MANDEVILLE, La. (WGNO) — A groundbreaking medical procedure for pets is showing promising results. It involved the use of a hyperbaric oxygen tank.
“We are essentially using oxygen as a drug in this case,” says Dr. Robert Hancock, a board certified surgeon and owner of South Paws Veterinary Surgical Specialists in Mandeville.
Hancock says he uses the oxygen tanks to treat dogs with severe injuries and those that are recovering from major surgeries.
“With hyperbarics, the key is that any tissue that has suffered damaged blood supply, it can help. Spinal cord injuries, head trauma, major wounds, burn wounds, smoke inhalation,” Hancock says. ” Interestingly, there’s only about 60 hyperbaric chambers that are in the United States for veterinary medicine. In Louisiana, you will see one hyperbaric chamber right now, and that’s here.”
Every animal that undergoes surgery at the clinic receives one of the treatments. For pets with more significant recoveries, additional treatments cost about $150 each. Each treatment lasts about 45 minutes.
Hancock performs a lot of ACL surgeries on dogs. He says that’s one of the most common recoveries where the hyperbaric chamber show significant results.
“Typically the next day after surgery, there’s quite a bit of swelling in the leg. One treatment here will pull almost all that swelling out of the leg.”
For more on the hyperbaric chamber as well as how the treatment is helping one patient, in particular, click on the video button above!
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Kai is the dog featured in the above article. A GoFundMe account has been set up to cover the cost of his medical bills. Kai is currently receiving treatment at South Paws in Mandeville. Learn more, here.