Ozone Therapy's Side Effects to Dogs

Ozone therapy is an alternative medical treatment that proponents say can promote the health and well-being of humans and animals alike. The American Cancer Society says evidence of its effectiveness is lacking, and the FDA and the scientific community believe that ozone is toxic. But practitioners advocate it as a means of managing a wide array of health issues, from skin ailments to stomach woes to cancer and AIDS and more. Your trusted veterinarian must be involved in every aspect of your dog's care.

Ozone therapy purportedly increases oxygen in the body. Advocates say ozone possesses oxidation abilities and can destroy an array of viruses and bacteria and the toxins they produce. Veterinarian Wendy Robinson of Tahoe Integrative Veterinary Care says ozone therapy enhances circulation, maintains the immune system and fights the expansion of microorganisms that can potentially bring upon disease.

Ozone therapy exists in a variety of forms. An alternative veterinarian will decide the most appropriate form of ozone therapy treatment based on the patient's specific medical ailment. One form of administration is hemotherapy, which involves blending blood samples with ozone and injecting it intramuscularly. It's the most frequently used type of ozone therapy in pets. Other modes of administration include inhalation, transdermal and subcutaneous ozone therapies.

Veterinary ozone therapy practitioners employ ozone therapy to manage diverse health ailments. They include paralysis, intestinal parasites, arthritis, digestive conditions, cystitis, wounds and infections. Veterinary technician Jennifer Lomastro-Metzger says it assists acute traumas in healing more rapidly and without the use of as many medicines.

Ozone therapy doesn't lead to side effects in animals, according to veterinarian Margo Roman on the Integrative Vet Care Journal website. She says the procedure is considered to be highly safe. Despite the lack of side effects in pets, it has a number of possible effects in humans, including blood pressure increases, headaches, seizures and ear pressure.

Scientific consensus seems to refute the effectiveness of ozone therapy largely on evidence that ozone is actually harmful if inhaled or ingested. Substantial anecdotal evidence began to appear as early as the 1970s that ozone has caused illness in humans. The FDA wrote that substantial amounts of ozone could possibly be toxic to animals. Scientific reviews and papers conclude that full understanding of ozone treatment is insufficient. Ask your trusted veterinarian whether he advocates oxygen therapy. If he does, he should be able to refer you to a practitioner.