Tag: Hyperbaric Animal Treatment

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) offers numerous benefits for pets with an array of medical ailments. It was originally developed for the treatment of decompression sickness in humans, but quickly became used in the treatment of many other conditions. HBOT delivers higher levels of oxygen to the body, which promotes healing by providing oxygen to tissues that are deprived of it. HBOT stimulates healing by administering oxygen to the body at higher levels to assist tissues that have less than normal levels.

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Promotes Faster Healing

As stated above, HBOT expedites the healing process through an increase in the amount of oxygen delivered to the tissues of a wound. With increased amounts of oxygen in their bloodstream an animal’s body is able to fight off infections faster, increase the growth of new tissue, and reduce the swelling and inflammation of wounds.

Hyperbaric medicine for pets promotes greater blood vessel formation and helps to preserve damaged tissues. It eliminates and reduces the effects of toxic substances, making it a useful treatment for anything from snake bites to gas gangrene and exposure to carbon monoxide. Difficult wounds that might struggle to heal on their own or l with other treatments can successfully be healed using veterinary hyperbaric oxygen therapy. By increasing the oxygen delivered to tissues and improving the efficiency of white blood cells, HBOT can promote healing in pets in ways that other treatments might not be able to.

Suitable for a Range of Ailments

Hyperbaric medicine can be used to treat a range of ailments and injuries. Some of the case studies that can be found on our Sechrist website, include positive outcomes for the treatment of vasculitis, rattlesnake bites, canine pancreatitis, and severe tissue trauma. Multiple studies have been and continue to be conducted examining HBOT’s effectiveness on an animal’s wound or injury.
Both injuries and illnesses can be treated with the use of HBOT for pets. A single session in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber can help with the healing of an animal’s wound,, however, multiple sessions are more likely to deliver a stronger benefit. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can provide an alternative treatment for some medical issues, sometimes helping to avoid the use of surgery or other invasive treatments, such as when treating a rattlesnake bite. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can also often help when other treatments have been unsuccessful.

Little to No Side Effects

Another benefit in HBOT relating to injury recovery, is the lack of side effects on the animal. In relation to other treatments HBOT tends to have very little problems, only a few have come up in the thousands of sessions that have been completed. They include, ear problems, barotrauma and visual disturbances. Pets can be watched closely after the treatment to determine if any illness appears. Some may benefit from follow-up treatments after therapy. The risk of side effects can be kept to a minimum through the proper administration of the treatment, such as accurate dosing and the duration of the treatment.

The lack of serious side effects can make the use of a hyperbaric animal chamber advantageous over other treatment options. Avoiding the use of surgery for a low-risk procedure can be incredibly beneficial to animals, particularly those that could be at a higher risk for complications during surgery.

Suitable for Pets of All Sizes

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be used to treat pets of various sizes. Everything from Horses, goats, cats and dogs have been treated using hyperbarics. .

The treatment, however, is most often used on cats and dogs, but can also be used in small animal medicine. The range of pet oxygen chambers for sale enables veterinarians to consider options that are suitable for a wide range of animals. Larger hyperbaric chambers can provide enough space for dogs and other large companion animals, and could even be useful for other less traditional pets. Some chambers can treat multiple patients at once to allow for the treatment of more than one animal at the same time. If you are seeking a veterinary hyperbaric chamber for sale, call Sechrist Veterinary Health at (888) 748-3801.

Offers Short and Long-term Treatment Possibilities

Veterinary hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help pets in just one or two sessions or across a number of sessions. Repeat treatment can provide the best benefits for many illnesses and injuries. Our case studies include treatment for a rattlesnake bite in a dog that required five sessions, one hour of treatment for four days in combination with standard supporting therapy for canine pancreatitis, and seven sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat a sciatic nerve lesion.

Repeated sessions of HBOT can provide a non-traumatic alternative to other treatments or can work in tandem with other types of treatment to treat illness and injury in pets. Hyperbaric specialists can determine the effective use of hyperbaric animal chambers and how many sessions might be necessary to treat a particular ailment.

Provides Treatment Where Others Might Fail

Veterinarians can offer hyperbaric medicine for pets in many cases when other treatments might not have been as effective as hoped. After trying other therapies and treatments, some pets might be referred for hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an alternative. In cases when treatment might even seem hopeless, HBOT can offer a viable alternative that produces results when no other treatment can. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can also help veterinarians to save money or can make treatment less complicated time-consuming.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy doesn’t always need to be a last resort treatment, yes, it can often help when other treatments aren’t successful, however, used alone can save time and money. Both valuable factors to consider when deciding on the best treatment plan for an animal.

HBOT offers a number of benefits for pets suffering from a range of ailments, providing both vets and pet owners with a viable treatment option.

We understand that new technology can be exciting, but also overwhelming; especially when used in veterinary surgery. However, we also know that the latest technologies can make a massive difference to a veterinary clinic.. One of the most significant medical breakthroughs for animals in recent years has been HBOT for pets. With very little risk involved, Veterinarians can offer hyperbaric medicine to pets whose owners find treatment to be expensive or traumatic.

