Author: Makeit Great

Veterinarians are always on the lookout for novel technologies that will assist them in the treatment of animals in their care. Often, the latest treatments can be expensive, ineffective or traumatic for animals and their owners, making them unappealing on several levels.

Interested in offering hyperbaric oxygen treatment at your veterinarian clinic?
Call: 850-510-2781

Hyperbaric medicine is different. Unlike many traditional therapies, veterinary hyperbaric oxygen therapy can ameliorate a number of conditions without causing animals any distress or the use of invasive procedures.

What Is Oxygen Therapy For Pets?

Hyperbaric medicine for pets, sometimes called oxygen therapy, is a type of treatment that involves keeping the pet in a high-oxygen environment. The veterinarian places the animal in a special, transparent container and then switches on the system, changing the atmospheric composition from normal levels of oxygenation (around 20 percent), up to close to 100 percent.

Although it seems like a simple measure, it’s only recently that researchers have begun to recognize the real therapeutic potential of hyperbaric medicine. Animals with seemingly intractable health issues often improve with HBOT for pets. For some conditions, it can have almost miraculous effects.

Why Should Veterinarians Offer Hyperbaric Medicine For Pets?

It’s Doesn’t Cause Pets Distress
Manufacturers design hyperbaric animal chambers intending to give pets peace of mind. An animal hyperbaric chamber is a special device that reduces feelings of distress and helps the pet relax during treatment.

It Increases Trust Between Vets And Owners
If veterinarians can offer hyperbaric medicine for pets, they stand a better chance of helping animals recover from ailments and developing a deeper trust with their owners. Most owners don’t want their pets to undergo dangerous or risky procedures. If there’s a risk-free alternative, they’ll it. Veterinarian hyperbaric treatment is a low-risk alternative to traditional therapy.

It Is Often More Effective Than Standard Treatment
For many conditions and health problems, which we will discuss below, pet oxygen therapy is more effective than standard procedures. Pets and owners can see better results from this type of treatment than they would with regular medication or surgery.

What Does Hyperbaric Medicine For Pets Treat?

Since the 1940s, medical practitioners have used HBOT on divers who ascend too fast to the surface and experience decompression sickness. The idea was to get as much oxygen as possible into the blood and displace other more dangerous gases. But over time, new research has found that this specific therapy can treat a wide variety of conditions in both humans and animals.

Here are some of the common conditions that veterinarians can treat using oxygen therapy.

• • Swelling. Swelling is a healing mechanism that animals use to protect damaged tissue and supply the site of injury with nutrients required for repair. However, for some injuries, such as crush injuries and post-operative, the swelling can be a hindrance to recovery. Clinical observation suggests that the benefits of injury recovery with hyperbarics for pets is substantial. The increased oxygenation of the blood helps to open up blood vessels, reduce swelling and enable healing factors to travel to the site of injury. Animals tend to recover much faster when in hyperbaric therapy because of the treatment’s ability to spur the growth of new blood vessels to supply the wound with the raw materials it needs for recovery.

• Smoke Inhalation. Animals exposed to fire and smoke can benefit from hyperbaric medicine for several reasons. First, an animal exposed to smoke may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide binds to the hemoglobin in the blood, preventing it from picking up the oxygen that the animal needs for normal respiration. If left untreated, the animal can suffocate and suffer brain damage. Oxygen chambers at one-to-three times sea-level air pressure help to force more oxygen into a pet’s red blood cells, ensuring that they get enough oxygen as the CO leaves their system. Pet oxygen chambers can also be ideal for when a pet is suffering from fire-induced thermal injury, hydrogen cyanide poisoning, or neurologic damage.
• Pancreatitis. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be able to help pets that are suffering from pancreatitis, a condition in which the digestive enzymes released by the pancreas begin to exert their effect before entering the intestines.
• Near-Drowning. When an animal has been underwater, unable to breathe, for a considerable period, it’s vital to help establish oxygen levels as quickly as possible. Pet oxygen chambers do this by calming the animal and increasing the amount of oxygen available to their cells.
• Wounds That Don’t Want To Heal. Sometimes, when there is restricted blood flow, injuries do not heal. Blood cannot get to the affected area on the pet’s body, preventing the normal healing process. Oxygen therapy, however, can be an effective way to restore blood supply and kickstart the healing process. A regular schedule of treatment can soon restore blood flow and help the animal towards a faster recovery.

Why Is Pet Oxygen Therapy So Powerful?

Researchers offer several explanations for why pet oxygen therapy is such a potent intervention.

One of the primary mechanisms appears to be the anti-inflammatory effect. Evidence suggests that a high-pressure, high-oxygen environment upregulates genes associated with fighting inflammation and downregulates those that create it. Lower inflammation leads to less swelling which, in turn, allows more of the healing factors to reach the site of injury.

