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Q: I recently met a vet who I spoke to about my 12-year-old mutt. She did a lot of holistic medicine and I shared that my old dog was having some issues associated with probable arthritis. He is not as spry as he used to be. She told me about something called cold laser therapy. I know there is some general skepticism about human homeopathic medicine, which I would guess carries over to veterinary medicine, but what caught my interest was her claim that chiropractic and cold laser treatments tend to show some immediate visible improvements in dogs and cats that are slowing down as they age. What can you tell me about this kind of therapy, and should I pursue it for my dog now that I am home?  I want to keep my dog as comfortable as possible.

A: There are many forms of complementary and alternative forms of therapies in veterinary medicine, just as they are in human medicine. They include acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic, massage, herbal medicine, homeopathy and cold laser therapy, which is one of the newer forms. Some have proven to be very effective for people’s pets. I do not have any personal experience with CLT, but I do know a bit about it. For some background, laser stands for light amplification by stimulated emission radiation. The more commonly used laser in dogs is the CO2 laser, which is used for surgery. Benefits include reduced bleeding, pain and inflammation as well as better tissue healing. It is used by some veterinarians for procedures like tumor removals, some oral procedures, and even spays and neuters. Even with the advent of this kind of option, most veterinarians still use conventional surgical methods.

CLT is a different class of laser in that it uses specific light wavelength to cause changes to tissues by promoting increased blood supply by dilating vessels thereby improving healing, reducing inflammation and leading to overall improvement from chronic conditions like arthritis. A handheld instrument is moved over joints or sore muscles relaxing those muscles and having beneficial effects in deeper tissues and joints. Appropriate training is necessary to prevent overexposure, which can conversely lead to possible damage to tissue.

As with all alternative therapies, it may be worthwhile for you to consider finding a local veterinarian who might be able to provide your dog with this kind of therapy. Don’t forget that there are also all sorts of medical options including anti-inflammatory medications, chondroprotective agents and other various joint and muscle drugs that can be helpful. Work with your veterinarian to develop the best plan of action.

Dr. John de Jong owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic. He can be reached at 781-899-9994.

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