Light therapies are among the safest of the mechanical therapies explored in this course.  Side-effects are rare and generally result from extremely prolonged exposure.  Similar to sunlight, there can be too much of a good thing.

Of course, any time we are using instrumentation around animals, there are additional safety concerns.  Small devices can get ingested, cords can become entangled or invite chewing, and introducing light therapies needs to be done slowly so animals do not get frightened or excited by visible rays of light.

Certain systems involved attaching a pad or cap to the animal, so go slow and allow some time for acclimating to the feel of the fabric/straps…  An example of this is the poll cap or tendon boots from RevitaVet.  These are, in my opinion, superior light therapy products but they do require the person providing the therapy to remain close by throughout the treatment.

Penlight or showerhead type light instruments are ideal for point work or focused work while the pads are better for treating regions or larger areas.