Pet Owner Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
The Luma is covered by Pet Insurance. See below
We've answered questions for over 1000 pet owners
Here are their most common questions about MedcoVet and the Luma
Photobiomodulation or Laser Therapy uses light to reduce inflammation and stimulate healing. Research shows that certain kinds of light are absorbed by stressed cells and stimulate the cells enough to return them to normal operation. The same light also signals the body to create more new healthy cells.
The following video explains Photobiomodulation in under 90 seconds.
For most conditions, the first two weeks require a “loading dose” of 1-2 minutes per spot daily (usually about 10 minutes per day). This eventually is tapered off to fewer treatment days and shorter treatment times. Many times, continued light therapy can lower medication doses which potentially may alleviate medication side effects
Dosage is always patient specific, which is why we check in with the pet owner and tailor the protocol as the case progresses.
The literature shows that laser therapy works best with lower doses and more frequent treatment. Since multiple trips to the veterinarian are usually not practical, home laser therapy makes this type of treatment possible.
Short answer...yes. The original lasers used for treatment in veterinary medicine were very large and expensive. This made laser therapy expensive, inconvenient and inaccessible for many veterinarians and patients. As technology and studies advanced the ability to make smaller, more affordable and accurate lasers has become possible. These lasers deliver the power, accuracy and increased effectiveness of their predecessors combined with increased affordability. This makes laser therapy accessible to more patients and veterinarians.. Our CSO, Dr. Michael Hamblin, conducted much of the research in this space and as a result, the Luma delivers the right amount of power.
The Luma is very easy to use! Your veterinary care provider will help you get set up with the device. You then download an app to your phone which walks you through your treatment plan. As your Veterinarian oversees your case your app will be updated with the latest protocols. If you ever have a question please contact your veterinarian.
MedcoVet wants you to be comfortable with your device and treatment. Please feel free to share feedback with us anytime.
Only your vet can determine if Luma is right for your pet. To find a Luma vet, visit our website: www.Medcovet.com
Each case is different. Your vet will monitor your case and keep you informed on your pets progress. Typically positive results are seen within the first 3 weeks.
Since PBM is stimulatory, PBM experts avoid treating when cancer is involved. Please advise your veterinary care provider of any conditions that may impact treatment.
Because Luma is rented, and not sold, it has made laser therapy more affordable for both short and long term indications. Your vet will inform you of the rental amount after determining the number of rental weeks needed for your pet.
Luma has been independently tested and certified to be eye-safe under all conditions:
- Per IEC 60825-1:2015-05 and;
- According to IEC 62471 photobiological safety standard
Yes, it does. Please visit MedcoVet.com/testimonials to read about some of our happy clients.
The Luma is not sold. The pet parent pays a small weekly rental fee. This fee includes support for both the device (provided by MedcoVet) and support for your PBM treatment (provided by your vet). In addition, if anything ever goes wrong with the Luma, MedcoVet will send you a new one at no additional charge within a 2 year period.
MedcoVet is covered by most insurance companies (Nationwide, Healthy Paws, Pet Plan and others) if treatment is supervised by a clinician. Please consult your veterinary care provider and insurance provider for more details.
If the charge doesn't last for more than 30 minutes of use. The battery will last for 1,000 charge cycles - which is more than 5 years under typical use.
There's a lot of power in that tiny device and as a result, the device gets warm after about 20 minutes of use". If your pet is experiencing discomfort due to device temperature, there is a MedcoVet "hack" that can ease the heating of the device. Place the Luma in a ziploc bag (to prevent moisture from entering) and place in the fridge for 15 minutes before treating. This will cool the internal components and will result in longer treatments before the device warms up
If any goes wrong with your Luma, we will replace it free of charge.
There is no cost for any repairs to the Luma
The Luma is not sold. The pet parent pays a small weekly rental fee. This fee decreases with each week of rental. Your vet can tell you the cost once he knows how many weeks your pet will require PBM treatment. The rental fee includes support for both the device (provided by MedcoVet) and support for your PBM treatment (provided by your vet). In addition, if anything ever goes wrong with the Luma, MedcoVet will send you a new one at no additional charge.
Right now there is no research on treating an animal when the pet owner has a history of cancer. Based on the findings of treatment of pets with cancer, we think it is safe for the pet owner to treat. When treating a patient, it is suggested to avoid treating the area that either has or had the malignancy. Likewise, when treating a pet, the pet owner should avoid illuminating areas that were affected by cancer with the typical dosages for pets. Since there is no conclusive research, the safest thing to do is to have another user treat the patient, but based on the current research available, we believe it is safe to treat.
1-2” - The source we used was the Handbook of Laser Therapy by Michael Hamblin (our CSO). It offers a model for how light reflects through different materials (e.g. bone, blood, soft tissue). But, this model has many variables and the best way to determine penetration is to measure it.
Below is a link to a video showing the penetration of the Luma through the hand. This is a simple model to show how that light can reach the target tissue of a patient.
Great questions and as with all dosing, it really depends on the patient response. In general, we prefer to give the full dose to either spot as studies have shown that too little or too much light per spot results in slower healing. In this case, I'd treat 60 seconds per spot rather than 30 seconds in twice the number of spots. A few ways to get more treatment in are:
- Treat different spots in alternating days (e.g. hip one day and knee the next)
- Putting the device into a ziploc and in the fridge, to keep the device cooler during treatment.
The key with MedcoVet is that because treatment is so regular, you can always try different setups and see how the patient responds.
"Applying laser therapy over a gravid uterus is almost always listed as a contraindication. The historical basis for pregnancy being a contraindication is lack of knowledge of the potential effect on the fetus, in addition to studies demonstrating changes in chicken embryo tissue after application of visible red laser wavelengths through a window opened in the eggshell (Avila et al. , 1999). A rational analysis would indicate that fetal tissue within a gravid uterus will not be harmed by visible or near‐infrared light photons. These wavelengths lack any mutagenic or teratogenic effect. Further, the fetus is well protected from exposure to photons, being surrounded by a significant thickness of tissues rich in the chromophores that most readily absorb the wavelengths being used. Yet, despite evidence to the contrary, unless a special consideration exists that warrants direct treatment over a gravid uterus, the prudent veterinary laser therapist will avoid such treatment. As with some other modalities used during pregnancy, no proof exists of potential harm to the fetus. But, no proof exists that there is not a potential harm. Absence of proof does not legally constitute proof of absence. Thus, if laser therapy is applied over the gravid uterus, and an unrelated pregnancy complication or fetal deformity occurs, the burden of proof will be on the veterinarian to demonstrate that laser therapy did not cause the complication (Tuner and Hode, 2010). A valid consideration is whether pregnant veterinary laser therapists (or other pregnant females present during treatment) are at risk. Clothing reflects, scatters, and absorbs visible and infrared photons, significantly reducing the number reaching underlying skin. Thus, clothing gives an additional layer that blocks photons from reaching the fetus. There is no evidence that the well‐protected fetus of a pregnant and clothed female is at risk during a veterinary therapy laser application."