Jun18
Animals benefitting from an anonymous benefactor…and technology!
The K Laser during a recent training demonstration at WARL.
By Dr. Jan Rosen, DVM, Medical Director for Washington Animal Rescue League
Rylie is a familiar face around the Washington Animal Rescue League. A former shelter resident who was adopted by a veterinary technician in our Medical Center, Riley comes in frequently when schoolchildren visit. She’s a large, friendly Rottweiler, and the children love her!
Rylie is what’s known to many dog-lovers as a “tripawd.” One of her front legs had to be surgically removed when she was a puppy after a rubber band was wrapped around it, cutting off circulation.
Recently, Rylie had to have major surgery for a torn a ligament in her knee. She walks really well on 3 legs; two…not so much! Fortunately, thanks to a very generous donor, we have a new device here at the League Medical Center that will decrease Riley’s swelling, reduce her pain, and speed up her healing.
This device is called a K-Laser or Therapeutic Laser. It’s a machine that sends specific wavelengths of light into the body to improve healing time, reduce pain, increase circulation, and decrease swelling. It can help with numerous conditions seen commonly in dogs and cats, such as hip dysplasia, back pain, post-surgical pain, severe gingivitis, and a variety of infections. It will allow us to avoid surgery in some of our patients, get some of our patients off of medications with side effects, and lessen or eliminate chronic pain in others.
The laser treatment is quick—about 4 minutes per session—and painless. Although there are a few precautions that must be taken—like use of protective sunglasses—the technology is also very safe. One person holds the animal being treated while another slowly moves the beam over the affected area
Like many dogs—and people, for that matter—Rylie didn’t particularly like being restrained…even for 4 minutes. But thanks to some support from “mom” and a biscuit or two, her first session went well. We’ll repeat it twice a week for several weeks and, hopefully, she’ll be back on three legs—and performing her ambassadorial duties—soon. The schoolchildren will be pleased!
A very special thank you to our generous, anonymous donor for bringing us the K-Laser, a device that will greatly assist us in caring for the dogs and cats we treat on a daily basis.
Dr. Jan Rosen has been with Washington Animal Rescue League since 2003 and is currently the League’s Medical Director.
