Laser therapy

Therapeutic lasers deeply penetrate tissue without damaging it. It is a surgery-free, drug-free, non-invasive treatment, and most pets settle and doze through a session.

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A senior black Labrador lying on a mat while a handheld therapeutic laser is passed over his shoulder

What it is, in plain terms

A handheld device passes light of a particular wavelength into the tissue. There is no heat to speak of, no needle and no sedation. Your dog lies on a towel and someone moves the head of the laser slowly over the area.

Most dogs doze through it. A good number fall asleep.

What it is used for

Pain and inflammation. The most common reason it is used, often alongside whatever your veterinarian has prescribed rather than instead of it.
Surgical sites. Applied around a healing incision once your surgeon is happy, to support the area while it recovers.
Arthritic joints. Particularly useful where medication is already at its limit and there is nowhere else to go.
Soft tissue injuries. Muscle, tendon and ligament strains where healing has been slow.
Chronic wounds. One of the harder problems in practice, and an area where it is worth trying.

A Corgi resting on a gray mat while a small handheld laser is held against his lower back

What a session looks like

Short. A few minutes per area, with your dog lying comfortably on a mat or towel. Everyone in the room wears protective glasses, including, where it is needed, your dog.

It is almost always used as part of a session rather than on its own, a dog might have laser on a sore hip, then do exercise work, then finish in the water treadmill. The plan decides the order.

Being straight about the evidence

Laser therapy is widely used in both animal and human rehabilitation, and most practitioners who use it regularly see results they trust. The research base is real but still developing, and the strength of the evidence varies a good deal by condition.

We would rather say that plainly than oversell it. Where we think laser is the right tool, we will tell you why. Where we think something else would do more for your dog, we will say that too.

Questions

Questions we get asked

Does laser therapy hurt a dog?

No. There is no needle, no incision and very little heat, most dogs feel a gentle warmth at most. Many settle and doze through the session, which is usually only a few minutes per area.

What does laser therapy treat in dogs?

It is most often used for pain and inflammation, around healing surgical sites, on arthritic joints where medication is already at its limit, for soft tissue strains in muscle, tendon and ligament, and on chronic wounds.

Is laser therapy instead of medication?

No. It works alongside what your veterinarian has prescribed. For some dogs it means less medication over time rather than more, but that is a conversation for your vet, not something to change on your own.

How long does a laser session take?

A few minutes per area treated. It is almost always part of a longer session that includes other work rather than an appointment on its own.

Often used together

Related treatments

A black dog resting on a towel while two practitioners apply a shockwave probe

Shockwave Therapy

Sound energy aimed at one area to encourage repair, often where healing has stalled.

Magnetic Therapy

Non-invasive treatment for bone, tendon, muscle, nerve and ligament injuries.

Deep Heat Therapy

Currents that reach chronic pain sitting below the surface, where a hot pack can’t.

See all treatments

Start with a phone call

Tell us what you’ve noticed. We’ll tell you honestly whether we think we can help.

Call 303-388-6886