When you are a dog owner, you always want your beloved pet to be happy, healthy, and safe in their life with you in your home. However, a dog can sometimes sustain an injury no matter how well or carefully you take care of them. Ligament injuries, for example, can occur when dogs are running, jumping, playing, or even if they just step down wrong and are more and more common as dogs age and get older. If your dog has recently suffered a ligament injury, you may be looking for treatment options to help your furry friend recover. While surgery is usually the primary treatment method recommended by veterinarians because it is highly effective, this may not always be an option for dogs that are older or with certain health issues. Get to know some of the non-surgical treatment options available for your dog's ligament injury so that you can be sure that you are doing the right thing for your dog.
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy has long been a treatment option used in human medical treatments. It has more recently also been put to use in veterinary care. Veterinary lasers can be used in therapeutic contexts to treat pain and discomfort as well as reduce inflammation and promote the healing of injuries.
As such, your dog's ligament injury could benefit from veterinary laser therapy. This treatment option would involve several sessions in the veterinarian's office that generally last less than an hour. The laser is targeted at the limb and ligament that are injured. The concentrated light energy warms cells and stimulates them to begin repairing cellular damage in the area.
Laser therapy is not painful and is often quite relaxing for the dog going through treatment. As such, many dogs appear to feel better faster and are better able to move and function throughout the healing process.
Physical Therapy and Massage
In addition to laser therapy, dogs can also recover from a ligament injury with the help of massage and physical therapy techniques. Physical therapy will involve work with a veterinary specialist who has also studied physical therapy techniques. They will work with your dog to perform certain exercises and stretches to help heal the ligaments.
Some of these physical therapy exercises may include work in water just as humans recover using water and hydrotherapy from injuries. In addition to physical therapy, your dog may need some help with pain relief and relaxation. This is where massage therapy comes into play. Find a canine massage therapist who will be able to provide your dog with a massage that will relax and loosen their muscles and help them to feel calmer in general, and their healing process will go much more smoothly.
With these non-surgical treatment options in mind, you can be sure that you are doing everything that you can to help your dog recover from their ligament injury.
