The laser for the care of our animals

About laser

The term “Laser” stands for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.” A laser is a beam of monochromatic, collimated, and coherent light.

The first application of laser technology in medicine dates back to the 1960s, when it was realised how the properties of these devices could be widely useful. In veterinary medicine, the use of laser light began in the late 1980s.

Lasers can be used for surgery, pain therapy, and tissue biostimulation.

In surgery, the laser cuts, coagulates, and cauterises.

Its many applications include:

• Oral cavity surgery (tumours, stomatitis, ranulas, etc.)
• Nasal plastic surgery
• Ear surgery (auricular pavilion, ear canal)
• Dermatological surgery (papillomas, basal cell carcinomas, adenomas, sebaceous epitheliomas, granulomas, keloids, viral plaques, etc.)
• Surgery on exotic animals
• Ophthalmic surgeries
• Castrations
• Abdominal surgery (ovariohysterectomy, enterectomy, gastrotomy, splenectomy)
• Perianal surgeries (sacculectomy, perianal fistulas)

User of laser in veterinary medicine

Another significant use is in pain therapy and biostimulation with anti-inflammatory, anti-oedematous, and antiseptic effects. The pain-relieving effect of the laser is due to three mechanisms:

• Selective closure of potassium channels with hyperpolarisation of nerve cell membranes, resulting in a transient analgesic effect.
• Along with pain relief, the laser helps normalise the thermal image by cooling the affected area rather than heating it; the analgesic effect of the laser does not depend on heat.
• Increase in beta-endorphins, providing long-term analgesia.

The biostimulation effect is due to a 22% increase in ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which represents an energy substrate for cells, leading to increased cellular metabolism and faster healing times. Thus, the laser is used to treat:

• Surgical wounds
• Pressure sores
• Pyogranulomatous dermatitis
• Lick dermatitis
• Burns
• Arthritis, osteoarthritis
• Oedema, haematomas
• Gingivitis, stomatitis
• Otitis

The use of lasers in veterinary medicine offers many advantages, including minimal invasiveness, reduced bleeding during procedures, less postoperative discomfort, and shorter recovery times.

Increasingly, cutting-edge technologies are being used in veterinary medicine to enhance the care and well-being of our animals, and laser light represents an emerging innovation with growing applications in both surgical and therapeutic contexts.