Canine laser therapy treatment: A case study
Meet Kenzo, a 2 year old staffordshire bull terrier who suffered an avulsion fracture in his tibial crest (left hind knee)*. Owner Amanda brought Kenzo to ESO after his operation, to help with his recovery and healing process.
Kenzo was suffering with extreme chronic swelling. From halfway up the side of his ribcage, it engulfed the left side of his groin, down the left hind leg to the toes. The swelling was the result of his second operation to remove temporary implants put into his knee to help stabilise his TCA fracture repair.
Course of treatments implemented
To give Kenzo the best possible chance to feel more comfortable, Chantal suggested a package of 5 laser treatments. He started with two sessions per week, with hands on osteopathy entwined within his treatment plan.
Treatment details
“My initial priority was to reduce Kenzo’s swelling with the laser. Once the swelling was under control, I started to integrate osteopathy into his treatment plan. The aim was to remove the muscle tightness to make sure he felt balanced and stable throughout his whole body, as he had been limping for so long. I did this with soft tissue and gentle articulation from his ribcage, through to his pelvis and down his non operated hind leg. His operated leg was initially too sore to touch”.
Treatment summary
“Kenzo healed so much quicker than expected. His swelling reduced by 60% within 24-48 hours, after just one laser treatment. He is now undergoing regular hydrotherapy to help regain his muscle strength in a safe environment, with the least possible strain on his joints. I have advised his owner, Amanda, to keep building up muscle strength slowly in a controlled environment with hydrotherapy or lead walking. They will return to the ESO clinic if any tightness or swelling returns.”
To read more about laser therapy for animals, head to our webpage here. To read about laser therapy for humans, click here.
Additional notes
“Kenzo had another invasive surgical investigation mid-way through treatment, to check the extreme swelling reaction wasn’t due to something else. Luckily it wasn’t, but we then had to counteract further swelling sustained from this procedure.”
ESO offers laser therapy alongside osteopathic treatment to people, dogs and horses. This non-invasive treatment promotes rapid healing, enhances cell growth, prevents scar tissue forming. 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 the link below.
*An avulsion fracture happens when a bone has been broken. A fragment of the bone is then being separated by the pull of an attached muscle or tendon. A common condition in puppies, this type of fracture is typically more prevalent in greyhound and terrier breeds. This is due to their size to muscle mass.