Laser Surgery

At Westbridge Veterinary Hospital, we are thrilled to have the capabilities for laser surgery, which has many benefits to our companion animals.

What are the primary benefits of laser surgery?

1. Decreased Bleeding: as the laser cuts, it seals off blood vessels, resulting in much less bleeding. In addition to decreased blood loss, it also keeps the surgical field clean for the surgeon, allowing them to better visualize what they are doing.
2. Decreased Swelling: in addition to sealing blood vessels, the laser also seals lymphatics – the vessels responsible for tissue swelling after injury. This results in less discomfort.
3. Decreased Sensation of Pain: the laser seals nerve endings, decreasing the sensation of pain at the incision.
4. Reduced Risk of Infection: this is one of the unique features of the CO2 laser beam – it efficiently kills bacteria in its path, producing a sterilizing effect at the incision, resulting in less postoperative infections.

In addition to all of the above benefits, the laser also offers significantly increased precision and control for the surgeon. The focal spot size of the beam may be adjusted down to a small fraction of a millimeter or expanded for a much wider coverage. The laser power may be set for rapid removal of relatively large tissue amounts, or adjusted to remove only one cell layer at a time. Please see the below video for some more examples of how this increased dexterity benefits your pet.