A second mechanism is the increased blood flow to the affected tissue. As blood becomes more oxygenated and oxygen tension increases, it gets easier for it to deliver healing factors to the affected site and begin the recovery process. In some injuries, especially trauma and crush injuries, blood flow can be cut off. But with hyperbaric treatment and better blood oxygenation, there’s a greater ability for particles to diffuse into the affected tissues.

Veterinarians who are serious about hyperbaric therapy should investigate veterinary hyperbaric chamber for sale. Access to a pet oxygen chamber allows veterinary practices to offer superior treatment to pets, giving owners more options over which treatment their animal receives.

Veterinarians are always on the lookout for novel therapies that can help the animals under their care recover from trauma and disease. One such innovation is the hyperbaric pet oxygen chamber, a device that has surprising efficacy in assisting animals in returning to health following injury, accidental ingestion of food, problems with the lungs and even skin ailments.

Interested in offering hyperbaric oxygen treatment at your veterinarian clinic?
Call: 850-510-2781

What Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a well-established and scientifically proven therapy for dealing with a wide range of medical conditions. Historically, doctors have used it to treat patients with decompression sickness — a condition affecting divers who return to the surface too quickly. However, in recent years vets have discovered its usefulness in treating a range of conditions experienced by animals in their care.

The way hyperbaric medicine works is simple. The vet places the affected animal inside a chamber filled with oxygen. Special machinery then increases the pressure in the chamber to around three atmospheres – or three times the pressure at sea level. The animal then remains in the chamber for the duration of the treatment, usually around two hours.

The Benefits Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Pets

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT has assumed an ever-expanding role in modern medicine practices-for both humans and pets. In veterinary medicine, hyperbaric oxygen therapy continues to demonstrate its effectiveness in primary and adjunctive care. It offers significant medical benefits through enhanced wound healing, improved infection control, and preservation of damaged tissues; plus several more. It also helps alleviate the growing number of complicated, expensive or otherwise hopeless medical problems.

It Improves The Supply Of Oxygen To Affected Tissues

It is important to note that the benefits of HBOT result from an oxygen-enriched bloodstream and not from the oxygen’s direct contact with the wound. The addition of oxygen into the blood increases the oxygen diffusion distance from the functioning capillaries in a hyperfocused wound to cause stimulation of growth resulting in wound healing. Using a pressurized oxygen chamber to treat an animal helps improve the flow of oxygen to different parts of a pet’s body and dramatically elevates the amount of oxygen delivered to the body’s tissues by the blood.

It Can Treat A Wide Range Of Conditions

Over recent years, the use of HBOT in clinical use has progressed causing it to be an advantageous form of medicine.
It offers a copious amount of advantages to veterinarians and their patients including a growing number of allowed treatable indications. Such as peripheral neuropathies, pancreatitis, inflammatory diseases, snake bites, and many more. For an extensive list of permitted indications, please visit our About HBOT page or click here: http://bit.ly/SiVetHealth

Pet Oxygen Chamber Treatments are Affordable

Not only is HBOT a rapid and effective treatment, but it is also remarkably affordable compared to many conventional procedures. In comparison to surgery or more complicated treatments, HBOT is inexpensive, easy and straightforward. Animals are merely placed in a pressurized container with a blanket and allowed to recover. For comparison, it is no more expensive than acupuncture or laser treatments.

It Is Relaxing For The Animals

Unlike many procedures, HBOT chambers provide pets with a relaxing and peaceful environment. Many of them enjoy the treatment. Also, Sechrist’s hyperbaric oxygen chambers are made with a clear acrylic cylinder and come with clear modules for easy monitoring. The clear acrylic of both the chamber and module aids in keeping an animal calm and collected by allowing them to see their surrounding environment and the technician seated outside the chamber.

It Can Speed Up The Healing Process

One way a pet oxygen chamber works is by speeding up the process of healing. The chamber completes this process by increasing the amount of oxygen running through the animal’s body to help deliver vital nutrients to cells. Cells then use the additional oxygen to go about their repair processes, ensuring that the animal heals quicker.. Extra oxygen encourages the release of growth factors and stem cells that make the healing process faster.

Should You Use HBOT For The Pets In Your Care?

Considering HBOT has a growing number of indications for clinical use and decreases the time it takes or an animal to heal, a veterinarian can increase the number of animals they treat. Making an HBOT chamber a very viable investment choice for one’s practice.

For many animal owners, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is far more preferable to other forms of treatment, such as surgery. Just like people, it can take pets many weeks, if not months, to recover after going under the knife. HBOT can potentially negate the need for surgery or could help surgical wounds heal quickly and naturally.

