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50 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, November 25, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 20, 2004 Medford veterinarian Russ Fugazzi prepares for exploratory surgery on Chance, a 12-year-old Labrador cross, in which he�ll use a surgical laser. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Laser surgery for animals Benefits include less post-operative pain and less bleeding By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune A thin wisp of smoke rises from the dog’s belly as Dr. Russ Fugazzi makes his incision. A tiny dot of intense red light shows the Medford veterinarian the focus point of his surgical laser. There’s no blood as he traces a line down the middle of the dog’s abdomen — just the faint scent of singed flesh as the dog’s skin parts. Lasers have been used for years to perform surgery on humans, but lately laser surgery has become an option for pets, too. At least one Medford veterinary hospital and two in Grants Pass now have surgical lasers. Animals get the same benefits from laser surgery as humans, says Fugazzi, who works at Orchard Hill Veterinary Hospital. There’s less bleeding, less post-operative pain and faster recovery. "One of the reasons we got the laser was to make our hospital as pain-free as possible," he says. Advertisement Orchard Hill uses a carbon-dioxide laser, which generates a beam of invisible infrared light by stimulating molecules of ordinary carbon dioxide. Water molecules in the cells absorb the intense light energy in sufficient quantity to vaporize the cells. The laser seals nerve endings as it cuts, which reduces the pain an animal feels after surgery. That makes it particularly useful for working in places where animals can lick their wounds, such as abdominal surgeries or neutering, Fugazzi says. "When there’s less pain, they leave it alone." Reducing the animals’ blood loss makes the veterinarian’s job easier, too, because the vet can see more of what he’s doing and there’s less time spent dabbing away blood. Along with reduced bleeding, there’s less of the swelling that accompanies many traditional surgeries. The chance of infection shrinks, too, because the laser’s high temperatures destroy microorganisms that could infect the incision. To use the laser, vets build on the technique they already know for using a scalpel. The machine’s power level can be adjusted to make a fine incision or cut away warts or tumors. The intense laser light requires some special precautions. Veterinarians have to drape wet cloths around the area where they’re working to protect the animal’s skin from the laser energy. Everyone who enters the operating room must wear glasses to protect their eyes from the laser beam. A small vacuum fan placed near the incision draws away the smoke as the laser burns. Like all new technology, the veterinary laser comes with a big price tag. Orchard Hill invested about $35,000 in its laser and charges an additional fee for pet owners who choose laser surgery over the traditional scalpel technique. (The surcharge starts at $55 and increases to as much as $125 depending on the complexity of each procedure.) "It costs a little more," Fugazzi says, "but it’s worth it." Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities