Thor is a 12-year-old male Havanese. A new treatment called Phovia Fluorescent Light Therapy is curing a chronic wound on his chin after a 2-year search for solutions.
3.5 min read
Years of Doctor Visits Without Success
Thor visited Dr Jackie Diamond for the first time in December 2021. His parents wanted help treating a chronic, non-healing wound on his chin.
Prior to seeing Dr Diamond, Thor had undergone surgery and had been prescribed topical and oral medications. Both of these would normally result in healing.
Thor was still suffering when Dr Diamond saw him again in the fall of 2022. Dr Diamond was now at Mountain Star. Nothing had cured Thor’s wound despite all these treatments and his owner’s excellent care.
Two years of unsuccessful treatments left his owners (and Dr Diamond!) unsure of next steps.
A Potential Cure From a New Treatment
Dr Diamond talked to Thor’s parents about a new therapy for cats and dogs with wounds called “Phovia Fluorescent Light Therapy” (Link to services page). They agreed to give it a try.
For light-based therapy to work, the light must be able to penetrate tissue. Traditional laser therapy systems are limited to a single wavelength, thus addressing, at most, a single layer of skin. Phovia penetrates multiple skin layers, reducing inflammation and enhancing collagen production. This leads to faster and more complete healing in pets.
5 Benefits of Phovia
- Pain relief. Phovia brought almost-instant relief. Within 2 weeks, Thor’s wound became smaller and less deep. For pets suffering with acute or chronic wounds, this means less time in ‘the cone of shame’ and bandages.
- Non-invasive. This is not surgery. Phovia uses a gel, which is placed onto the affected skin. The Phovia blue light emitting diode (LED) lamp is directed at the wound for two minutes. There are no incisions, injections, or sedation. The pets feel the light’s warmth, but the LED lamp never gets hot. Pets are discharged to the care of their owner when the 2 to 4 minute treatment ends.
- Easy for pets. Phovia doesn’t have any side effects and there aren’t risks related to the use of therapeutic fluorescent light. Pet parents can stay alongside their pet while Phovia is being administered. Since Mountain Star emphasizes Fear Free handling of pets, we love parents to be nearby to lower stress for pets. We also offer the dog or cat treats and cuddles as distraction so they feel calm.
- Easy for owners. There are no home follow-up tasks between treatments.
- A cheaper alternative to surgery. Thor’s chronic wound was painful. It was also expensive. Phovia costs only $70 per treatment ($140 per week since dogs need 2 treatments per week).
Dr Diamond will help each client decide the appropriate treatment based on the pet’s condition. She’ll assess the wound, its size, chronicity, and any underlying contributing factors. Some pets only need 1 to 3 visits to Mountain Star for Phovia treatment.
Thor’s wound improved dramatically within 6 weeks and was 99% healed at 3 months. His two-year struggle had come to an end
While it was a long road to recovery, we are thrilled to be able to restore Thor back to a level of comfort. Now he can get back to the business of being a happy dog! At Mountain Star, that’s our goal: to heal pets’ skin and eye conditions so clients can enjoy their pets as companions.
Mountain Star is seeing consistent success with Phovia. If you have questions about Phovia, or feel your pet might benefit from Phovia therapy, please do not hesitate to contact us.
For more information about ophthalmology and dermatology specialty treatments for cats and dogs in the Denver area, please call or email today (WC—link to contact us page).
Thor’s chronic wound caused him ongoing pain. Mountain Star’s use of the Phovia has brought this 12-year-old pup some relief.