Many veterinarians today are considering HBOT for their clients due to the many benefits it provides to both pets and their owners. Plus SV500 hyperbaric animal chambers have a dual purpose ICU functionality that allows you to deliver both hyperbaric oxygen therapy and enhanced O2 oxygen therapy at ambient pressure. It is operator friendly with indicators and operational flexibility. Furthermore, the installation of HBOT systems is easy. A trained technician installs the chamber with the provided adapters and hoses while maximizing space by conveniently locating all connections in the back of the chamber.

Increased Pressure Leads To Anti-Inflammatory Gene Expression

Leading the list of HBOT benefits is the effect higher pressures have on the genome. When vets expose animal tissue to higher pressures, it induces changes in the epigenome, down regulating inflammatory genetic expression — resulting in a critical synergistic therapeutic method for reducing inflammation. This reduction in inflammation has implications for treating animals with both trauma and pathogen-caused disease.

Better Oxygen Delivery To Trauma Sites And Injuries

When trauma or crush injury occurs, there can be a reduction in blood flow and swelling to the area. By placing pets in an HBOT chamber breathing 100% oxygen, veterinarians can increase oxygen tension levels by 10 to 20 times that of normobaric oxygen breathing. This level increase in oxygen tension allows for faster and better healing of the animal.

Rapid Removal Of Carbon Monoxide From Blood Cells

Pets can suffer carbon monoxide poisoning just like people. When carbon monoxide poisoning happens, it’s vital to unbind the CO molecule from the red blood cells as fast as possible. Evidence suggests that HBOT may help this process by rapidly removing carbon monoxide molecules from hemoglobin and deliver dissolved oxygen via plasma.

Reduction In Toxin Formation By Gangrene Pathogens

Lastly, HBOT appears to inhibit the ability of the gangrene causing pathogen that prompts the release of deadly toxins. Pets, therefore, undergoing HBOT treatment may benefit from being placed in an oxygen chamber.

As chamber technology advances and HBOT treatments gain notoriety vets must expand their knowledge on potential indications. Staying up to date can help give animal patients the best possible care by providing access to the finest treatments on the market.

With the application of HBOT treatments in both clinical and adjunctive care, veterinary medicine is only going to improve further and develop.

Shouldn’t your practice be at the forefront of hyperbaric medicine?

Many dogs eat their food too fast, so it’s not surprising that food aspiration can be a potential problem for the average household pet. Aspiration is generally the result of materials such as food or gastrointestinal contents being inhaled into the animal’s lungs, causing the lungs to become inflamed or irritated. Breathing difficulties can result from this inhalation or irritation, causing an excessive amount of fluid and mucus to accumulate in the pet’s lower airway. This potentially life-threatening problem has led us to study the benefits of using HBOT for pets (or “hyperbaric oxygen therapy”) as a solution. HBOT has shown it can significantly improve the condition of animals who are suffering from food aspiration associated issues.

Call: 850-510-2781

How HBOT can help

While HBOT may often be automatically associated with humans, it’s important to bear in mind there are many potential applications for pets, including in the improvement of food aspiration symptoms. HBOT uses pure oxygen, maintaining an ambient temperature exceeding standard atmospheric pressure. Generally speaking, the air will rise up to three times that of normal air pressure boosting the amount of oxygen carried by the blood. This increase in blood oxygen level helps to fight infections, promotes healing and restores blood gases to normal levels.

How HBOT is implemented

While it is easier to encourage a human to inhale pure oxygen, it can be more challenging to do so with an animal. Therefore a clinics staff ensures their safety by making sure to follow certain precautions. Before any animal HBOT treatment takes place the animal is tested, ensuring a normal body temperature. Any increase can result in an excessive amount of oxygen which can prove to be toxic. Next, is the removing of any metal touching the animal and reducing the risk of static shock by placing them in the chamber wet. Once in a chamber, therapy begins, and the animal naturally breathes in purified and pressurized air from their surroundings.

A Practical Case of HBOT in the management of food aspiration associated issues

While HBOT for pets is a relatively new therapy, it has seen proven success as an adjunctive medicine. Take the following case study as an example. A 5-week-old female puppy was presented after it was discovered in respiratory arrest immediately after accidental ingestion of a large piece of dry dog food kibble. The owner cleared the oral cavity with her finger then performed chest compressions until the puppy began spontaneous respirations. The puppy was dyspneic, tachypneic, and cyanotic on presentation, and had increased pulmonary bronchovesicular sounds in all lung fields. Admitting radiographs revealed non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

The puppy was placed in the Sechrist SV500 HBOT Chamber, and Hyperbaric Assisted Oxygen resuscitation was initiated. The puppy was initially treated with one hour of HBOT at 2.0 ATA, then transitioned to 50% oxygen at sea level pressure (“free flow”). After a 4-hour period in free flow, the puppy was given another HBOT session at 2.0 ATA for one hour. The puppy’s respiratory rate and effort gradually normalized, and follow up thoracic radiographs revealed marked improvement in the pulmonary infiltrates.

