Since I've never heard about cold laser therapy, I thought I'd look it up and try to figure out why Sid's health went south after his treatment. Cold laser therapy is considered a non-invasive holistic treatment, meant to stimulate endorphins and the metabolism of the treated site. Here's an article about cold laser therapy from the AKC website:
Laser Therapy for Dogs | AKC Canine Health Foundation
The dog is supposed to be able to go home between each treatment, so I can't imagine why the owners left Sid at the vet for several months while he received treatment. Perhaps his anal gland issues were worse than the news stories mention. However, from what transpired, Dr. Tierce, the vet, sounds like a quack who was experimenting on Sid. And according to the lawyer's account, Sid's back problem was due to Sid falling off a table during treatment. What a horror story! I'm glad that Dr. Tierce is no longer able to practice, but now I wonder about the other vet who works at the clinic. Did he know about everything that happened to Sid? They share the same facility, so I can't imagine that he did not know what was going on.