Atlas is a large Quarter Horse that keeps busy with drill team, barrel racing, jumping, cow work, and trail riding.  So, you can imagine how devastating it was for both Atlas and his owner when he partially tore his right front suspensory ligament and was only able to walk.  Fortunately, his veterinarian, Dr. Colter Negranti of Paso Robles Equine, recommended treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy.

After stem cell therapy, Atlas underwent months of rehab.  Once he was feeling better, he began working again and, according to his owner, he stayed as sound as ever.  You can catch up on Atlas’ story here.

We recently checked in on Atlas and his owner reported that he continues to do great!  He participated in a barrel race in June and his owner stated, “The race went really well (it was our first multiple day outing) and we won some money!  Now we’re getting ready for finals, plus lots of trail riding since the summer weather has been so great!”  See a picture of Atlas from the race below.

As many horse owners know, working horses tend to be at a higher risk for injuries.  Some injuries may affect the long-term career of the horse.  VetStem Cell Therapy has helped several horses return to work (and even win championships!) after potentially career-ending injuries including CP Merritt, Anthony, and AR River Playboy.  If your horse has suffered an injury, speak to your veterinarian about the possibility of treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy.   

This week we would like to introduce you to VetStem proponent, Dr. Cindy Echevarria of VCA University Animal Hospital in Dallas.  Dr. Echevarria has been utilizing VetStem Cell Therapy since early 2015 and has treated nearly 40 patients, including her own dog, Bella.  Dr. Echevarria also treated Stuart, the Lab with a soft tissue injury and Seve, a Golden Retriever with osteoarthritis in his hips.

We recently caught up with Dr. Echevarria to ask her some questions about how she utilizes VetStem Cell Therapy.  See her answers below.

At what point in the process do you recommend stem cell therapy for your patients (ie, when the injury/ailment is first diagnosed, after meds have proven unsuccessful/detrimental, etc.)

I usually recommend stem cell for all orthopedic injury cases, particularly ACL tears, and arthritic cases.  For cruciate injuries I find combining the TPLO or repair surgery with the collection part of the stem cell process to be easy on the pet and the owner since the recovery process goes unchanged.  Anything that does not inconvenience the owner further but helps the pet makes it easier to relay the benefits to the owner.  Since aftercare alone is a lot to take on for each procedure alone, being able to manage both at the same time saves the owner time and stress (versus doing the procedures independently).  Also, as discussed at the time of injury, once one ACL tears it is very common for the other to tear in the future.  Having the stem cells available in the future allows for re-infusion into originally affected limb and new limb if needed without having to collect additional cells.  Some owners do not have the funds to do all at once, but at least discussing the options with them helps them narrow down where their funds would be best utilized.

I also commonly bring it up for owners who are tired of what they perceive as over-medicating or “nothing works” idea.  Many of the cases I have done that were on medications have been able to be reduced significantly to none in some cases.  Although it can be mentioned as last resort if nothing else works, I feel like the sooner stem cell is used on the pet, the higher chances of success.  Including offering StemInsure when they are young (at time of spay or neuter) for those breeds that are prone to arthritis or those dogs (hunting, agility, etc) that are at higher risk of needing stem cell in their future.

I had a Newfoundland puppy that I did StemInsure on for her potential bilateral elbow dysplasia that her predecessor had and the fact of her size/breed overall.  2.5 years later she tore her ACL.  Her cells were already stored at that time and only had to be processed at the time of her knee repair.  Worked really well and the owners were pleased that that had even been offered back when she was a puppy.  It has been about 1.5 years since her TPLO/stem cell infusion and she continues to not need pain management.  She only takes Dasuquin (which I advise for all my patients with injuries or arthritis), regardless of stem cell.

What parameters make a patient a good candidate for stem cell therapy?

*are we on pain management and only minimal improvement?

*has the pet been on long term meds and liver/kidney values now an issue?  medications are more limited now

*are their neurologic deficits?   If yes, I generally do not proceed with stem cell.  I always offer a free initial assessment to see if stem cell would even be an option for the pet.

*does the pet have or has had cancer?  I usually do not proceed with stem cell.

*what other conditions might the pet have that would compromise the effectiveness of the stem cells or are they higher risk for anesthesia for the collection process? 

Advice for pet owners considering stem cell therapy for their pet.

There is so much benefit from stem cell aside from joint related ailments, that just reading about it and asking for testimonials goes a long way.  I am always open to calls for those interested or just want to know more about it.  I am also very real about the fact that it is intense and probably inconvenient for most the following 8 weeks after infusion, but it does get results.    

If you’re located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and are interested in VetStem Cell Therapy for your dog or cat, we recommend a visit with Dr. Echevarria.

This week we would like to introduce you to a vital member of our team: our Chief Operating Officer Dr. Carolyn Wrightson.  Dr. Wrightson has been with VetStem since 2006 though she has over 20 years of experience in biochemistry, molecular biology, and molecular pathology.  She started out as our Director of Lab Operations and Quality Services.  She continues to manage our two laboratories as well as our Research and Development team.

Dr. Wrightson received her BS from Mount St. Mary’s College in Biology and Biochemistry in 1991, her MS from USC in Pathology in 1993, and her PhD from USC in Pathology in 1996.  She also completed a Post-Doc at The Scripps Research Institute in Molecular and Experimental Medicine.  Paired with CEO Dr. Bob Harman’s expert knowledge and determination to develop and improve the stem cell industry, Dr. Wrightson’s expertise is a driving force behind the ongoing development of our off-the-shelf stem cell drug as well as the recent launch of our human stem cell company, which we discussed in a recent blog. 

As you may have noticed in our blogs about our Director of Commercial Operations and our Director of Clinical Development, most of our employees wear many hats at VetStem.  So, while Dr. Wrightson is busy managing both our commercial and manufacturing laboratories, she also serves as our unofficial IT liaison as well as our building maintenance manager.  If a computer gets a virus or the air conditioner stops working, Dr. Wrightson is on the phone organizing a technician to come fix the problem.

In her spare time (most of us are amazed she even has spare time) Dr. Wrightson enjoys spending time with her two children Tehya, who is 15, and Kaiden who is 7, as well as with her husband Shane.  She travels to volleyball competitions with Tehya and gardens with Kaiden. She enjoys baking and crocheting.  She also has four dogs: Alejandro, Ryder, Koda, and Jasper, and two birds: Mango and Skittles.

Dr. Wrightson’s ability to manage multiple priorities at once is second to none.  Her knowledge and expertise, along with her incredible work ethic, makes her an extremely valuable part of the VetStem team.  Thank you, Dr. Wrightson, for your hard work and dedication!