Oxygen therapies have been used for 100 years in human and animal healing. They are gaining popularity as we learn about the benefits increased oxygen in our bodies can be. Ozone therapy is showing effectiveness in treating viruses, bacteria, fungus,inflammation and damaged tissue.It can dramatically reduce or even eliminate many cases of chronic pain through its action in pain receptors.

When we have inflammation, swelling, infection, bruising or even cancer, there is a higher amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) within the tissue. When we administer ozone,that brings in oxygen into the tissue that displaces the CO2, which causes the inflammation, infection and bruising to decrease. Ozone is an effective treatment in acute and chronic viral diseases, acting as a virucidal agent and improving the general health of animals. It is also effective for acute and chronic bacterial diseases, including those that do respond well to antibiotics, such as leptospirosis, Lyme disease, brucellosis, botulism and septicemia.

Ozone (a gas) may be administered by body bagging, bagging of the affected limb, inhalation, rectal insufflation or by direct intravenous or subcutaneous administration of ozonated saline. Treatments are usually done for several consecutive days or weeks and can be done in the office with the owner present. It relieves pain and allows the tissue to heal as it soaks in the oxygen.  

The use of ozone into a veterinary practice offers the opportunity of a more natural therapy that can prevent or reduce the use of painkillers, antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals. Ozone therapy allows the reactive properties to stimulate and remove what the body may have blocked in its healing process, thus letting the body do what it does best—heal.

Nancy Bozeman, DVM, can be reached at TheAnimalDoctorTX.com.