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

What Are The Benefits Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Pets?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT, has quite a few benefits. Including enhanced wound healing and providing significant improvements to infection control. It also helps the number of growing medical issues to remain low at all times. Some of the benefits include:

Increases & Improves The Supply Of Oxygen To Infected Tissue

Increasing the supply of oxygen in the bloodstream improves upon a wounds ability to heal. With the right chamber pressurization,, an animal receives an increased amount of oxygen to a wounds surrounding tissue. treating the wound quicker.

Treats Many Conditions

One of the great things about a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is its ability to treat a wide variety of conditions; it’s ability to heal goes far beyond wounds. The increase of oxygen also helps treat peripheral neuropathies, pancreatitis, snake bites, and other inflammatory diseases.

An Affordable Option

Veterinarian hyperbaric treatment can be quick and painless for pets, but the biggest surprise is it’s affordability. . Compared to conventional medicinal approaches, HBOT is inexpensive and straightforward. Pets are covered with a blanket and placed in a pressurized container,with no more cost than that of laser treatments or acupuncture.

What Is Oxygen Therapy For Pets?

Oxygen therapy for pets involves keeping an animal in a pressurized environment with increased oxygen levels. When the animal is placed in the veterinary hyperbaric chamber, the atmospheric composition can easily be increased – normal oxygenation levels are around 20%, but the chamber is capable of reaching up to 100%. Even though HBOT is still being extensively researched, veterinarians are finding a variety of different uses for the chamber; including the treatment of ailments not thought to be treatable by HBOT. ..

Why Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy So Powerful?

For one; HBOT has an anti-inflammatory effect. Meaning a high oxygen environment upregulates the genes that fight inflammation and downregulates those that create it. When the inflammation decreases , there is less swelling and more healing.

Secondly, there has been evidence of increased blood flow to the affected tissue. When the blood is more oxygenated, the wounds heal faster. It also prevents the blood flow from being cut off, and with better oxygenation to the blood, particles can diffuse to affected tissues.

What Are My Options For Hyperbaric Animal Chambers?

There are several product options on the market today, and we want to help you make an informed decision about which one may be best for your veterinary practice.

Model SV500 Sechrist Hyperbaric Veterinary Chamber With ICU Chamber Functionality

This chamber has dual-use capability. It may be used as either a hyperbaric oxygen chamber or an ICU chamber. Some of its features include:

• Class C Chamber engineered to meet patient needs
• A unique dual mode is offering enhanced oxygen at ambient pressure while also delivering hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
• Spacious acrylic cylinder – easily view and calm patients
• Secure intercom system to communicate with patients
• Custom ports and pass-throughs for IV use and patient monitoring
• Door interlock device for one-handed use
• Electric scissor lift for easy patient loading.

Sechrist Proprietary Air Compressor System And CGA Grade E Breathing Air Panel

This is an optional system that comes with a storage tank and dial oil-free compressors. It continuously delivers air to support the ICU chamber, t which most competitors do not offer. Other features include:

• Compact design for space saving
• Filter elements that can be replaced easily
• Precise Air and O2 delivery through the chamber
• Digital carbon monoxide monitor

Model SV250 Sechrist Hyperbaric Veterinary Chamber With ICU Chamber Functionality

Although the SV250 is our smallest chamber available, it still provides dual use as both a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and an ICU chamber. Additional features include:

• Removable stretcher with a static dissipative mat
• 40″ and 20″ patient modules can be inserted into the chamber for putting more than one patient at a time.
• Convenient intercom system to communicate and calm patients
• Acrylic cylinder for easy access viewing to calm the animal.
• One-handed door interlock device

Each of these products has been built to the highest of standards, ensuring the safety of the patients it treats. Comparing different HBOT chambers can be overwhelming, but we want to make the process easier. By providing all the necessary information we hope we’re able to assist in helping you make a well informed decision on which chamber would best fit your practice. With HBOT you’ll be able to expand your practice’s treatment options offering pet owners a range of alternatives.

Contact Us Today

For more information on our products listed above – or others on the market – please visit our product page or contact one of our friendly team members. We can help you through the process of deciding which hyperbaric oxygen chamber is best for you.

Oxygen therapy for pets, often referred to as hyperbaric therapy, is a type of non-invasive treatment with proven efficacy across a wide range of conditions, including some which are unresponsive to standard procedures. Hyperbaric therapy for pets has been shown to enhance wound healing (especially in crush injuries), increase the flow of oxygen to injury sites, and improve both angiogenesis (or blood vessel formation) and the immune systems ability to fight infection. Plus it helps preserve damaged tissue, and help animals eliminate toxic substances such as carbon monoxide from their bodies.

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

Hyperbaric Medicine: A Stunningly Simple Primary And Adjunct Therapy

The concept of hyperbaric medicine is fairly straightforward despite its profound therapeutic effects. Veterinary Hyperbaric Medicine for Pets involves placing an animal in a chamber and increasing the concentration of oxygen from normal atmospheric levels of approx. 20 percent, all the way up to 100 percent. Most veterinarians also raise the pressure inside the chamber to 1-3 times that of sea level, helping to increase oxygen availability further.