Over the following 24 hours, the puppy was treated with two more HBOT sessions, and transitioned back to room air, 21%, free flow at sea level pressure.

Sechrist Veterinary chambers allow for the treatment of patients in both HBOT and free flow mode. Therefore, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy under pressure and Hyperbaric Assisted Oxygen Resuscitation can be achieved in a single unit, with IV infusion access through door ports.

In China, HBOT is approved for use in acute respiratory distress syndrome in human medicine.
(Reference: Jain, KK, Textbook of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, 6th Edition, 611-613)

Alternative uses for HBOT

As you can see, hyperbaric medicine as an adjunctive medicine for pets can prove extremely useful, and it’s not all too surprising that its popularity is on the rise. It can promote recovery in a wide variety of conditions, including the treatment of infected wounds, snake bites, many forms of inflammation, joint pain, arthritis, etc. With relatively few risks it can also be a preferable alternative to invasive surgery for pet owners and veterinarians alike. Since the study of HBOT is expanding and people have become more familiar with its benefits, it has the opportunity to grow increasingly prevalent in veterinary medicine!

One of the main uses for hyperbaric treatment in animals is the ability to reduce swelling and speed healing in animals. Many describe the treatment as comfortable and relaxing for the animal. Inside the chamber, pets can rest or sleep on a soft blanket while breathing in pure oxygen. As the oxygen flows through the pet’s bloodstream, it can aid in the reduction of swelling and help to heal wounds.

The animals are completely relaxed during the process with no stress, and the average treatment time is often between 1 to 2 hours. It’s usually repeated twice a day and will continue until improvement is seen by veterinarians. As soon as an animal shows signs that they are recovering, the use of hyperbaric oxygen chamber stops.

The Use of Hyperbaric Treatment for Animals

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers are essentially pressured tubes or rooms where hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be offered to animals. We have your dog oxygen chamber for sale. This is a relatively old treatment technique that has been used in human medicine for many years to treat a variety of conditions such as air bubbles in blood vessels (known as arterial gas embolism), carbon monoxide poisoning, crushing injuries or even gangrene.

The way a hyperbaric oxygen chamber works is actually fairly simple. The air pressure is built up to three times greater than normal levels which cause the lungs to collect up to three times more pure oxygen than what is possible when breathing normally. This means that pure oxygen travels around the body via the bloodstream, encouraging the release of growth factors and stem cells that can assist in the healing process.

Advantages of using hyperbaric treatment for animals include:

• Fast and effective treatment of conditions such as joint pain, arthritis and muscle strain within just a few days
• Animals show early signs of recovery from a wide variety of conditions
• Is no more expensive than an acupuncture schedule or topical laser treatments
• Is more accessible and comforting for the pet as opposed to supplements or surgery
• Animals will be very comfortable throughout the entire process and be allowed to rest and relax
• Greatly speeds up the healing process and eliminates the need for invasive procedures

A Practical Case of Hyperbaric Treatment

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy isn’t an idea or a theory but something that has been actively used before. In fact, many veterinarians have already successfully used hyperbaric oxygen therapy as part of their practice with great results to show. A great example is the case of Tully, a 9-year-old labrador retriever that was under the care of Dr. Hitt.

Tully experienced bad elbows and hips and after just two treatments, the veterinarian noticed less arthralgia. Tully has a past of being anxious and doesn’t sit well with regular medication and when reacting to stress, it can be difficult for the veterinarian to calm him down. One of the advantages of hyperbaric treatment is that it doesn’t involve medication but instead, allows the animal to relax and fall asleep while the oxygen courses through their bloodstream and encourages their body to heal itself.

Due to the chambers recent installation, Dr. Hitt’s use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is still in its infancy. Aside from 9-year-old Tully, Dr. Hitt has treated five felines with issues ranging from ineffective erythropoiesis (a form of non-regenerative anemia) to chronic Toxoplasmosis Microgranulomas, which resulted in a chronic inflammatory response. In fact, one of the cats treated had neurologic symptoms and hyperbaric oxygen therapy was offered as a last chance to treat her symptoms before she would be euthanized. The cat’s symptoms did improve and she is experiencing a good quality of life again. While Hyperbaric oxygen therapy isn’t the only reason that she improved, its use definitely played a major role in her recovery.

While Dr. Hitt has seen many advantages to using hyperbaric oxygen therapy, it may be difficult convincing a wider range of veterinarians to adopt it as a treatment option due to it being an unfamiliar process. Perhaps in a few years, the treatment will become more widely available, but for now, it may remain as a relatively unknown treatment option that both pet owners and veterinarians.

Accidents in hyperbaric therapy are rare as long as the right safety processes and procedures are used. With proper training, a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is as safe as any other veterinary treatment equipment with no side effects. The goal is to introduce more oxygen into the system which ultimately allows the body to heal faster with natural methods.

