Laser Treatment for Arthritis

Millie started a new laser treatment for arthritis in her back legs and hips today. We have had good success with physical therapy and a water treadmill, but the only practice that offers that treatment is way out in suburban Virginia. This new laser treatment is right at Millie's regular vet. She'll get three treatments this first week, two in the next week, then one in each of the following two weeks. Then the doctor will recommend how often we should follow up. I'll let you know if we see any improvement. She's really been suffering lately.

Wow, how does laser treatment work?

I hope it helps A LOT Michael. Millie is such a special girl and she's lucky to have such a great dad.

I hope it works for her. I did try it with Chyna, but I did not notice any improvement so we went to acupuncture.

Please keep us updated on how Millie fares with the laser treatment. I've got two aging pugs, one with a bad knee and some wonky hips, and want to keep up on the various treatments available.

Healing thoughts to Miss Millie.

Penny's knee and hip arthritis is getting bad, so I'd be interested in how it works, too. Hugs to Miss Millie.

Thanks for the encouragement. We had the first treatment this afternoon, so there's nothing to report just yet. The vet said that her 17-year-old dog jumped into the car after his first treatment...something he hadn't done in years. Other dogs have virtually no improvement at all.

Here's the info from the hospital's Web site...

What Is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy is the use of specific wavelengths of light (red and near-infrared) to create therapeutic
effects. These effects include improved healing time, pain reduction, increased circulation, and
decreased swelling.
Laser therapy is a noninvasive, drug-free treatment option. Laser therapy is often used with other
forms of therapy, including physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, massage, soft tissue
mobilization, electrotherapy and following surgery. Other healing modalities are complementary and
can be used with laser to increase the effectiveness of treatment.

Laser Therapeutic Effects
During each painless treatment, laser energy increases circulation, drawing water, oxygen, and
nutrients to the damaged area. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces
inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness, and pain. As the injured area returns to normal,
function is restored and pain is relieved.

Cellular Effects of Laser Therapy
During laser therapy the infrared laser light interacts with tissues at the cellular level, and metabolic
activity increases within the cell, improving the transport of nutrients across the cell membrane. This
initiates the increased production of cellular energy (ATP) that leads to a cascade of beneficial effects,
increasing cellular function and health.

Benefits of Laser Therapy
Laser therapy can relieve pain, reduce swelling, and increase range of motion. It reduces the
formation of scar tissue, promotes accelerated tissue repair and cell growth, and improves vascular
and metabolic activity of damaged tissue. Laser therapy stimulates muscle trigger and acupuncture to
provide musculoskeletal pain relief and has the ability to optimize muscle action and reduce nerve
pain.

Clinical Effectiveness
There are thousands of published studies demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of laser therapy.
Among these, there are more than one hundred rigorously controlled, scientific studies that document
the effectiveness of laser for many clinical conditions.

Laser Treatment Helps Multiple Conditions
 Osteoarthritis
 Joint Pain
 Tendinopathies
 Edema and Congestion
 Ligament Sprains
 Muscle Strains
 Puncture Wounds
 Post-Traumatic Injury
• • • Edema and Congestion
• Ligament Sprains
• Muscle Strains
• Bite Wounds
• Traumatic Injuries
• Post-Surgical Pain
• Neck and Back Pain
• Hip Dysplasia
• Burns
• Chronic Wounds
• Rehabilitation

• Post-Orthopedic Surgical Recovery

I too will be very interested to see how Miss Millie gets on with this treatment.