Pseudo pad surgery with CO₂ laser

A carbon dioxide laser uses carbon dioxide (CO₂) as the lasing medium. The beam of the CO₂ laser is infrared light and the laser beam allows high precision cutting. The mechanism of action is based on intense and short-acting beams. The CO₂ laser can be used like a traditional scalpel, but above all it is useful for cutting areas that bleed easily and areas that cannot be closed well with stitches after surgery (such as the skin between the paw pads). The laser beam enables great visibility and precision and modern CO₂ lasers are also very good at controlling and reducing thermal damage to the tissue. Pain after the procedure is usually less severe compared to traditional surgery.

The benefits of carbon dioxide laser in veterinary medicine

• Less bleeding and faster recovery: the CO₂ laser beam can also coagulate (seal) blood vessels, reducing bleeding during surgery. This is particularly important in surgeries where the wound can ooze a lot of blood. The use of laser can also reduce tissue damage, contributing to faster healing and shorter recovery times.
• Precision and less tissue damage: with the laser it is possible to do very precise surgery, in which only the unwanted tissue is removed. This minimises damage to healthy tissue and reduces the risk of infection in the surgical site.
• Reduced pain and inflammation: the use of CO₂ laser reduces inflammation and pain compared to traditional surgical methods, as it has less impact on the surrounding tissue. This can make the patient’s recovery process more comfortable and reduce the need for post-operative pain medication.

Laser podoplasty

Laser podoplasty is performed under general anaesthesia and using local anaesthesia. Pseudo pad tissue and altered skin of the paw pad is removed by cutting and vaporizating with a carbon dioxide laser.

After laser surgery, the paws have open wounds which surfaces have been coagulated by the laser. Stitches are not usually used. The wound initially oozes blood and tissue fluid, as the patient moves around and uses its paws right after the surgery. The open wound soon starts to grow granular tissue, which is the first stage of healing. It takes about 10-14 days for the granulation tissue to develop over the entire wound bed. During this time, the paws should be rinsed daily in the shower and the paw bandages changed to clean ones. Instructions on how to make the paw bandages are given the day after the operation by the laser nurse.

Once the granulation tissue covers the entire wound, most patients can switch to wearing clean cotton socks indoors. Outside, protective paw boots are used over the cotton socks.

Healing will progress on an individual basis. If necessary, treatment will be modified based on what is seen at the check-ups. Usually wounds heal in about a month, depending on the size of the wound and the patient’s characteristics.

A laser cut is less painful than a knife cut. Because the tender pseudo pads have been removed, the dog is usually more comfortable to walk very soon compared to before the operation.

The underlying cause of the condition does not go away, so if the trauma to the hairy skin continues and the pseudo pads tend to return, preventing/reducing its development is extremely important after recovering from the surgery to keep the paw problems in check and life quality good.

At Aures, these veterinarians perform laser podoplasties:  

• Katja Kyröläinen (veterinarian / founder of the veterinary clinic) 
• Katarina Varjonen (veterinary specialist in small animal diseases, DipECVD, EBVS® European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology) 

Before the operation, the pseudo pads and the changed skin around them encircled