Do Veterinarians Need Hyperbaric Treatment for Animals?

A animal hyperbaric chamber is an option that provides many unique benefits that will ultimately give veterinarians more options when treating animals. Hyperbaric treatments are very comfortable for the pet, they don’t put as much strain on the parties involved and they’re also no more expensive than popular treatment options such as topical lasers and supplements.

In terms of accessibility and peace of mind for the animal, the owner and even the veterinarian, it’s a far better solution than the alternatives such as invasive surgery. Many veterinarians that have used hyperbaric oxygen therapy have nothing but praise for the solution and it will likely grow in popularity due to the savings it can offer and also the effectiveness of treatment. Veterinarians need to offer hyperbaric treatments as an alternative to medication and surgery especially if the pet in question has a poor history of reacting to those two forms of treatment.

Snake bites are a serious concern for pets and pet owners alike, with the potential to cause life-threatening complications. Thankfully, treatment for snake bites has been increasingly successful, , especially with the introduction of groundbreaking hyperbaric animal chambers that can effectively help to promote healing. To find out more about snake bites in pets, and the treatment methods available, please continue reading below.

Signs of snake bites in pets

There is no way to prevent snake bites in pets entirely – even if your pets are indoors 24/7, there is always a potential for a snake to find its way inside your property and encounter your pet. As a result, pet owners are advised to be aware of the signs and symptoms of snake bites at all times.

Unfortunately, identifying the signs that your pet has been bitten by a snake is often easier said than done. No two snakes are alike; the severity of the bite even within the same species is influenced by the size and maturity of each individual snake. What’s more, bites sustained in summer – when snakes are first emerging from hibernation – can be more severe than bites sustained at other times of the year.

However, while the fact that snake bites can vary significantly makes it more challenging for pets to identify a potential snake bite, there are a few points to keep in mind:

• Swelling. Swelling will usually occur at the location of the bite. In particular, any swollen areas on the head and lower limbs should be a cause for immediate concern.
• Dilated pupils. Your pet’s pupils will often dilate as a result of a snake bite and not contract in response to light.
• Weakness. If your pet is struggling to remain upright or stumbling frequently, this could be a sign of a bite.
• Vomiting. There are numerous reasons your pet may vomit, but if your pet has been outside recently and otherwise seemed well, sudden onset vomiting may indicate a potential snake bite.
• Shaking or twitching. Shaking or twitching of the limbs or head can also indicate a recent bite.
• Paralysis or loss of consciousness. While it is unlikely your pet will become paralyzed or lose consciousness in the immediate aftermath of a snake bite, there is a chance these symptoms may develop a few hours after the bite occurs.

What to do if your pet has been bitten by a snake

If your pet is showing any signs of a snake bite, then your next step is simple: take your pet to a veterinarian immediately, even if they otherwise seem well. Home remedies are not a reliable choice for snake bites, so always seek professional attention as soon as possible.

Upon arriving at your vet’s office, your pet will undergo an assessment to try and ascertain the severity of the bite. At this point, antivenoms may be prescribed and administered if required.

However, antivenoms are an immediate treatment, designed to prevent the venom causing further harm to your pet. As a result, antivenoms are not suitable for long-term treatment and management of recovery. In order to facilitate healing, you may want to consider hyperbaric oxygen treatment for animals.

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy – commonly abbreviated as “HBOT” – has long been a beneficial health treatment for humans, with advancements in medicine, hyperbaric technology is now a viable option or pets as well.

HBOT is a relatively simple idea that has nevertheless been shown to be hugely effective. The therapy is designed to stimulate the natural healing processes by allowing an individual – or animal using HBOT for pets – to inhale 100% oxygen. HBOT is delivered in a sealed, high-pressure chamber,allowing your pet to rest comfortably without the need to wear a mask during treatment.. Instead, they are safely secured inside a hyperbaric animal chamber, and can then lie down and breathe normally. Furthermore, the fact that the chambers are see-through allows the pet to be viewed and monitored at all times during the treatment, which helps to ensure both treatment efficacy and comfort for your pet.

How hyperbarics is saving pets

HBOT for pets has been proven to be incredibly beneficial for a range of health conditions, including – but not limited to – the following:

• Feline polyradiculoneuritis
• Baclofen toxicity
• Canine pancreatitis
• Thermal burns
• Septic peritonitis
• Tooth root abscesses
• Delayed wound healing
• Severe tissue trauma…
• … and many more

Importantly, HBOT for pets has also been shown to help resolve injuries caused by snake bites.

Rusty’s case study: HBOT for a rattlesnake bite

Rusty, a Jack Russell terrier, was initially treated with antivenom and plasma for a rattlesnake bite at an emergency care center. Rusty had developed a severe swelling at the site of the bite below his neck. At first, surgical options were considered, until Rusty’s owner requested a second opinion. This second opinion led to Rusty being referred for HBOT; within three days of treatment, the swelling had almost entirely vanished.

