Long before VetStem began providing stem cell therapy for dogs and cats, we were providing stem cell therapy for performance horses.  Stem cell therapy can be very effective for treating potentially career ending orthopedic injuries in performance horses (and in dogs!).  This week, we will look at the story of a barrel racing Quarter Horse who suffered injuries to both front fetlock joints, both front suspensory ligaments, his deep digital flexor tendons and his superficial digital flexor tendons.

Blue DiamondZan Gold, aka Zan, battled lameness in his front limbs for years and he began ducking the second barrel.  His joint injection treatments stopped being as effective so his owner, Ashley, took him to her veterinarian, Dr. Robert Thoni at Kilgore Veterinary Associates, for examination.

Dr. Thoni recommended VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy and his owner reported that she was back to running him in no time!  She even stated that he was stronger and clocking better than he ever did.

To read the rest of Zan’s story, click here.

Has your horse suffered from an injury that is affecting his/her performance?  If so, contact VetStem today to find stem cell providers in your area.

This week’s success story is about a beautiful Sheltie, Lady.  Lady suffered from arthritis since she was about two years old.  At eight years old, Lady tore her cruciate ligament and required surgical repair of the ligament.  Her veterinarian, Dr. Jeff Christiansen of Superior Veterinary Surgical Solutions, recommended Lady undergo stem cell therapy to help treat her arthritis and also to expedite healing and reduce scar tissue formation in her surgically repaired knee.  Lady received injections of her own stem cells in both carpi (wrists) along with her left hip and left stifle (knee).

Lady’s owner reported that after stem cell therapy she was able to go for longer walks and is “far more playful than she was before the stem cell treatment.”

To read the rest of Lady’s story, click here.

Does your dog suffer from pain, lameness, or discomfort?  Has your dog been diagnosed with arthritis or injured tendons or ligaments that may be slowing him/her down?  If so, contact VetStem to find VetStem providers in your area.

It is estimated that 1 in 5 dogs in the United States suffers from osteoarthritis (OA).  OA can present itself in many ways including stiffness, lameness, pain, and limited range of motion.  If your dog is exhibiting any symptoms that may be caused by arthritis, it is best to consult with your veterinarian about all of your treatment options, including stem cell therapy.

You may have seen our many success stories from actual VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy patients and wondered, “Would my dog benefit from this treatment?”  Or you may find yourself at the end of the road with supplements, pain medications, and/or diet changes and wondering if there are alternatives to these traditional therapies that may be more effective.  Whatever your situation may be, it is always best to research all of your options before deciding which therapy to proceed with.  In this blog, we will help you discuss stem cell therapy with your veterinarian for your arthritic canine companion.

VetStem cell therapy has been used to treat canine arthritis since 2008.  As a newer, more progressive therapy, it is not often at the forefront of your veterinarian’s mind when it comes to first-line treatments for arthritis.  Why, you might ask?  The answer is that only about 10% of practicing veterinarians have advanced training in regenerative medicine and even recent veterinary graduates have had limited exposure to regenerative stem cell medicine.  While VetStem works diligently to change this statistic, don’t be afraid to bring up VetStem cell therapy to your veterinarian if they don’t suggest it first!  Below you will find some resources to help you speak with your veterinarian about stem cell therapy which can help determine if your dog might benefit from the treatment.

First, you may want to print this letter to bring to your vet appointment, in case your veterinarian is not familiar with VetStem cell therapy.  If your veterinarian asks for evidence to support the use of stem cells for treatment of arthritis, you can reference this study which demonstrated the effectiveness of stem cell therapy in the treatment of canine arthritis of the hip.  We also have a study that evaluated stem cell therapy for the treatment of elbow arthritis in dogs.  If your veterinarian has heard of or has used VetStem cell therapy before, inquire as to whether or not he/she thinks your dog may be a good candidate for the therapy.  You can utilize this checklist to help answer this question.  Lastly, let your veterinarian know that our staff veterinarians are available to help answer any questions about stem cell therapy or about specific patients.  They can simply contact us to learn more.

Best of luck and congratulations for taking the initiative to explore stem cell therapy for your canine companion!

Pearl is a pit bull who is missing about one quarter of her right front leg.  She was found as a stray and veterinarians were unable to determine why part of her leg was missing.  Pearl’s owner Julia had a prosthetic leg made for Pearl when she was young.  It helped her to run, swim, fetch balls, jump and play with other dogs.

After a while however, Pearl began to develop a wound at the end of her stump that made wearing her prosthetic uncomfortable.  Julia sought treatment for the wound, however nothing seemed to help and she was faced with the possibility of amputating the remainder of Pearl’s right front leg.

Julia had a surgical consult with Dr. Holly Mullen of VCA Emergency Animal Hospital and Referral Center in San Diego, California to discuss amputation and also address a partially torn cruciate ligament in Pearl’s right rear knee.  While surgery could fix both issues, Dr. Mullen suggested trying platelet therapy first.

Utilizing the Pall Veterinary Platelet Enhancement Therapy system (V-PET™), Dr. Mullen treated Pearl’s chronic, non-healing wound and also her partially torn cruciate ligament.  Julia stated, “Within two weeks of the platelet therapy treatment you could see a tremendous increase with the weight she was putting on her right rear leg and by four weeks her stump had completely healed.”  Julia was very grateful for Dr. Mullen’s recommendation to try platelet therapy before jumping into a big surgery.  It was this treatment that saved Pearl’s right front limb from being completely amputated.

To read the rest of Pearl’s story, click here.

Platelet therapy can be a less expensive and less invasive alternative to surgery.  It promotes healing when the body requires help to kick start its natural internal repair processes. Platelets contain a variety of growth factors that, once released, attract progenitor cells, enhance wound healing and stimulate tissue repair.  The most common uses of platelet therapy are for indications such as hard to heal wounds, tendon and ligament injuries, as well as joint disease (osteoarthritis).  VetStem Biopharma has the distribution right to the Pall V-PET™ for the United States and Canada.

If you have an animal who is suffering from a chronic, non-healing wound, or an animal that you think may benefit from platelet therapy, make sure to discuss all of your options with your veterinarian.  VetStem can help you locate a veterinarian who is currently offering the Pall V-PET™.  Simply contact us to locate a veterinary platelet therapy provider in your area.