulp capping material was of greater importance than the use of LLLT in a successful treatment. Ultimately, the use of MTA alone or in combination with laser therapy provided successful results.
More importantly, LLLT has greatly benefited dogs when used in combination with medications.
In a recent 2020 study, six out of 17 dogs stopped pain medication for osteoarthritis completely after LLLT, and seven out of 17 dogs had their pain medication decreased. Overall, dogs experienced a decrease in the awareness of pain, and also saw an improvement in quality of life. Other studies have used LLLT along with a consistent dose of antibiotics to determine if LLLT had the potential to treat bacterial infection. Rico-Holgado determined that LLLT when used as an adjunctive treatment is able to decrease bacteria in different kinds of wounds, and no additional antibiotic treatment was required during the use of LLLT.
Further research into the clinical possibilities of LLLT is still necessary due to certain limitations, such as small sample sizes, but results are promising. Ask your veterinarian today if Laser Therapy may be right for your furry friend.
For more information on the mechanism of Laser Therapy, click here.
