How Laser Therapy Helps Pets Heal Faster and Feel Better
- Animals Only Team
- Oct 21
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 7
SELF-CARE FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND
At Animals Only, we believe in an integrative approach to pet rehabilitation — combining multiple therapies to address your pet’s body as a whole, not just the site of injury. Laser therapy often works best when used alongside other treatments like manual therapy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, or therapeutic exercises.
This combination helps relieve pain, restore mobility, and strengthen muscles while supporting the body’s natural healing processes. By tailoring every treatment plan to your pet’s unique needs, our team ensures that each session contributes to long-term comfort, balance, and vitality — helping your pet not only recover, but thrive.
🌟 Benefits of Laser Therapy for Pets
Laser therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, is transforming how veterinarians manage pain, inflammation, and healing. This gentle, non-invasive treatment uses light energy to help pets recover faster and live more comfortably—whether they’re healing from surgery, managing arthritis, or simply slowing down with age.
💡 What Is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy uses specific wavelengths of light to reach deep into tissues and bone and stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. The light energy interacts with cells, boosting metabolism, circulation, and repair. This helps reduce pain and swelling while encouraging tissue regeneration—all without needles or surgery.
At Animals Only, we use a Companion Animal Health Class 4 laser system, equipped with dual wavelengths (980 nm and 810 nm) for both deep penetration and immediate pain relief.
⚡ Class 3 vs. Class 4 Lasers: What’s the Difference?
Class 3 Laser (Cold Laser):
Delivers up to 500 milliwatts of power
Ideal for surface-level conditions like minor wounds or inflammation
Gentle but requires multiple sessions for deeper issues
Class 4 Laser:
Exceeds 500 milliwatts and penetrates much deeper into muscle, ligaments, and joints
Provides stronger therapeutic results in fewer sessions
Highly effective for chronic pain, arthritis, and post-operative recovery
Simply put, Class 4 lasers reach tissues that cold lasers can’t, allowing for faster and more comprehensive healing.
🌈 How Wavelengths Affect Treatment
Laser wavelength—measured in nanometers (nm)—determines how far light travels into the body.
Shorter wavelengths (around 800 nm) work best for surface healing (skin, wounds).
Longer wavelengths (up to 980 nm) reach deeper tissues like muscles and joints.
By using both, veterinarians can customize each session to target specific layers of tissue for the best results.
🔦Pet Patient Spotlight: Meet Raven
Raven, our sweetest little ChiChi, has captured everyone’s hearts here at Animals Only. Despite facing a disc herniation in her neck and recovering from back surgery, she’s shown incredible strength and spirit throughout her healing journey.
With consistent laser therapy and acupuncture treatments, Raven has made remarkable progress — regaining comfort, mobility, and confidence one step at a time. Her dedication (and all the love from her family!) truly highlight how powerful holistic rehabilitation can be in helping pets recover and thrive.
We’re so proud of Raven’s resilience and sweet personality — she’s living proof that integrative care can make a world of difference.
🔦Pet Patient Spotlight: Meet Bella
Bella’s road to recovery hit a little speed bump! Originally visiting us for post-operative rehab following her left TPLO surgery, Bella took an unexpected tumble down the stairs and injured her right front leg. Ouch!
Setbacks like this can sometimes happen during recovery — but at Animals Only, we know that healing isn’t always a straight line. When Bella came in, our team quickly adjusted her treatment plan to focus on what she needed most in that moment: comfort and healing for her injured leg.
We incorporated laser therapy into her care plan to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and stimulate tissue repair. This gentle, non-invasive treatment helped Bella bounce back faster, and once her front leg was feeling better, she was able to return to strengthening her surgery leg safely.
Now, Bella is back on track — tail wagging, legs strong, and spirits high! Her story is a great reminder that with the right approach and tools like laser therapy, even small setbacks can turn into success stories.
🐕 Key Benefits of Laser Therapy for Pets
Laser therapy offers a wide range of benefits for dogs and cats alike:
Pain relief – Reduces nerve sensitivity and blocks pain signals
Reduced inflammation – Minimizes swelling and stiffness in muscles and joints
Accelerated healing – Stimulates cell regeneration and shortens recovery time
Improved circulation – Enhances blood flow, delivering oxygen and nutrients for tissue repair
Better mobility – Restores flexibility and comfort, helping pets move more freely
When part of a regular treatment plan, laser therapy can greatly improve comfort and quality of life—especially for pets with chronic pain or mobility challenges.
🩺 Conditions Commonly Treated with Laser Therapy
Laser therapy can help manage a wide range of veterinary conditions, including:
Osteoarthritis and joint disease
Soft-tissue injuries such as sprains, strains, or ligament damage
Post-surgical recovery for faster healing and pain control
Wounds and skin irritations, including burns, bites, or hot spots
Chronic inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
⚠️ When Laser Therapy May Not Be Recommended
While laser therapy is considered very safe, there are a few precautions:
Cancer: Should not be used directly over tumors
Young animals: Avoid using lasers over active growth plates
Pregnancy: Laser application near the abdomen or lower back should be avoided
A qualified veterinary professional should always evaluate each patient to ensure laser therapy is appropriate.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Laser therapy has become one of the most trusted and effective tools in veterinary rehabilitation. Its ability to relieve pain, decrease inflammation, and accelerate healing—without drugs or invasive procedures—makes it a powerful addition to any pet’s wellness plan.
At Animals Only, our team integrates laser therapy with other holistic and rehabilitative treatments to help pets heal naturally, regain mobility, and enjoy a higher quality of life.
💬Curious if laser therapy is right for your pet?
We’d love to help. Schedule a consultation at Animals Only to learn how our integrative rehab therapies—like laser therapy—can relieve pain, speed healing, and bring renewed comfort and vitality to your pet’s life.
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