What Pet Owners Need to Know About Laser Surgery

What is a laser?

A laser is a device that produces a very strong and focused beam of light. One little-known fact is that our surgical laser produces a beam that is even more powerful than a similar-sized beam leaving the surface of the sun! Lasers have a plethora of existing uses in medicine, industry, space exploration, research, telecommunications, and the military.

Years of experience in human and veterinary medicine went into the design of the VetScalpel lasers, which were made specifically to provide superior care for pets. Ask your veterinarian about CO₂ laser surgery and read what fellow dog and cat owners have to say about their experience with CO₂ laser surgery.

Why pet laser surgery?

Traditional surgery with a scalpel or scissors can bruise or crush soft tissue, while a powerful, concentrated laser beam has the unique ability to instantly vaporize or “erase” unhealthy tissue, as well as make incisions. The laser minimizes pain, swelling, and bleeding often associated with surgery. The beam simultaneously kills any bacteria in its path (i.e. bactericidal effect). Also, during CO₂ laser surgery, only an intense beam of laser light touches the tissue, which reduces the risk of potential post-operative infection even more. While cutting, ablating or coagulating tissue, the laser seals capillaries, small blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerve endings (i.e. it has hemostatic, antiedemic and analgesic effects). Sealed nerve endings mean more comfort for the patient after surgery, and sealed lymph nodes mean less swelling post-operatively. The surgeon can adjust the size and power of the laser beam to achieve the desired degree of control over the tissue removal process, and the laser is equally adept at incisions, excisions, and ablations.

What is the most efficient soft-tissue surgical laser?

Soft-tissue laser surgery differs from hard-tissue laser surgery (bones and teeth) and laser eye surgery (eye sight corrective surgeries). Each of the aforementioned types of surgery is completed by a different laser (with different wavelengths of light they produce and types of target tissue those wavelengths are most appropriate for). The most commonly used surgical laser in soft-tissue surgery is the CO₂ laser. The CO₂ laser wavelength of 10.6 µm (micrometers) is highly absorbed by water. Water is the predominant component of soft tissue, which makes the CO₂ laser a perfect tool for soft-tissue surgery. Because of its outstanding versatility and precision, the CO₂ surgical laser has been the most efficient and superior soft-tissue surgical laser since the 1960s. Laser surgery is widely practiced in many applications of human and veterinary medicine (such as general surgery, dermatology, ophthalmic surgery, ENT, and many other specialties).

Is laser surgery appropriate for my pet?

A laser can perform a wide variety of surgical procedures. The CO₂ laser has been used on virtually every kind of animal, i.e. cats, dogs, birds, horses, gerbils, ferrets, rabbits, iguanas, chinchillas, guinea pigs, monkeys, turtles, and even fish! Your veterinarian will be able to tell you if our pet is a candidate for laser surgery, and will help you decide if this is the best treatment option.