What is Laser Surgery?!
Laser surgery is an important tool in the treatment of skin cancer in horses, one of the most common types of cancer in our patients.
The surgical LASER (which stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) directs a highly concentrated, specific wavelength of light into tissue for the purpose of vaporizing and/or cutting away cancer cells.
What are the advantages compared to classical surgery techniques?
1) treatment of large tumors that are beyond the size safely addressed by resection/cutting
2) sealing of nerve ending in the tumor bed reduces pain
3) less risk for tumor spread from seeding tumor cells into the surrounding, normal tissue
4) improved infection rates
5) lower tumor recurrence rates.
What type of skin tumors does this treat?
The most common skin tumors that we treat are melanomas, sarcoids, and squamous cell carcinoma. Laser surgery can also help us preserve vision in horses with tumors on the cornea of the eye, tumors which would otherwise require removal of the eye.
Is this available at Roaring Fork Equine?
Yes! Both of our surgeons, Dr. Everett and Dr. Lamb, are experienced with this treatment technique and happy to help you decide if it is a good option for your horse!
As with all cancers, early identification and treatment are our best tools in keep horses happy and healthy.