BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Jas Mattu of University Veterinary Hospital in Berkeley, CA reports that their cold laser therapy techniques will help dogs and cats experience pain relief from health problems such as arthritis, skin conditions and periodontal disease. The Berkeley veterinarian says the techniques also helps accelerate healing of post-surgical wounds. Dr. Mattu explains that during therapy, a highly-targeted laser beam, set to a specific frequency, is aimed at the damaged tissues of the pet's body. He says the light waves penetrate the tissues and stimulate cellular regeneration, adding that it becoming an important complementary therapy for many of his patients.
The Berkeley veterinarian says there are several veterinary applications for cold laser therapy: "One of the most amazing things about laser therapy is how it will help some of our arthritic senior pets. Before laser treatments, some of these pets are in so much pain, they did not want to walk. Many of these patients are on heavy pain management drugs with potentially negative impacts on their liver and kidneys. The cold laser therapy may help reduce the dose or frequency and even eliminate some of these drugs. Our animal hospital also uses it to treat wounds, particularly after surgery. It helps speed up cellular regeneration, so the incision heals faster and there is not as much scar tissue afterward. It's expected that after 6 or 8 laser sessions, these patients will experience a significant reduction in pain."
According to Dr. Mattu, his animal hospital in Berkley seeks technologically advanced treatments that are less invasive while also accomplishing their healing goals. The cold laser penetrates a pet's skin without generating heat or cutting, he explains. He cites studies showing that the particular laser light wavelengths stimulate photoreceptors inside the cells that they contact. The light then stimulates the cells to regenerate and produce anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving biochemical changes. He points out that it is interesting that only the damaged cells seem to respond to the laser, while healthy cells continue on unchanged.
Dr. Mattu promotes cold laser therapy as a complement to other forms of pet care. He explains that there are cases when a pet may still need surgery, but using laser therapy afterward, affected cells will heal faster and more effectively. He says best results are achieved after several sessions lasting a few minutes each.
Dr. Mattu adds, "It's a very comfortable treatment for pets also. Our arthritic pets especially enjoy laser therapy and are less anxious during their sessions because it helps them feel better. As the winter approaches and our arthritic patients feel increased aches and pains, we are happy to offer less toxic, safer alternatives to pain management."
University Veterinary Hospital in Berkeley is a full-service animal hospital providing pet wellness services such as vaccinations, pet surgery, pet dental care, pet boarding and cold laser therapy. Their website is http://uvhberkeley.com.