Rusty’s case demonstrates the benefits of injury recovery with hyperbarics for pets. Without HBOT, Rusty’s snake bite would have resulted in a long process of surgical recovery in addition to the initial antivenom treatment he received. However, thanks to HBOT for pets, Rusty was able to recover quickly and effectively without the need for further intervention.

How can you access veterinarian hyperbaric treatment for snake bites?

While HBOT for pets has been shown, on numerous occasions, to be hugely advantageous for pets, hyperbaric animal chambers are not yet widespread. You, therefore, may need to travel to a specialist vet to access the treatment. Alternately, you may wish to discuss hyperbarics and the potential for hyperbarics with your vet, refer them to Sechrist Veterinary Health for more information.

In conclusion

If your pet sustains a snake bite, seeking immediate veterinary assistance is always recommended. After initial antivenom treatment, it is well worth pursuing options for veterinarian hyperbaric treatment. As Rusty’s case demonstrates, HBOT for pets can help avoid the need for further surgeries, and allow your pet to get back to their best as soon as possible.

Alex, is a super sweet Golden Retriever that presented to South Paws for acute paresis in his pelvic limbs. The owner reports that the signs were very sudden and that they did not witness any type of trauma or accident. On presentation, he was a nonambulatory, upper motor neuron, paraparetic and had no movement in his back legs. Pain sensation in both the lateral and medial dermatomes was present, but severely diminished, indicating a serious cord injury. After talking with the owners, I explained that he had suffered a significant spinal cord injury and that he would require a CT examination. Interestingly, on his CT exam, he showed evidence of a large, compressive, intervertebral disc at T8-10. Golden Retrievers as a breed do not commonly suffer from intervertebral disc disease. Additionally, intervertebral disc disease at this location is considered rare even in breeds that are predisposed to IVDD.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments for Animals

Alex was more than 110 pounds. I prepared the owner for a long and difficult recovery. It was explained that he would require both surgical decompression of the disc material, preconditioning and postoperative hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and finally physical therapy. This would be a complete approach to his treatment plan and give him the best chance of being able to walk again. I explained that this would be a long, hard journey for him to undergo, but that I thought with his strong will, he would be able to recover in time.

Preoperatively, Alex underwent 3, preconditioning hyperbaric oxygen treatments. He was taken to surgery and a hemilaminectomy procedure was performed to remove the extruded disc material in his spinal canal. At the time of surgery, there was significant bruising and swelling of the cord. After surgery, Alex still remained unable to move his legs but did have improved sensation to his pelvic limbs. Postoperatively, we continued with a series of 7 hyperbaric oxygen treatments. At the end of 7 days, he was able to stand up and began to take a few steps with assistance. He has continued in physical rehabilitation and is now able to walk on his own unassisted by 10 days postop. (See the video)

Intervertebral disc disease is a condition in which a degenerated disc is able to extrude material into the vertebral canal. In most cases there are 2 parts to this injury. The first part of the injury is caused by the concussive effects of the disc hitting the spinal cord. This leads to severe compromise of the blood supply to the cord, severe bruising, and edema. The second part of the injury includes the large amount of compressive material that pushes on the spinal cord and nerve roots causing pain, disruption of blood supply, and neuronal death. Surgery is aimed at removing the compressive disc material from the spinal canal. Hyperbaric oxygen is indicated to address the bruising, edema, and swelling associated with the spinal cord. HBOT treatments given preoperatively and postoperatively, also help prevent and address any reperfusion injury after decompression of the cord. The addition of hyperbaric oxygen shortens our patient’s hospital stay, leads to a faster recovery of motor function and voluntary urination, and increases the prognosis for return to ambulation.

How long have you been in this industry and what caused you to pursue a career in it?

I have been a veterinary surgeon for over 18 years in practice. I underwent a residency in small surgery at Virginia Tech and became board-certified by the ACVS in 2006. After practicing for a few years at another practice, we started South Paws Veterinary Surgical Specialists and quickly became a leader in veterinary small animal surgery, regenerative medicine, and veterinary rehabilitation. I was first introduced to hyperbaric medicine in 2016. Very quickly I was amazed at what a benefit it was to our post surgical patients and patient rehabilitation.

What made you decide to use Hyperbarics on animals?

In 2015, I read a book entitled “Oxygen Revolution“, by Dr. Paul Harch, a leading expert in the field of human hyperbaric medicine. I was really impressed by how many neurological conditions he was using hyperbarics for and how many of those applications could be easily be applied to animals in the same way. Interestingly, after reading Dr. Harch’s bio, I learned that he lived only about 30 minutes away from South Paws. I invited him out to the clinic and we discussed hyperbaric medicine at length. He was very encouraged and supportive of our pursuit of hyperbaric medicine in veterinary patients. After our discussion, I was very convinced that HBO therapy could be implemented into the treatment plans for most of our surgical and rehabilitation patients.

