It’s not often we get to witness the ongoing effects of laser therapy used for wound healing. Therefore, when one of our own staff member’s dog had to undergo a Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgery we saw it as a great opportunity to observe the true healing effects that laser therapy has on open wounds over a short period with the recommended laser dose. TPLO surgery aims to stabilise the knee joint after degeneration or injury to the cruciate ligament.
Cooper had laser therapy straight after surgery to stimulate the healing process as soon as possible. Laser therapy is designed to enhance tissue repair and accelerate the healing process of a wound, therefore applying the treatment immediately ensured Cooper had a head start in his recovery journey. The light from laser therapy inhibits bacteria and aids cell growth, therefore, having excellent results on scar tissue regeneration. Cooper has many scars from previous operations, some including lumps of scar tissue whereas his recent addition has healed with greater uniformity, thanks to laser therapy.
The photos provided show a timelapse of his wound healing over the last two months. Remarkable healing can be seen during the period from the 10th Feb to the 19th Feb when the wound had completely closed and the scar tissue was beginning to form. By the 19th Feb Cooper had received five laser sessions with our fantastic rehabilitation team, and he was able to begin Hydrotherapy three days later. This was because of how quickly the wound healed due to laser therapy treatment.
Cooper is still enjoying regular laser sessions to treat his compensatory issues resulting from the surgery and also undergoes twice weekly treadmill sessions to help build his cardiovascular fitness, and muscle strength, and re-introduce him back to normal exercise.
This non-invasive treatment promotes rapid healing and enhances cell growth. It also reduces inflammation and pain associated with sprains, ligament and capsular injuries and post-surgery recovery. To read more about laser therapy for animals on our website, click here.
