Cold Laser Therapy

The doctors and staff at Summit Veterinary Services are dedicated to providing their clients with the highest quality medicine. That is why we are very excited to announce the arrival of cold laser therapy! SVS purchased a Cutting Edge MLS Therapy Laser in May of 2015 and we have seen marked improvement in several patients with both chronic and acute conditions. We are very excited to offer this new treatment option that allows for alleviation of pain and inflammation with no side effects! Cold laser therapy has been highly researched and utilized in human medicine for over three decades with proven benefits in the fields of pain management, inflammation, wound healing and several others.

Benefits of Cold Laser Therapy:

1. Anti-inflammatory: anti-edema (fluid build up) effect causes vessel dilation, but also activates the lymphatic drainage system which drains swollen areas
2. Pain relief: blocks pain transmitted by cells to the brain which decreases nerve sensitivity
3. Accelerated tissue repair and cell growth: increases the energy available to the cell so the cell can take on nutrients faster and get rid of waste products
4. Improved vascular activity: significantly increases the formation of new capillaries in damaged tissue which speeds up the healing process, closes wounds quickly, and reduces scar tissue
5. Increases metabolic activity: creates higher outputs of specific enzymes, greater oxygen and food particle loads for blood cells
6. Trigger points: stimulates muscle trigger points on a non-invasive basis providing musculoskeletal pain relief
7. Reduced scar tissue formation: reduces the formation of scar tissue following tissue damage from cuts, scratches, burns, or surgery
8. Improved nerve function: speeds the process of nerve cell reconnection and increases the amplitude of nerve impulses to optimize muscle healing
9. Immunoregulation: has a direct effect on immunity status by stimulating antibodies and white blood cells (which help fight infection)
10. Faster wound healing: stimulates development of cells required for healing in damaged tissue

The most commonly treated conditions in animals include:

• Arthritis / Joint Pain / Hip Dysplasia***
• Intervertebral Disc Disease (back pain)
• Wounds
• Equine Lameness
• Inflamed ears
• Muscle strains
• Tendon or ligament injury
• Surgical incisions

Cold laser therapy is also great for cystitis (inflammation of the urinary tract, most commonly in cats), dermatitis, edema, fractures, hot spots, lick granulomas, muscle trauma, periodontitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, etc.

Cold Laser therapy has been instrumental in the treatment of arthritis and back pain. Because dogs are living longer these days due to an elevation in medical care, arthritis is becoming more and more prevalent. The traditional treatment for arthritis is NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories), i.e. Rimadyl, Previcox, Deramaxx. While these medications do alleviate pain, the side effects that come with them are sometimes devastating to the animal. Side effects include gastrointestinal ulcers, kidney damage, and liver damage. The average cost to treat a 50# dog with Rimadyl for arthritis is approximately $65.00 per month. Cold laser has been proven to decrease the amount of NSAIDs needed to keep arthritic dogs and cats pain-free - which means $$$ savings in your pocket and a healthier pet. There have been reports of animals that no longer require NSAIDs at all. The doctors and staff at SVS are astonished at how well cold laser therapy has helped our arthritic dogs. When owners are happy about their dog being able to jump up on the kitchen counter after not being able to rise from sitting position, we know we are helping both the owner and pet!

Please call today for more information or to set up an appointment!