John Bradley, owner of Bradley Animal Hospital, is literally on the cutting edge of veterinary medicine.
Bradley's clinic, 935 E. 23rd St., is possibly the only veterinary practice in the Lawrence area offering laser surgery for pets.
Laser technology has been used to treat humans for the last 20 to 30 years, but it only recently has become available for companion animals like dogs and cats.
"It's so new. About 50 percent of our pet owners are choosing it as an option to conventional surgery. But that should go up as more people hear about it," Bradley said.
He bought the laser instrument for his clinic in October, attended three training workshops and has since performed dozens of procedures with it.
Surgical lasers like Bradley's typically cost $28,000 to $45,000, he said.
Bradley's clinic is the only veterinary hospital in Lawrence equipped with a surgical laser, according to AccuVet, the company that makes the instruments.
The advent of laser surgery represents a growing emphasis on pain management in veterinary medicine.
"We're using safer, better anesthetics, and we're doing much more to control pain," Bradley said. "Laser surgery was the logical next step for that."
A laser is a device that generates an intense beam of light that can cut, seal or vaporize tissue. The way a particular laser works is determined by the specific wavelength of light it produces.
Bradley has a carbon dioxide laser that produces an invisible beam of light, which vaporizes the water normally found in the skin and other soft tissue.
Because the veterinarian can precisely control the laser, only a thin layer of tissue is cut or removed, leaving the surrounding area unaffected.
Lasers can be used for numerous procedures on dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, horses and other exotic pets, according to AccuVet. Surgical lasers are used for a variety of treatments, such as spays, neuters, amputations and cat declawing; oral and dental procedures; mass (lump) removals; and dermatology.
Bradley offers laser surgery in several procedures. It typically costs $20 to $50 more than surgery using conventional instruments like scalpels.
Benefits of laser surgery include reduced pain, bleeding and swelling, Bradley said.
The laser seals nerve endings as it cuts, so pets are more comfortable after an operation. The laser also seals small blood vessels during surgery, speeding many procedures and lessening the time pets need to be under anesthesia.
What this means for pets is a reduced risk of infection, minimal effects on surrounding healthy tissue and a quick return to normal activities.
"Laser surgery makes practicing veterinary medicine fun," Bradley said.
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