Introduction
Red light therapy has brought light to everyone, including animals. Living things depend on the sun's rays to survive, as they contain extremely important wavelengths for animal health. Animals that live outdoors grow and develop under the wonderful effects of natural sunlight. In contrast, animals raised indoors are less exposed to sunlight, and even if their diet is carefully managed, their health is weaker, and they are susceptible to various diseases. As an innovative technology, red light therapy has attracted widespread attention for its breakthrough efficacy. Red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation therapy, is a physical therapy method that has been widely used in the field of veterinary medicine.
The working principle of red light therapy
Red light therapy uses a specially designed combination of red and near-infrared light to produce a bio-stimulatory effect in damaged animal tissues. It produces ATP and a series of beneficial photophysical and photochemical reactions to the tissue, thereby producing a therapeutic effect of reducing inflammation, alleviating pain and promoting healing.
Red Light Therapy General Applications on Animals
Red light therapy research continues to grow, both in rehabilitation clinics and in general practice. It has become a valuable tool for veterinary practitioners to treat multiple diseases successfully.
- Skin - postoperative incisions, dermatitis, chronic infection, trauma, burns, bites, etc
- Musculoskeletal- tendonitis, chronic pain, arthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration, ligament strain, regenerative repair after fracture, etc
- Wounds - improve healing time and reduce scarring
- Regulates metabolism - animals with respiratory tract infections, enteritis, paralysis, fractures, burns, bites and other diseases can improve animal blood circulation, regulate metabolism, release neurotransmitters to relieve pain and improve animal systemic symptoms, such as general fatigue reduction, increased appetite, etc
Harnessing the effect of red light therapy on curing animal diseases
- Slow down inflammation
When red light reaches damaged tissue, it produces ATP and other signaling molecules, which stimulate the immune cell's response and inhibit the reproduction of bacteria thereby promoting the completion of the inflammatory response and slowing down inflammation.
- Reduce swelling
Photobiomodulation enhances cellular oxygen transport capacity, improves blood microcirculation, accelerates the discharge of toxic substances, accumulates fatigue substances and aging wastes such as lactic acid, accelerates the absorption of exudates, and promotes the recovery of swelling areas.
- Reduce pain
Red light therapy can be effective in reducing neuropathic pain and altering inflammatory processes associated with injury. Data from animal research studies and clinical trials provides insights into multiple potential mechanisms for treating acute and chronic pain. When the affected area was irradiated with red light therapy, β-endorphins and nitric oxide increased in animals. These changes at the cellular level work together to slow down the onset of the pain response.
- Rapid healing
The photobiomodulation reaction can also activate the cell differentiation ability of pluripotent stem cells, and the targeted differentiation into cells required in damaged tissues accelerates the repair of damaged sites. At the same time, it improves the activity of immune cells such as macrophages and white blood cells, removes pathogens, and promotes the healing of affected (burn) areas.
How can animals use red light therapy efficiently and safely?
- Consult with the veterinary doctor to confirm the status of the disease and the therapy protocol.
- Choose the right devices that have the appropriate wavelength of 630–850 nm for healing.
- Before applying to the animal skin, clean the surface thoroughly to prevent contamination and facilitate rapid wound healing.
- To avoid any side effects of red light therapy, adhere to the recommended treatment frequency, duration (5–20 minutes per session), and distance from the device. (larger treatment areas need devices to be positioned farther away, while smaller treatment areas need devices to be positioned closer )
- Schedule regular checkups with a veterinarian to keep track of progress in animal symptoms or any adverse effects.
Animal response to the use of red light therapy
If you're planning to take your animal with an acute or chronic illness to have a red light therapy, be prepared to do it a few times. Based on research testing, the initial treatment frequency and time interval may be high or short depending on the disease and can be adjusted slowly in the later stage.
- For acute problems such as superficial wounds, burns, dermatitis, and postoperative incision healing, the results can be seen in a day or two after treatment.
- For chronic diseases,you have to be patient if you want to achieve the desired results. If an animal has arthritis, for example, it's likely that the animal has been sick for several years before receiving treatment, so you know that it's not going to be noticeable in a day or two. Many animals with chronic diseases may need at least five or six treatments if they want to have relatively obvious results.
Bestqool's red light therapy safety for animals
As the most cutting-edge treatment method in the development of veterinary medicine, Bestqool red light therapy has been recognized and trusted by animal owners for its unique physiotherapy efficacy and the advantages of healing. Despite this, the issue of safety has always been a top concern for users. Red light therapy is safe and non-invasive for animals. During treatment, there may be some gentle heating, but when used appropriately, it does not cause any pain and is usually quite soothing to the animal. Red light can only cause adverse effects on the eyes if the light is too intense and is used for extended periods. Although most animals, like dogs, horses and cats, can't perceive red light, they can still detect changes in brightness intensity, so it is appropriate to put goggles or shields on animal eyes. Additionally, red light therapy does not cause cancer in animals, and research has shown its potential therapeutic effect in reducing animal cancers.
References
[1] Trevisan, E. S., Martignago, C. C. S., Assis, L., Tarocco, J. C., Salman, S., Dos Santos, L., Liebano, R., & Tim, C. R. (2020). Effectiveness of Led Photobiomodulation Therapy on Treatment With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Rat Study. American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, 99(8), 725–732. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHM.0000000000001408
[2] Gupta, A., Dai, T., & Hamblin, M. R. (2014). Effect of red and near-infrared wavelengths on low-level laser (light) therapy-induced healing of partial-thickness dermal abrasion in mice. Lasers in medical science, 29(1), 257–265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-013-1319-0
[3] Oliveira, P. C., Meireles, G. C., dos Santos, N. R., de Carvalho, C. M., de Souza, A. P., dos Santos, J. N., & Pinheiro, A. L. (2008). The use of light photobiomodulation on the treatment of second-degree burns: a histological study of a rodent model. Photomedicine and laser surgery, 26(4), 289–299. https://doi.org/10.1089/pho.2007.2148
[4] Looney, A. L., Huntingford, J. L., Blaeser, L. L., & Mann, S. (2018). A randomized blind placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) on canine elbow osteoarthritis. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 59(9), 959–966.
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