Although the mechanisms by which non-invasive, non-toxic, and non-polluting Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) accelerates tissue healing and reduces pain and inflammation have been identified, its use in patients with thoracic trauma is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy in cats with thoracic trauma. The study was conducted in 48 cats with thoracic trauma. Group I (24 cats) received the standard thoracic trauma protocol, while Group II (24 cats) received additional LLLT. In addition to clinical examination findings, complete blood counts, biochemistry, blood gases, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cytokine, antioxidant, and cytologic analyses were performed. The study findings showed that vital signs in the trauma patient remained at expected levels and could be controlled with symptomatic treatment, while no significant differences were observed in complete blood counts and biochemical parameters. Clinically, a significantly faster recovery in GII compared to GI, especially after day 3, was attributed to LLLT. LLLT limited the elevation of proinflammatory cytokines and preserved anti-inflammatory cytokine and antioxidant parameters. These findings support the therapeutic potential of photobiomodulation in models of inflammatory and oxidative stress. Similarly, cytological results demonstrated that LLLT significantly accelerated inflammatory regeneration at the cellular level.

To Cite This Article: Yayla S, Altan S, Çatalkaya E, Ersöz-Kanay B, Saylak N, Altan F, Sağsöz H and Topaloğlu U, 2026. Effectiveness of low-level laser therapy for treatment of cats with thoracic trauma. Pak Vet J, 46(3): 701-709. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2026.059