Clover Valley Veterinary Services
What is laser therapy?
Laser therapy is a kind of treatment for a variety of conditions that relies on lasers. These lasers are operated at low levels so they don’t harm the recipient of the therapy, but instead stimulate the cells in a unique way. To do their job, they must be kept at the right wavelength throughout the process, and they must always be operated at the same wavelength throughout all treatments, too. Too low, and the lasers won’t work; too high, and they can be harmful.
Laser therapy is a bit tricky and can be confusing, but it shows proven results in horses as well as in household pets and even in humans. Even so, it’s important to understand that laser therapy is still a new type of therapy for all types of animals and humans. Even though it’s a new player in the field of alternative therapy and medicine, it’s showing great results, and many horse owners have taken their horses for laser therapy treatments with excellent results. It’s up to you and your veterinarian to decide if this type of therapy is a good choice for your horse and if it is worth the cost.
For the most part, this type of therapy is used to treat inflammation in an animal’s body. It works best when treating inflammation in the joints or muscles, but it can be used for some other applications as well. Horses and other animals who suffer from long-term conditions, such as arthritis or other chronic health problems, can see the biggest benefits from laser therapy. However, it may also be used to treat acute issues depending on the specific situation. Laser therapy may have many potential uses, but the individual horse’s needs and condition may cause the effect to vary.
How is laser therapy used for horses?
Since horses have a variety of health needs related to their musculoskeletal system, laser therapy can help reduce inflammation and improve their overall well-being by focusing on these areas. Laser therapy may be used to treat joint pain, bone injuries, muscle damage, nerve damage, and much more. It can be used on the horse’s back, hindquarters, legs, neck, and anywhere else other than the face. Most horse owners use laser therapy to treat chronic conditions, but some may use it to treat acute issues such as injuries caused by overexertion in athletic situations or in work applications.
Laser therapy works well for its treatment of arthritis in horses as well as neurological problems, soft tissue tears, tendon or ligament injuries, kissing spine, degenerative joint problems, capped elbow, and much more. Although it is most commonly utilized as a treatment, this type of therapy can also be used as a preventative measure for horses used in competition. In this situation, it is used to prevent horses from becoming seriously injured when they overexert or strain their bodies in athletic performances or while carrying riders.
The effectiveness and use of laser therapy in horses varies from individual to individual. Before recommending laser therapy, veterinarians will consider how competitive, athletic, or otherwise active a horse is as well as his daily routine. They will also consider how old the injury or condition is and how much it may have progressed over time. They will check the horse’s overall well-being and health and ask about his age. Finally, they will consider how stressed the horse may become if he has to travel for laser therapy treatments regularly.
If all of these factors check out, the horse may be a good candidate to try laser therapy and see if it works well for it.
