Orange County Veterinary Hospital offers 'K-Laser' for pet pain relief

GOSHEN — Orange County Veterinary Hospital in Goshen is offering a new way to treat chronic pain, acute injuries and many other veterinary conditions, using a Class IV therapy laser. High-energy near-infrared lasers can penetrate deeply into the body to diminish pain and stimulate healing. Veterinary hospital officials said many pets suffer from chronic pain due to arthritis caused by hip dysplasia, spondylosis, traumatic injury, etc. A class of drugs, non-steroid anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), has provided significant relief, but long-term use of these drugs can have some undesirable side effects. In addition, some animals are NSAID-intolerant. Cats are particularly sensitive to some of these medications, so there are fewer pain-management options available for the feline patient. K-Laser provides a safe solution for them, according to the hospital. K-Laser is a high-power, dual-wavelength therapy laser that can provide relief from chronic pain. It penetrates to considerable depth and has multi-step protocols for specific veterinary conditions in household pets and horses. K-Laser has also shown very good results when used on surgical incisions and wounds— traumatized tissue swells less and heals more quickly when treated with the device, they added. Treatments last about three to six minutes per site and are completely comfortable for the patient. K-Laser received its FDA clearance for human use in early 2005 and has been available to the veterinary profession for over five years. It is estimated that more than 25,000 dogs, cats and horses have benefited from the therapy, including a growing number of birds, snakes, turtles and “pocket pets.” Veterinary hospital officials said the hospital is the county’s first practice to offer K-Laser’s new 4-generation devices, with doctors and staff fully trained in the modality. To learn more, call 294- 5044.