Gordon's laser surgery went off without a hitch.

He was pawing furniture again in no time.

And now, nearly six months later, Gordon remains an active indoor cat. "I don't even think he can tell his claws aren't there," his owner, Stacey Crump, said.

Arguably one of the greatest advancements in modern medicine, laser surgery is now available to humans and animals alike.

Santa Maria's All Valley Pet Hospital is one of the few veterinary clinics in the area offering laser surgery to animals.

The Accuvet CO2 Laser enables All Valley's veterinarians - Brenda Forsythe, Ruth Corbo and Martin Vale - to perform soft-tissue procedures like tumor removals, palate resections and declawing, and to treat skin diseases.

The laser reduces bleeding and potential hemorrhaging, said Dr. Brenda Forsythe, explaining that the laser cauterizes, or seals off, blood vessels as it cuts. Similarly, it reduces pain because it also seals off nerve endings.

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Consider Gordon's declawing procedure.

"In the old days there was a lot of pain, hemorrhaging, swelling," said Forsythe. "Now, most of those cats go home the same day, with minimal pain."

The entire procedure, in which the claws were removed from Gordon's two front paws, lasted less than 20 minutes.

And indeed, Gordon went home the same day. The next morning, when owner Crump took his bandages off, Gordon was using his front paws without difficulty.

Geri Perry's 13-year-old dog Max, a pit bull-bull mastiff mix, recently underwent a laser procedure for a less common issue.

Max had a tumor the size of a grapefruit removed from his face. The laser helped doctors remove the lump, which turned out to be benign.

Within two weeks, his hair was growing back, said Perry, and he is now completely healed.

"I'm thankful (a laser was used)," said Perry, praising All Valley's veterinarians. "They went beyond the normal calls of duty."

Although clinics in the area with laser units are few and far between, they are becoming more popular because of the benefits they offer, said Forsythe.

Laser procedures do come with a higher price tag, but according to Forsythe the additional cost is offset by reduced hospital stays, reduced need for pain medication and decreased post-surgical complications.

Crump agreed that the extra cost of the laser procedure is worth it, "for the cat's sake."

The three veterinarians at All Valley have introductory training in laser surgery. Forsythe recently completed an advanced training course at the University of California's Davis campus. She also worked for five years with a laser at a clinic in the Central Valley before joining the All Valley team.

All Valley has been in business for 21 years. Its client base is approximately 3,500. The clinic's "integrated, holistic" approach attracts clients from as far as Santa Barbara and Fresno, said Forsythe.

In addition to laser surgery, All Valley boasts other unique specialties. Corbo is certified in veterinary acupuncture and Chinese and herbal medicine. All three All Valley veterinarians are certified in veterinary chiropractic medicine.

CONTACT:

All Valley Pet Hospital is at 230-A E. Betteravia Road. The hospital is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. For information, call 922-0305 or visit www.allvalleypethospital.com.

Emily Welly can be reached at 739-2220 or ewelly@santamariatimes.com.

July 7, 2005