So maybe you have heard of red light therapy, but did you know there are devices out there made specifically for animals?
I use Photonic Health, which has some amazing products and classes on light therapy specifically for horses and other animals like dogs! I started using their red light pen on my mare for her kissing spine and arthritis and am now using it on my senior mare and it does wonders in relaxing both their muscles and helping them move better!
For those of you who don't know what light therapy is, I will go over below some of the basics but there is a ton more information out there! So keep on learning!
How does red light therapy work?
If I tried to describe all the research and how it works I would end up with a scientific paper but I have done my best to give you a brief understanding!
Red light therapy is the use of of visible light within the wavelength range of 400-700nm. From research, they have shown that light emitted in this range helps relax muscles and increase blood flow in tissue, which is amazing! I use it immediately when I see my horse is off or I think an abscess is brewing and it helps the healing process move forward quicker!
Is the light always red?
Nope, there are actually a couple other visible light colors that you can use to help your animals!
Blue light is great for animals dealing with infections, liver issues, allergies, and other diseases since it helps hemoglobin molecules (which carry oxygen in the red blood cells) do their job better!
Green light is great for animals that are anxious or over stimulated since it has been shown to stimulate the production of melatonin that wonderful sleep hormone!
Is it safe for my animal?
Always reach out to your vet before starting light therapy to make sure it is safe for them. Animals that are prone to sunburn or rashes may not be suitable for light therapy. Or if your animal is on medicine or supplements that can cause photosensitivity, light therapy is not suitable.
Sometimes when first starting out, the effects of the light will feel intense on certain areas of your pet. So they may fidget or move around. If so just hover the light over the area instead of touching it directly with the light. Overtime, as your pet gets more comfortable, they will let you touch those areas with the light directly!
How do I use it?
The beauty of light therapy is you can use it right on areas that hurt or are in pain. Leave it there for a little bit and let it do its magic! Otherwise there is ton of information out there on how to use light therapy on animals using acupuncture points or to target certain issues!
How will I know it is working on my animal?
With my horses, when I leave the light on areas of issue, they get calm and I will see either blinking, licking, chewing, yawning, or passing of gas! From some of my friends with dogs, their dogs get very calm and will sit patiently as they use the light!
If you have a horse or dog with muscular issues I highly recommend getting a light from Photonic Health! I have had my light pen for 4 years now and it works the same as the first day I got it!
Check out Photonic Health for more information! And use code HCCloveslight to get $25 off on orders $200 or more!
And feel free to contact me for help or join my monthly Let's Talk Horse! support group!
Until then, stay bright!
Ashley