FAQs

Please remember, this pad is not a substitute for veterinary care. Call your veterinarian if you have any medical issues.

Why is your company called According to "Gospel"...?
Many people ask why our company is called According to "Gospel"... Our company is named for our horse Gospel Hour who developed a severe case of laminitis after a surgery to repair an old injury in 1999. We designed our Light Therapy pads to help Gospel, not begin a business, but as word spread, people started to ask us to help their animal friends and Gospel's light pads became a business. Our goal is to provide quality light therapy products that are safe, effective and affordable, great light therapy products for both horse and dog owners and for health care professionals and trainers. You can read more about Gospel on the "Gospel’s Story" page.

Can this Light Therapy pad be used on people?
The same wavelengths and treatment times are used for horses, dogs, and humans.  The FDA requires a premarket approval clearance for marketing for these types of products before they are advertised for use on people.  That being said, most of our clients also use it on themselves but understand that it is an "off label" use and they take full responsibility! 

When I plug my light in, about half of the LEDs don't light up, is it broken?
No, it is not broken. Our Light Therapy pads use 2 wavelengths, a visible red (660 nm) and a near-infrared (850nm) which is very powerful and in a range that is not visible to the human eye. Click here to learn more. It's very bright so avoid eye damage by not looking directly into the lights and do not shine them in the eyes of any person or animal!

Do I need special training?
No. Even though the technology used is quite complex, the application is very simple. We designed our pads to have the strength and efficacy to satisfy the healthcare professional and the safety and ease of use to be used by a layperson. You simply lay or wrap the pad over the area of concern, the energy needed for a treatment is delivered evenly to that tissue in just under 15 minutes. There is an internal controller that will turn the pad off after that time. If you need to treat more than one area, you simply reset the internal controller by unplugging the pad right on the back of the pad, count to 5, and replug and the pad will re-illuminate. We include a Care and Use Guide with every light therapy pad. The Guide includes how to care for the pad, how to treat the animals, contraindications, photos and a chart that gives recommended treatment times and uses. In addition to the Care & Use Guide, we are always available to answer any questions.

What size pad should I buy?
It really depends on what area you need to treat.  We have horse folks who buy a Small Light Therapy pad to treat a tendon or ligament and we have dog folks who purchase a Large Light Therapy pad so they can treat both hips at the same time!  
The best thing to do is take a piece of paper, fold it to the sizes you are most interested in, and then lay it over the area you wish to treat and see if it is the best size for you. The Itty Bitty is 9-1/2" x 4-1/2", the Small is 9-1/2" x 7", the Medium is 9-1/2" x 12", an inch wider and an inch longer than a standard sheet of paper and the Large is 12" x 17". Lay or wrap the sizes and see which one will best cover the area. Always let us know if you have additional questions.

How long and how often should I use the "Gospel's" Light Therapy pad on my horse or dog?
Current research has defined 6-8 joules per square centimeter as the recommended dosage for tissue absorption, our light therapy pads deliver approximately 9-10j/cm2. This may be achieved in under 15 minutes per area with any of our Light Therapy pads.
Animals are very sensitive to the energy of the lights, always pay attention to your animal, they may want you to use it the full time one day and a shorter time the next. We hear this over and over. They are smart, they may even tell you where they would like you to use it!
You can use the Light Therapy pad twice a day per area for maximum benefit, the time between treatments should be approximately 6 hours. This usage helps keep the injured or energy-starved cells charged.
The most important consideration is consistency, your animal will receive the greatest benefit if the Light Therapy pad is used on a regular basis.
There has never been any indication of the slightest side effect or unintended effect documented. These treatment parameters are based on what we've researched and observed.

What is the difference between the Photizo Vetcare and the light therapy pad?
The same technology is used in both devices. With the Photizo, the lights are all packed into a very small area, so it delivers approximately 7j/cm2 in 31 seconds, but if you wanted to treat an area the size of our Small pad, you would have to hold it and move it 35 times! That would be over 20 minutes and our Small pad delivers approximately 9j/cm2 in just under 15 minutes. The Photizo Vetcare is great for small or hard-to-reach areas or for very impatient animals, the light therapy pad is better for larger areas.

Are "Gospel's" Light Therapy pads only for injuries?
No, for many of our clients "Gospel's" Light Therapy pads are a regular part of their daily training program. Many use them as a way to keep their animal partners in top shape.

Sometimes my horse or dog fidgets and bites at the pad, why?
If your animal fidgets or acts uncomfortable during treatment, reposition or loosen the pad. (I've seen this happen when the pad is wrapped around a leg too tightly or if the pad is not in the proper area.) If an LED is pressed firmly against the skin your animal may begin to feel it after a few minutes. LED's do not have to be pressed tightly against the skin.
If the horse or dog continues to fidget then stop and remove the pad and try again later.

Is there anywhere I should not use the Light Therapy Pad?
Never use over a malignant tumor on any animal unless instructed by a qualified veterinarian.
Do not use on pregnant mares or pregnant dogs abdominal area, not because it is harmful, we have found no studies citing use on pregnant mares or dogs, so prefer to err on the side of caution.
Don't look directly into the lights.
Don't shine the lights directly into the eyes of any animal (or person). Prolonged use of the lights directly into the eye may cause problems.
Caution must be used if photosensitive drugs such as, but not limited to, tetracycline are being administered.

