This is my own dog, Daphne. We adopted her in February 2020 from Athens Canine Rescue as a 5 month old puppy. She had been a stray and seemed to have missed some crucial socialization windows as a puppy. She was extremely timid, but over the years she slowly relaxed and learned to (mostly) trust us. She is amazingly athletic; she runs like a gazelle, leaps over obstacles in her path, and obviously delights in movement.
Last Tuesday she suddenly showed signs of back pain. She yelped when she jumped on or off of the couch and stood trembling with her back hunched and her head down. She had had a similar episode last spring which resolved with crate rest and medication, so I got the crate out and started her on meds. (Sometimes it is convenient to be a vet.) For 2 days she seemed painful, then for a day she seemed almost back to normal. Unfortunately on Friday she took a turn for the worse and acted very painful again. Saturday morning she began knuckling over on her hind feet, and being unsteady on her hind legs (which we call ataxia). These are signs that spinal injury is progressing from pain to actual neurologic impairment. By the evening she could barely move her hindlimbs and we took her to the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine teaching hospital on emergency. She was admitted and watched on Sunday. She continued to worsen, and on Monday she had an MRI which showed extensive degenerative disk disease and, at L4-L5, disk extrusion with spinal cord compression. She had decompressive surgery Monday afternoon, started rehab on Tuesday, and came home on Wednesday. Here she is on Thursday (aka Day 1):
Boo had to have her right front leg amputated last year. She now walks with a pronounced head bob and her neck gets tight and sore. She loves having it lasered!
Therapeutic lasers (also known as cold lasers or low level lasers) are a new and growing part of veterinary medicine. They are different from surgical lasers, which cut tissue and have been used in veterinary medicine for a while. Surgical lasers and therapeutic lasers are two different kinds of Class 4 lasers, meaning they are both powerful enough to cause burns and damage vision. Where surgical lasers cut, though, therapeutic lasers decrease pain, increase blood flow, and speed healing.
Photons of light emitted by the laser unit can penetrate tissues for up to a few centimeters. They are absorbed by cells and cause changes at a subcellular level. These changes can decrease pain signals, stimulate tissue growth and repair, increase stem cell proliferation, and have anti-inflammatory effects similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids. For instance, laser-delivered photons of light can increase the cellular production of nitric oxide, which in turn can relieve pain, decrease swelling, and stimulate faster wound healing by signaling more blood vessels to grow to the injured area. There is even some evidence that laser therapy can help with neuropathic pain, which is generally harder to treat than other types of pain.
I can now provide laser therapy in your home! It can be used for chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis as well as for wound healing (after a trauma like a snakebite, fight wound, abscess, or road rash), surgical incisions, tooth extraction sites, infected ears, inflamed bladders, etc. It can’t be used on eyes, as the laser beam can damage vision, and the vet, owner, and pet should all wear safety goggles while the therapy is being administered. (If you haven’t seen your dog wearing Doggles, as the canine goggles are called, you are missing out!) Burns don’t occur unless the laser is held in one spot for an extended period of time, and I am trained not to do that. We usually don’t treat tumors with laser therapy as it theoretically can speed tumor growth. However, if the animal is in a hospice situation where we are no longer trying to cure the cancer but only keep the animal comfortable, laser therapy could be part of the pain control plan as long as the owners understand it could speed up the tumor’s growth.
One of the most attractive things about laser therapy is that it typically feels good to the animal. It usually takes 2-5 minutes to treat a given area (tight neck muscles, for example, or an arthritic hip, or a skin wound). During that time many animals go from tense to relaxed; some even fall asleep. Conditions on the surface (like skin wounds) may need just 1 or 2 treatments, where deeper and more chronic conditions (like arthritis) may need 2-3 treatments a week for several weeks before they provide a full benefit. At that point they can usually be tapered off to a more manageable maintenance schedule. I have observed, though, that some patients seem to feel better after just a single treatment.
Cleo having her knee lasered after surgery. I say that “The Doggles are the best part,” but really the pain relief and accelerated healing are the best part!
Dr. Fowler was recently a guest on episode 107 of the podcast Your Family Dog, hosted by professional dog trainers Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring. In this episode, the three women discuss hospice care, euthanasia, and the importance of supporting both owners and pets through the last stages of a pet’s life. If you’d like to listen to the discussion, click here.
When a pet’s quality of life can’t be kept good any longer, many owners choose euthanasia. I am always willing to help owners decide when it’s time, and when that moment comes I can help you say goodbye in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
When I arrive for an in-home euthanasia, I have you take care of paperwork at the beginning, so that then you can focus on your pet. I tell you in gentle but clear language what will happen in the appointment, so that you’re not left wondering what’s going on and what’s going to happen. I will gladly answer any questions you have and give you as much time with your pet, at all steps of the process, as you need.
When you’re ready, I will give your pet an injection of pain medications and sedatives. From your pet’s perspective, this one quick needle prick will be the worst part. These medications take effect gradually over 3-10 minutes. I will sit off to the side while your pet drifts to sleep gradually in your arms. Any pain or fear that your pet might be feeling should fade away, and your face will be the last thing they see. When these medications have taken full effect, your pet will be alive but unconscious, sound asleep and comfortable.
Once your pet is asleep and you’re ready, I put in a butterly catheter (a small IV) and gives the final medication. This is an overdose of anesthesia which will slow your pet’s heart until it stops. Your pet will be asleep the whole time and won’t feel it or be aware of it. It only takes 30 seconds to a minute.
After the euthanasia, you have several options for handling your pet’s body. I provide respectful bags, made for deceased pets, that can be used for transport or burial. You can bury your pet at home in Georgia, I can transport your pet to your regular vet for cremation, or I can have your pet cremated through Climbing Rose. For this service, Climbing Rose uses Athens Pet Cremation with the help of the Animal Wellness Center in Athens GA. If you choose cremation, you also choose whether you want to have your pet’s ashes returned to you or not. If you do, I will bring them to you once they’re ready (usually in about a week).
Dr. Kathy Fowler is deeply committed to helping all dogs and cats live comfortable lives. In addition to traditional medications, she offers in-home chiropractic care, rehabilitation, and hospice care.
Dr. Fowler has advanced training in animal chiropractic, which can help your pets move more easily. Animal chiropractic is likely to help any animal, young or old, athtletic or couch potato, healthy or ill. She also has post-doctoral training in rehbalitation (like physical therapy in humans), which can help animals recover quickly, smoothly, and fully from surgeries and injuries. Dr. Fowler also offers hospice care for terminally ill animals.
You can schedule appointments by calling or texting 706-489-0295 or by emailing climbingrosevet@gmail.com.
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