Was it difficult to get set up with Hyperbarics? Can you help us dispel the myth?

Implementation of hyperbarics in the veterinary practice is very easy to do. One of the most critical first steps is education and understanding how hyperbaric medicine works. This is a long-standing treatment that has thousands of research articles proving its benefit. The United States military is one of the leading researchers in this medical modality for over 60 years. There are several hyperbaric medicine textbooks in human medicine, that are purely dedicated to this medical specialty. Additionally, there is a board certification specialty for hyperbaric medicine on the human side. Once there is a good understanding of how HBO therapy benefits our veterinary patients, the decision to use it in practice becomes very easy.

The second step is choosing an appropriate chamber, that is large enough to treat all sizes of animals in your practice. The Sechrist SV500 hyperbaric animal chamber is a perfect choice compared to other chambers on the market. It is large enough to treat multiple patients at the same time and has the ability to treat animals as large as 180-200 pounds. Additionally, visualization in this chamber is excellent and patient monitoring is very easy. Another huge plus to the Sechrist chamber is the ability to run IV fluids and perform ECG monitoring while the patient is in the chamber. I also love that this chamber has the ability of dual function, so that it can operate as both a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and a free flow oxygen cage. This is ideal for veterinary practices where space may be limited. Additionally, the cost for a new Snyder Oxygen Cage can be as much as $15,000-$20,000. This adds a lot of value to the Sechrist chamber.

There is some build out that is required for oxygen management and chamber set up, however in most cases this is a fairly simple process. Additionally, a company like Sechrist can help provide all the contacts and organization for contractors, making the buildout simple.

Once the chamber is installed, marketing is very important to make your clients and referring veterinarians aware of the benefits, through education and demonstration of HBOT benefits. We provide both written and video materials to both new clients and our referral partners, so that they can quickly understand the benefits of hyperbaric medicine for their patients. In my experience, most clients are very eager to add this option as a part of their pet’s treatment plan. With good explanation of HBO benefits to the client, most are eager to have their pet undergo this therapy. It definitely has NOT been difficult to get owners on board with hyperbaric treatments.

When did you first start using Hyperbarics to treat animals?

We first started using hyperbarics in 2016. The first month we implemented it into our practice, we performed more than 80 treatments. Currently, we perform between 150-200 treatments per month.

What type of animals do you service, mainly dogs and cats? What are the largest animals you have put in the chamber?

Currently, in my practice, we treat both dogs and cats. A 189lbs Mastiff is the largest dog we have treated and would only fit in SV500. We have always been open to other animals that might benefit from hyperbaric oxygen. Currently we are talking to a group about possibly treating sea turtles.

What ailments do you currently treat? Inflammation, snake bites, etc.? pre-conditioning? Pancreatitis.

My rule of thumb in deciding what should be treated is based on 2 principles. The first, is there a inflammatory process? The second, is reperfusion injury likely in this condition? If either of those 2 questions are answered yes, then the current science and literature supports HBOT use. The basic science of how hyperbaric medicine works is invaluable in the treatment of these conditions.

Another important concept that both human and veterinary doctors have to understand, is that hyperbaric medicine is not meant to replace the traditional treatments we are currently performing in our practices. It is to enhance and complement what we are already doing! I have a saying when it comes to hyperbaric medicine, “we are healing, regenerating, and restoring… We are promoting faster returns to function.”

Currently, we treat all of our neurosurgical patients (typically both pre-and post surgery), including intervertebral disc disease, fibrocartilaginous embolism, spinal fractures, brain tumors, meningitis, GME, and vascular stroke. There are numerous articles in the literature supporting the use of hyperbaric oxygen in acute spinal cord injury.

In regard to our orthopedic patients, almost all of our patients undergo preconditioning hyperbaric oxygen. Preconditioning HBOT is performing 1-2 hyperbaric oxygen treatments prior to the patient’s surgery and 1-2 treatments postoperatively. This not only has anesthetic protective effects on the tissues, but greatly decreases the inflammatory process and reperfusion injury during surgical procedures. We have found that for our orthopedic patients, there is a significant decrease in limb edema, swelling, bruising and improved pain control. Most of the patient’s use their limb faster and have a quicker return to function. This preconditioning hyperbarics is an excellent addition to Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy surgery, Tibial Tuberosity Advancement procedures, fracture repairs, patella luxations, arthrodesis procedures, etc. There are also numerous articles showing the benefits of preconditioning hyperbarics in the human literature.

