CO2 Surgical Laser
There are three major advantages of CO2 laser surgery when compared to traditional stainless steel surgical scalpels. These advantages are:
Decreased Post-Operative Pain: The laser seals the nerve endings as it cuts. This reduces pain impulses from the surgery site in the immediate post-operative period.
Reduced Bleeding, Swelling and Blood Loss: The laser cauterizes the blood vessels to help prevent bleeding and swelling.
Reduced Risk of Surgical Infection: This occurs due to the super heating of the tissues in the incision site, destroying any bacteria that are present at the time of surgery
Almost any soft-tissue surgery may be performed with the CO2 laser. Routine procedures such as ovariohysterectomy (spay) or castration (neuter) are commonly done with the laser. The CO2 laser can also be used for skin tumor removal and eyelid surgery. Dr. Ward will discuss whether CO2 laser is appropriate for use during your pet’s surgery.
Medical Laser Therapy
You may have heard about the use of lasers in veterinary medicine. Did you know that there are actually different types of lasers? Our hospital utilizes both a surgical laser and a medical therapy laser. Both types of lasers can enhance your pet’s healing. Our surgical laser uses precisely focused light to cut, allowing us to replace the traditional scalpel. In the hands of a skilled surgeon, a surgical laser allows the doctor to have extreme precision when cutting. The surgical laser’s energy seals small blood vessels and nerve endings and kills bacteria. The benefits of using laser surgery for your pet include reduced pain, less swelling, less bleeding, and virtually no trauma to surrounding tissue. Laser surgery provides a shorter recovery time allowing pets to quickly return to their normal activities.
Medical laser therapy uses light energy to treat pain and inflammation in order to promote healing. Some of the conditions medical laser therapy can treat include ear infections, surgery incisions, wounds, sprains/strains, fractures, degenerative joint disease, hot spots, lick granulomas, inflammatory bowel disease, bladder infections, and arthritis. The doctors at Johnston Animal Hospital can prescribe the appropriate medical laser therapy tailored to treat your pet’s specific condition. Medical laser therapy helps to heal damaged cells leading to faster pain relief. The procedure is done by passing a laser hand-piece over the area that needs to be treated. Medical laser treatments are soothing, gentle, warm, and pain-free. Medical laser therapy can usually be performed while your pet is awake, and without shaving your pet’s hair. Some conditions only require a single medical laser treatment to promote healing, while others require multiple treatment sessions. Laser therapy can be used along with other medications.
For example, a pet experiencing the pain of arthritis may be able to have pain management just from medical laser therapy treatment. If the arthritis progresses, the pet may benefit from a combination of pain control options including supplements, medication, and medical laser therapy. Medical laser therapy is a unique form of pain management which is scientifically proven to reduce your pet’s pain and inflammation. Laser safety is an important concern when using either a surgical laser or a medical laser. Inappropriate use of a laser can cause harm. All team members who provide laser therapy at Johnston Animal Hospital have undergone special training from AIMLA (the American Institute of Medical Laser Applications).
Everyone in the room must wear eye protection when a laser is being used. People wear laser specific safety glasses. Pets wear laser specific safety goggles commonly known as “doggles” – much to every cat’s chagrin.