Pet owners: If your pet is lucky to live long enough, you’re likely going to have to help them navigate an injury or surgery. Nevertheless, keeping your furry friend on bed rest isn’t always as simple as it may seem. Fortunately, red light therapy for pets can help.
This non-invasive, supplemental intervention is gentle on your pet’s body and requires very little oversight and heavy lifting on the pet owner’s end. If you’re curious to learn about supplemental treatments for sicknesses, injuries, or surgical interventions, sans pain medications, you’ve come to the right place.
Equine and Canine Light Therapy writing here: For more than 20 years, we’ve engineered and sold user-friendly, science-backed red light therapy devices that help pets go from zero to hero again. If you’re curious about the benefits, use cases, and options available to you and your pet to help them thrive, we’ll walk you through what you need to know about red light therapy for pets.
In this article, we’ll cover the following pet-related red light therapy questions:
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What is red light therapy for pets?
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How does pet red light therapy work?
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What conditions can pet red light therapy support?
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How effective is red light therapy for pets?
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Is red light therapy safe for pets?
What is red light therapy for pets (photobiomodulation)?
Red light therapy for pets is often referred to as photobiomodulation (PBM). It involves using therapeutic red and near-infrared light to reduce inflammation, promote faster recovery, and treat superficial skin issues, scars, and injuries. The light energy helps target energy to boost cells, thereby penetrating the tissue, muscles, bone, and tendons.
The result is increased blood circulation and a boost to the healing process. Quicker healing is especially helpful for those pets with a great deal of energy who want to play frequently and who prefer not to sit still for very long.
How does pet red light therapy work?
The science behind red light therapy for dogs, cats, and pets goes as follows. Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of visible red and near-infrared light to stimulate cellular activity.
The light is absorbed by structures in the cell called mitochondria. Mitochondria act as the energy production centers of the cell. When the light is absorbed, cellular energy production begins, which can help reduce inflammation, ease pain, and speed healing.
In short, red light therapy works through the following processes:
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Encouraging blood flow
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Delivering more oxygen and nutrients to issues
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Supporting the body’s natural repair processes sans anesthesia, sedation, and medication
Red light therapy complements traditional veterinary medicinal practices, providing tools to help improve a pet’s comfort and overall movement.
What conditions can at-home pet red light therapy devices support?
Pet red light therapy can support horses, dogs, cats, and pets with acute and chronic conditions, such as:
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Surface wounds and scars
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Tendon and ligament injuries
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Joint pain and inflammation
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Over-exertion and athletic recovery
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Hip dysplasia
How effective is red light therapy for pets (& pet owners and veterinarians)?
Red light therapy is very effective for helping with several tissue, bone, and joint-related injuries. For example, in one study, dogs with osteoarthritis who experienced photobiomodulation therapy experienced greater improvement with lameness and pain reduction than those who received a placebo treatment.
What’s more, in the same study, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) usage also decreased with the use of red light therapy, which is to say that red light therapy for pets may be effective as a supplemental treatment for chronic and acute muscle and bone-related conditions that cause pain.
In general, red light therapy is one of many effective tools that veterinarians and pet parents have at their disposal. Whether you’re looking for faster recovery or a less invasive solution to wound healing, skin conditions, and soft tissue injuries, red light therapy devices for pets can help support healing through personalized treatment with minimal upkeep needed.
Is red light therapy safe for pets?
While the advantages of pet red light therapy and low-level laser therapy are enumerated upon in various research studies, the question many pet owners ask is, “Is red light therapy safe for pets?”
The answer is: Yes. Very much so.
It’s extremely safe, non-invasive, and painless for pets. In fact, many pets fall asleep and curl up with their light therapy pads on their backs. Nevertheless, light therapy pads should never be used on cancerous tumors, the bellies of pregnant animals, or the eyes for prolonged time periods.
Every case is different, though. If you’re considering pet red light therapy as a new treatment for your canine, feline, or equine friend, and you’re in doubt, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional light therapy specialist or a veterinary medicine specialist.
Their specialty is in finding effective treatments that match your pet’s needs. They can point you in the direction of which therapy is right for your pet, as well as which treatment interventions to avoid.
Tip #1: On red light therapy pad replacements for pets
If your dogs are anything like ours, they like to chew on most anything. 🐶 If they chew on your Light Therapy pad, not to worry. Ship it back to us; we’ll fix it up and send it back to you as good as new.💡
🔨And yes, we repair almost anything. Check out this before-and-after picture to view the extent of our repair work.👈🏼
Where to find red light therapy treatments to support healing in pets, horses, dogs, and cats
If you’re looking for red light therapy treatments, pads, devices, or accessories for pets, you can set up an appointment at your local veterinary rehabilitation center or integrative/holistic veterinary clinic.
But if you want all the benefits of red light therapy treatment from the comfort of your home but without the added inconvenience of travel and appointment times, we recommend shopping at a specialty red light therapy retail store.
You can also shop online. For example, we carry many different science-backed red light therapy devices, including handheld devices, combo kits, and replacement parts that fit all animals, regardless of size or shape. Plus, all of our light pads are based on rigorous, peer-reviewed, scientific research.
Consider shopping online in our store for added convenience. Regardless of your decision, we wish you all the best for you and your furry animal friend, and we hope this information was helpful.
🐎Equine and Canine Light Therapy: Red Light Therapy Products for Pets Since 1999🐕🐈
