Dog Blog: Laser Therapy

In the process of going through physical therapy with our dog Brutus we were offered an option that is supposed to help speed up the healing process called laser therapy.  The big question is, does it work?  Is it actually worth the $300 some odd dollars that it adds to the cost of the already expensive TPLO surgery?

We're still waiting to see how, overtime, this benefits the dog, but the vet says Brutus is healing very quickly.  He's already putting pressure on his bad leg during his short daily walks and most dogs don't use the operated leg for a couple weeks following the procedure.

Maybe it's just because he's stubborn as all get-out or maybe it has to do with the laser therapy treatments he's been receiving.

How does it work?   Laser therapy works through the skin and reaches the deep tissues in the dog's leg to give cells the fuel they need to repair damaged tissues.  The dog doesn't seem to mind the procedure at all.  The only thing Brutus didn't like was the fact that he had to be restrained.  He's getting pretty restless due to all his crate time during the healing process.

Overall, you'll have to weigh the benefits and the cost for yourself.  We were able to afford the laser therapy this time and opted to do it, because we were intrigued by the new technology and are looking for anything to help speed up the recovery time.

We go into the vet for the third of six laser treatments today and I'll be asking if I can take video to share more about this from a trained professional.  If you're just joining the conversation, check out the button below to get the back story on Brutus and his journey to repair a torn CCL.