Additional Services

Congratulations Claire! Claire is now a Certified Veterinary Laser Therapist. Claire will be using the laser to treat pain, inflammation and infection. Call to schedule your pets’ physical exam to determine if the laser is right for them.

North Mankato Animal Hospital is proud to offer class IV laser therapy to our clients as a safe and effective treatment for cases of acute and chronic pain, inflammation and wound healing. Laser therapy can be used alone or in conjunction with treatment modalities, and has the benefit of being a drug free, non-surgical, safe means of providing lasting pain relief.

Laser therapy has been used in the US to treat humans for everything from sports injuries to rheumatoid arthritis. We are excited to provide this advanced technology to our canine and feline patients. Ask if your pet might benefit from this affordable, non-invasive, drug- free technology. Your pet will be glad you did!

Laser therapy uses light to penetrate tissue in a process called photostimulation. Laser therapy uses light energy to heal the body from within on a cellular level. Photons of light are gently streamed over the affected area. Studies have shown many clinical benefits including:

Reduced inflammation

• Laser therapy dilates the blood vessels and stimulates lymphatic circulation, helping to reduce inflammation.

Pain relief

• Laser therapy provides pain- killing or analgesic effects. It has a direct effect on nerve cells, including suppression of receptors that send pain signals to the brain. It also increases production of endorphins and enkephlins, which are natural pain-killers.
• Laser therapy stimulates activity within cells, resulting in increased oxygen, increased production of the energy molecule ATP(adenosine-triphosphate), and increased enzyme proction. These actions help tissue to heal more quickly and reduce the formation of scar tissue. Surgical incisions and other and other injuries benefit from treatment with laser therapy.

Laser Therapy and Pets

• Non-surgical, non- invasive
• FDA-Approved Since 2005
• Drug Free
• Works synergistically with pain medications
• No Sedation required
• No Adverse Effects
• Quick and convenient
• Immediate Results

What To Expect

No sedation is required for your pet’s laser treatments, which often have a calming effect on our patients. Depending on the condition being treated, most pets exhibit improvement in 12-24 hours. For most conditions we recommend a series of treatments each lasting 5-15 minutes. Some treatments take longer depending on the size of the area being treated.

Laser Therapy is particularly beneficial to cats who are sensitive to anti-inflammatories!

Benefits Of Laser Therapy

• Wound healing(including immediate post-surgery)
• Degenerative Joint Disease(Arthritis)
• Hip Dysplasia
• Back Pain
• Acute and Chronic Otitis
• Lick Granulomas
• Muscle, tendon and ligament damage
• Anal Gland Inflammation
• Gingivitis
• Periodontal disease(dental Problems)
• Lower Urinary Tract Disease
• Accelerates Fracture Healing

Our experienced team of veterinarians and veterinary technicians provides many services at our clinic, ranging from routine to advanced procedures. Although we handle the majority of your pet’s medical and surgical needs in-house, we occasionally refer patients to veterinary specialists or specialty clinics when advanced training or equipment will be beneficial.

Board-certified specialists, such as oncologists, ophthalmologists, and neurologists, have extensive experience and training in a particular area of veterinary medicine or surgery. Specialty clinics and university-affiliated referral centers have specialized equipment to perform procedures that are not routinely performed by general veterinary practitioners.

We make referral decisions because we want to ensure that our patients receive the highest standard of care and best possible outcome. Be assured that when we refer a patient to another hospital, we continue to stay involved with his or her care, consulting with the treating specialist and often providing any needed follow-up care and rehabilitation.

Imagine if your dog or cat got lost. You’d want to give him or her the best chance of getting home. With microchipping, you can.

Microchipping is a safe, permanent way to identify your pet in case he or she becomes lost. A microchip, which is a tiny device about the size and shape of a grain of rice, is placed just under the loose skin at the back of the neck. When a lost dog or cat without an ID tag is found, a veterinarian or veterinary technician will use a handheld microchip scanner to check for a chip. If the pet has one, it will transmit its ID number to the scanner via a low-frequency radio wave. The veterinary hospital or shelter then calls the chip manufacturer, retrieves the pet owner’s contact information, and calls the owner.

Even the most responsible pet owners can’t always guarantee their pet won’t get lost. A leash could break or slip out of your hand, a pet could push through a screen door or window, or a contractor or friend might accidentally leave a door or gate open.

We recommend that you use a microchip, along with a collar and ID tag, to identify your pet. An ID tag is still a reliable identification method. Pets that have tags with current contact information are more likely to not end up in shelters and tend to get home faster than those without tags. However, collars and ID tags aren’t permanent and can be removed (overnight or for grooming); pets can also lose them. With a microchip, your pet will have a much better chance of being identified and returned to you. Pets without microchips that end up in shelters may be adopted out to another family or even euthanized.

Please contact us to schedule an appointment to microchip your pet. Although we hope your pet never becomes lost, we want you to be prepared. We can also suggest a plan to have in place so if your pet does go missing, you’ll be able to act quickly.