Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Animals
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is the administration of 100 percent oxygen via inhalation in a pressurized chamber. HBOT is an adjunctive therapy used with conventional and primary therapies to enhance treatment and recovery. HBOT is approved for use in humans and animals.
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The Procedure
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The pressure inside the hyperbaric chamber is measured in atmospheres and is usually between 1.5 and 2.4 atmospheres. That is roughly the equivalent of 16 to 46 feet below sea level. The patient remains in the chamber, breathing in pure oxygen, for however long the condition being treated requires. With cats, dogs and horses, more nervous animals will be sedated first and usually sleep through the procedure. Someone monitors continuously while the animal is in the chamber.
History
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The use of hyperbaric therapy dates back to 1662, when a British clergyman invented the domicilium to expose patients to higher pressures for speeding healing. His ideas weren't based on science, and the use faded from medical practices. In the 1800s, his theory enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, and pneumatic institutes opened all across Europe, usually in conjunction with health spas. In 1879, Dr. Fontaine, a French surgeon, began performing operations in a mobile hyperbaric chamber of his own design. He noted patients were more deeply sedated in the chamber, and incisions healed faster. True HBOT started about 1955, with the introduction of pure oxygen, instead of compressed air, into the chamber.
Therapeutic Effects
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HBOT has a number of therapeutic effects. It can stimulate cellular growth, the formation of capillaries to improve blood flow, speed up the immune system's elimination of microbes, interrupt the reproduction of bacteria and viruses and reduce swelling. HBOT is also effective for countering hypoxia (lack of oxygen) following an accident, such as drowning or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Conditions
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Several conditions respond to HBOT including brain injuries, spinal cord trauma, stroke, cardiac disease, severe sinusitis, seizures of unknown origins, abdominal sepsis, pancreatitis, tissue necrosis and even gingivitis.
Side Effects
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Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has few side effects, but toxicity can occur if the animal receives too many atmospheres of pressure for too long. Signs of toxicity include convulsions, muscle twitching, dizziness, anxiety and nausea. Other side effects include pneumonia from too much air introduced into the lungs. Occasionally, animals can experience coma or respiratory failure.
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