This week’s blog is about a golden retriever named Harley.  Harley, like many golden retrievers, had arthritis and was living a restricted lifestyle.  Harley was treated two years ago with VetStem Cell Therapy and had great results.  Many dog owners think that traditional arthritis medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or other pain medications are the only treatment available for canine arthritis.  These success stories can be a good reminder for some pet owners searching for relief for their arthritic canine companion.

Harley was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in her carpi (wrists) when she was 5 years old.  Approximately 3 years later, she suffered partial cruciate ligament tears in both of her knees which led to severe thickening and arthritis in both joints.  She was on several pain medications and her exercise was restricted.  She had trouble standing up, lying down, and could barely get into a sit position.  When she would go on walks or go to the beach, she would be stiff and sore for several days following.

Harley’s pain was hard for her owner, Jordan, to watch.  Jordan, a veterinary technician, had heard about stem cell therapy form a friend.  Fortunately, the veterinarian that Jordan worked for was already credentialed to perform VetStem Cell Therapy and thus, Harley was treated in December 2015.

Approximately 8 months after her initial treatment, Jordan felt that Harley could benefit from a second round of injections.  At that time, she was working for a different veterinarian who was not VetStem credentialed, Dr. Sunshine Riehl of Advanced Veterinary Care of San Elijo.  After completing the VetStem Credentialing Course, Dr. Riehl administered Harley’s second round of stem cell injections in August 2016.

Jordan reported that Harley’s quality of life improved greatly.  Her need for pain medication decreased and she was able to participate in some of her favorite activities like fetch and swimming at the beach.  You can read the rest of Harley’s story here.

If your dog has arthritis, VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy may help.  You can discuss the possibility of treatment with your current veterinarian or contact VetStem to receive a list of veterinary stem cell providers in your area.

Dr. Harman received his bachelor’s degree, his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and his Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis.  He worked for a brief time in the dairy cow industry, but then decided to use his knowledge to start a preclinical research company for veterinary and human pharmaceutical development, HTI Bio-Services.

His fascination with stem cells began when he saw a video of stem cells beating in a petri dish.  He recognized the potential of stem cells and a need for alternative therapies in veterinary medicine.  Dr. Harman co-founded VetStem in 2002 and in January 2004 the first horse was treated with VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy.  Since then, over 14,000 animals have been treated.  Dr. Harman remains active in the veterinary and stem cell community, attending conferences all over the world, delivering lectures on stem cells and platelet therapy.  He has also authored 14 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

Dr. Harman is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys backpacking with his dog Ben. He also played polo for many years.  Dr. Harman is a true proponent of stem cell therapy, having treated several of his own animals, including some of his polo ponies and his dog Ben. He continues to drive research and investigate new stem cell treatment protocols.

Thank you, Dr. Harman, for all of your hard work and dedication!

Ruger began experiencing symptoms of arthritis at just four years old.  Being a Labrador retriever, this is not entirely uncommon.  He was primarily limping on and favoring his right rear leg.  An examination and X-rays determined that he had osteoarthritis in both of his knees.

After some online research, Ruger’s owner contacted us via our Locate a Vet website to find veterinary stem cell providers in her area.  From there, she visited Dr. Robert Pierce of North Idaho Animal Hospital who confirmed that Ruger was a good candidate for stem cell therapy.

In March of 2017, Ruger received stem cell injections in both knees and also intravenously.  After some rest, Ruger was able to slowly build up his activity level and his owners reported he was able to get back to some of his favorite activities like swimming.  Approximately six months after his treatment, Ruger’s owners began to reduce his use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) until they were “all but gone.”

We checked in with Ruger’s owners recently and they reported the he continues to do well.  He recently enjoyed a camping trip with his family and his canine brother and lab buddies.

Click here to read the rest of Ruger’s story.

Most of us know how the VetStem Cell Therapy process works: fat is collected from your pet, the fat is shipped to the VetStem laboratory where it is processed into injectable stem cell doses, and those doses are shipped back to your vet for injection into your pet.  But do you know how stem cells themselves work?

Stem cells are like little homing devices.  When an injury occurs, the stem cells home to the site of injury via the bloodstream and begin their work.  They start by releasing specialized molecules that help to grow new blood vessels, reduce swelling and pain, and also send a signal to additional healing cells to replace the lost or damaged cells.  These specialized repair cells are known as progenitor cells.  In addition to this, they produce special “drugs” that help block the formation of scar tissue.

While stem cells are very capable, some factors may lead to the body being unable to fully repair itself.  Sometimes an injury is so severe that surgical repair is required to help the body heal.  Sometimes the body’s natural healing needs some help to do the job quickly and efficiently.  That’s where stem cell therapy comes in.

When injuries like partial cruciate ligament tears occur, delivering a concentrated dose of stem cells directly to the injury may help to speed the healing and reduce scar tissue formation.  By reducing scar tissue, arthritis is less likely to form in the affected joint.

In a case where an animal already has osteoarthritis, introducing a concentrated dose of stem cells to the affected joint may help to rebuild the cartilage that cushions the joint.  The stem cells signal to the cartilage progenitor cells to come and heal the damaged cartilage.  By repairing the cartilage, the joint becomes more cushioned thereby making the pet less painful.

If you think that your pet may benefit from stem cell therapy, speak with your veterinarian or contact us to find a list of veterinary stem cell providers in your area.