Must I stay with my horse or dog while using the "Gospel's" Light Therapy pad?
Absolutely! Never leave your animal unattended while using the "Gospel's" Light Therapy pads.
Make sure your animal is in a place where he is comfortable. If your horse cross-ties well and is comfortable in cross-ties that is a great place. Other folks treat the horse in his stall with a halter and a lead rope on and let them eat a little hay during treatment.
Dogs love Light Therapy! Let your dog stand or lay down in a place that is dry and clean and where they are comfortable and calm.

I'd like to treat the shoulder area of my horse, must I stand and hold the Light Therapy pad or is there another way?
There is another way.  We have OneWrap Velcro that you can purchase by the yard, we also have stretchy washable cotton elastic bandages that work well for securing your light therapy pad. Many of our customers use duct tape to help keep the pad in place for other areas. I know it sounds crazy, but if you put the duct tape on with the lay of the hair and take it off with the lay of the hair, the horses seem fine with it.

If I use ointments or DMSO on my animal, should I put them on before or after using the Light Therapy pad?
Always apply ointments, liniments, oils, or DMSO AFTER using the pad. Make sure the area is clean and dry before applying the Light Therapy pad.
If you use any topical that generates heat, use caution with the Light Therapy pad. We have had no adverse side effects reported, but skin sensitivities vary and there is no way to predict how your animal will react.

Can I hold the light therapy pad several inches away from the area I'm treating and still and get the same benefit?  What about using over a bandage?
It is best to have the light therapy pad as close to the skin as possible.  The lights on the therapy pad protrude a bit from the neoprene so you can work them down into the fur/hair.  You will get some benefit from using them over a bandage, but you will get much more if you can place one layer of a saran wrap type material over the wound and then apply the light therapy pad.  

My dog just had surgery and has staples closing the wound.  Can I still use the light therapy pad over the staples?
Yes!  The pad will not interfere with the staples in any way.

How should I care for my Light Therapy pad?
Do not fold or crease the pad when storing it, there are electrical components inside. Lay it flat.
Don't submerge in water (or any other fluid). Clean it with a damp cloth and wipe.
Don't get it wet.
Don't use it on a wet or damp animal.
Don't use it on a horse standing on a wet surface.
Don't let any children or untrained adults power up the pad.
Protect the cord and power adapter, i.e. don't let a horse or dog step on it, bite it, chew it, eat it, etc.
If the pad, power adapter, or cord is damaged, don't use it.
Always store your light therapy pad and power adapter in a climate-controlled environment.

How can I clean my light therapy pad?
There are a few different options for keeping clean or cleaning our Equine and Canine Light Therapy pads. The side of the pad that houses the lights is covered with a nylon fabric, it can be wiped with a damp cloth​ or a cloth dampened with alcohol, this is also a great way to remove dirt or oily build-up on the lights themselves. Never wet, just damp. ​If working on a particularly dirty animal or treating a wound, you can drop the pad into a cheap zip-lock type bag. You would need to cut a hole in the back to allow the heat to escape and also gives you access if you need to use the straps. If treating a wound, you can place a layer of a saran wrap type wrap over the wound and then apply the pad.

I've seen light therapy products that are powered by batteries, do you have a battery?
Yes!! We have a wonderful battery pack, "Gospel's" Rechargeable Battery Pack. Now you can have light therapy anywhere! It also has a 5V USB port so you can charge your other electronics too!! Check it out on our Shop Online Page!

Are "Gospel's" Light Therapy pads only for horses and dogs?
No, "Gospel's" Light Therapy pads have been used on horses, dogs, cats, donkeys, goats, rabbits, monkeys, rams, cows, pigs, and reindeer! 

I have read that some other companies have their LEDs on what is called a 50% duty cycle. What does that mean and are yours on a duty cycle?
A 50% duty cycle means those LEDs are powered on 50% of the time and powered off 50% of the time. Some LED devices on the market are powered with batteries and the off/on cycle helps preserve the life of the battery. The on/off cycle also increases the treatment time since the LEDs are off 50% of the time you are using it. Our Light Therapy pads are on 100% of the time during treatment which maximizes the benefit while shortening the treatment time.

With other companies, an expensive controller is required to operate the pad. Do you have an additional required controller?
No! Everything you need is included with each pad. Light therapy pad, power supply and velcro straps. No hidden costs with our pads.

I've seen other products which require an expensive controller with "Nogier Frequencies". What are they and why don't you have them?
Those frequencies were developed by the French neurologist Paul Nogier in 1957. They were developed for auricular points, acupuncture points in the ear. There was no correlation with light therapy, let alone light therapy on the body. Several researchers have experimented with these frequencies with light therapy to see if there is a benefit. None has been found. We have spoken with some of the top researchers in the world to learn of their experience with these frequencies. If there is ever ANY evidence that they are of therapeutic value, we will add them.

I recently purchased one of your pads and it turned off after approximately 15 minutes! My old pad didn't do that, what do I do?
There is now an internal timer in your Light Therapy pad which will turn the pad off after the recommended treatment time of under 15 minutes. To re-illuminate your pad, you must unplug the pad at the jack on the pad, wait 5 seconds and reconnect.

How do I open the black carrying case?
The latches on each side of the case, on each side of the handle, slide toward the outside edge of the case. Place your thumb in each indention and push sideways. You can see a video for clarity here, How to open the case