We also use hyperbarics for numerous general, soft tissue surgical procedures. This includes treatment for both gastric dilatation volvulus, intestinal foreign bodies, peritonitis, traumatic myocarditis, pancreatitis, skin and reconstruction (axial pattern flaps, skin grafts, transposition flaps), wound management, burn management, and in conjunction with stem cell/PRP treatments.

How has a hyperbaric chamber impacted your business? Has it increased your patient referrals? Has it increased your income?

A hyperbaric medicine service can greatly improve your business model. Not only is it a great medical tool that can improve patient outcomes and reduce patient morbidity, but it can also be a great revenue center for a veterinary practice. My recommendation to any practice owner that is interested in hyperbarics, is to purchase the chamber out right. While it might be attractive and less stressful to enter into a “pay per use” program, in my opinion, this will greatly hinder the HBOT service from being a profitable center for the practice. If the chamber can be purchased out right or even financed, financially the numbers will be much better for the practice than with a “pay per use” program.

However, with that said, for new or smaller practices where purchasing a chamber out right may not be feasible or where financing is not an option, the “pay per use” treatment plan is a GREAT way to get started with hyperbaric oxygen in their practice. Additionally, Sechrist offers one of the BEST pay per use treatment plans out their available to veterinarians. Not only are the per treatment costs low, but there is also a portion of each treatment that Sechrist puts towards the buyout of the chamber in the future. That is a great incentive for veterinarians that other manufacturers don’t offer!

Is your entire staff trained in using the chamber?

No, we currently have two CHT-Vs, both myself and Catherine. We have 2 more technicians going to the ATMO course in February, that will also become CHT-Vs. Besides that, we have 4 other RVTs that are trained and approved to use the chamber. We have 26 techs in total.

Is your entire staff trained in using the chamber?

No, we currently have two CHT-Vs, both myself and Cat. We also have 2 more techs going to the ATMO course in February, that will also become CHT-Vs. Besides that, we have 4 other RVTs that are trained and approved to use the chamber. We have 26 techs total.

What is your healing rate/ success rate in the use of hyperbarics?

Obviously, hyperbaric medicine has significantly improved our patient outcomes with both neurosurgical, orthopedic, and soft tissue injuries. Our clients love that their pets can have such state of the art care and also appreciate the extreme benefits they see in their pets when they return home. One example of where we have seen dramatic differences is in the treatment of intravertebral disc dogs that presented to us “deep pain negative”. The typical prognosis for these patients is that 50% will return to ambulation with surgical decompression. However, currently our patient collection has shown that 14\18 deep pain negative dogs (78%) recovered the ability to ambulate with surgery combined with preoperative and postoperative hyperbaric oxygen treatments. This is a considerable improvement over the well accepted prognosis for these patients.

What new things do you plan to do with the Sechrist Chamber that you couldn’t with your previous chamber? More animals at once? Patients on IV?

• One of the biggest things that I was impressed with the ability to monitor our patients while in the chamber.  The acrylic gives us full visualization at all times, versus having to look through small ports in a steel chamber.
• Additionally, having the option to treat with IV fluids and/or monitoring ECG is of huge benefit to our more critical patients.
• Previously, I was limited to the size of dog that we could treat.  About 100 pounds was the largest patient we could fit in the chamber.  However now, I’m able to treat patients as large as 200 pounds with no issues.
• Another huge benefit is the ability to treat multiple patients at one time.  We often have a lot of intervertebral disc dogs here in the hospital. We can treat 4 of these dogs, during one dive, which greatly improves the work flow efficiency, reduces the cost of treatment, and improves the bottom line.

Bio

New Orleans native Dr. Robert Hancock graduated from Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. He completed a one-year medicine and surgery internship at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2001 followed by a three-year surgical residency at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. He is certified in the TTA & TPLO procedures, Penn Hip, Kyon Cementless Total Hip Replacement, and Hyperbaric Veterinary Medicine. He is trained and certified in PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and BMAC (bone marrow aspirate concentrate) cell therapy with Companion Regenerative Therapies. Additionally, he is certified in Stem Cell Therapy through VetStem and Medivet.

Dr. Hancock’s areas of specialization include orthopedics and sports medicine, canine rehabilitation and pain management, orthopedic regenerative medicine, and hyperbaric medicine. He has a special interest in knee stabilization surgery (including TPLO and TTA procedures) as well as minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Hancock is published in a number of peer-reviewed veterinary journals and his research publication was awarded Best Clinical Research by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2005.

Additionally, Dr. Hancock fulfilled the rigorous requirements to earn board certification status by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2006. He is a member of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society, the Society of Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgeons, the American Canine Sports Medicine Association, the Veterinary Hyperbaric Medicine Society, and the North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Association. He is the owner, hospital director, and a practicing board-certified surgeon at South Paws Veterinary Specialists.

Dr. Hancock’s wife Jennifer, a Registered Veterinary Technician, is the head technician at South Paws Veterinary Specialists. They have a beautiful daughter named Madison.