HBOT for pets can last up to two hours.. While most animals are unaware of the condition changes during therapy, some do feel a slight variation in pressure. To help alleviate that change and avoid any discomfort, animals will yawn and swallow to relieve any buildup in pressure.

Some pets can exhibit considerable improvements from just a single session in a hyperbaric animal chamber. However, for best results, many animals will need repeated sessions. Veterinarians can treat animals with many conditions by offering hyperbaric medicine for such things as non-healing wounds, severe carbon monoxide poisoning, and even arterial gas embolism.

Case Study: The Power Of Hyperbaric Medicine for Pets

Pets, just like people, can suffer from ischemia – a reduction in blood supply tissue this usually follows a heart attack. A seven-year-old dog – a.k.a Fluffy – was admitted to a vet clinic with complete global ischemia – a condition in which there was insufficient blood flow to the brain to meet metabolic demands.

Fluffy was then connected to a breathing tube and apparatus in hopes of keeping her alive; but she did not appear to respond to conventional treatment. She was then placed inside a chamber for veterinarian hyperbaric treatment and within fifteen minutes had regained consciousness and was able to walk across the room. Fluffy received several more treatments before eventually being discharged two days later.. At the owner’s request, Fluffy now regularly returns to the clinic for HBOT treatment as an outpatient.

Why Is Oxygen Therapy For Pets So Effective?

Case studies, like those involving animals like Fluffy, demonstrate the remarkable power of pet oxygen therapy. But why is it so effective? What is it about keeping pets in high-oxygen, high-pressure environments that allows them to heal so effectively from a range of conditions?

Increased Flow Of Blood To Site Of Injury

Vets use hyperbaric animal chambers to increase the flow of blood to the site of injury. Often times the wound is unable to heal because blood is incapable of delivering healing factors to the affected tissues. For instance crush injuries that sever blood vessel connections can take a substantial amount of time to heal. . Hyperbaric therapy aids in the increasing of blood flow to the injury sight by improving oxygen levels, and opening up constricted blood vessels.

Facilitate Angiogenesis

Secondly, animal hyperbaric chambers can also be effective in facilitating angiogenesis – blood vessel formation. A pets ability to quickly grow new blood vessels aids in the healing process and recovery time from injuries and burns. The growth of new blood vessels reconnects tissues that may have been cut off as a result of damage, in turn helping deliver oxygen and other vital nutrients to the site of injury.

Better Infection Control

When blood flow becomes restricted, it is easier for an infection to establish itself. easier. When blood flow improves, it helps both the general and specific immune systems reach the site of infection and eliminates the pathogen.

There is even evidence of hyperbaric treatments stopping alpha toxin production by clostridial organisms for pets with gangrene.

Reduced Effect Of Toxic Substances

Increasing the oxygenation of the blood can help pets suffering from forms of poisoning; including carbon monoxide. The higher oxygen levels help to displace the CO in the blood stream, preventing suffocation of the animal. .

Benefits Of Injury Recovery With Hyperbarics for Pets

A Non-Invasive Primary And Adjunct Therapy

One of the great things about hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the non-invasiveness of the procedure. It’s a form of treatment that doesn’t involve drugs or invasive surgery and relies solely on the animals ability to heal itself by breathing in pure oxygen.

Oxygen therapy comes with little risk or cost. It is less invasive and expensive than traditional treatments and can offer superior healing action for a variety of conditions.,

A Better Option For Owners

Some owners dislike when their pets are required to take medicine or undergo complicated surgical procedures. They’d often prefer a less intrusive option that allows for the animal to heal naturally. The pure oxygen environment stimulates this process and gives the animal a chance to heal on its own. .

By offering hyperbaric therapy, you have the ability to provide your patients with the same advancements in recovery that Fluffy was able to experience. Plus get the opportunity to assist in discovering new groundbreaking uses for treating pets in the Sechrist Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber.

A Better Option For Pets

Many standard procedures can cause pets to experience anxiety and stress. However, oxygen therapy is virtually stress-free and only involves placing an animal inside a transparent chamber. Being in this high-oxygen environment leads to the animals quick recovery.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Pets On The Rise

It’s not surprising the market for pet oxygen therapy is on the rise. As veterinarians continue to explore new methods of treatments they are beginning to discover the many benefits HBOT has to offer.
Unlike traditional procedures, oxygen therapy has relatively few risks and can be used alongside regular treatment or as primary therapy. It’s extremely versatile treating diverse conditions such as ischemia and snake bites.

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!

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.

Hyperbaric Animal Chamber treatment and training

Please review the professional educational training course offered by the Hyperbaric Medicine Team Training for Animal Application in San Antonio, Texas. The course provides educational knowledge on the safe and effective use of Animal Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers. The course is designed for veterinary personal who provide care for animal and pet patients.

Please review document located at:

Hyperbaric Animal Chamber Training