Over 7,000 horses have had their fat tissue processed at VetStem. Like dogs, horses primarily receive VetStem Cell Therapy for orthopedic conditions such as injured tendons, ligaments, and joints. One common condition in sport horses is an injured suspensory ligament.

What is the suspensory ligament and how is it injured?

The suspensory ligament supports a horse’s fetlock joint in all four limbs. While the ligament is strong, it is only slightly elastic. Stress on the ligament can lead to injury and may occur from various activities such as running fast or landing a jump. The injury can be chronic in nature, where repetitive stress leads to tearing of fibers. In an acute injury, numerous fibers can rupture all at once.

What are the symptoms of an injured suspensory ligament?

Symptoms of an injured suspensory ligament vary depending on the location and severity of the injury. Some horses will show only subtle or inconsistent lameness while others may show no obvious lameness. However,  the horse’s performance will often suffer. For those horses with more obvious lameness, symptoms may worsen with exercise and improve with rest. With injury to the branches, the affected area may be thickened, warm, and tender. In the case of a rupture, the fetlock will sink toward the ground.

VetStem Cell Therapy for Suspensory Ligament Injuries

VetStem Cell Therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment option for some suspensory ligament injuries. Treatment with stem cells may reduce inflammation and scar tissue and may also lead to tissue regeneration. In a retrospective review of 62 cases of suspensory ligament injury in sport horses treated with VetStem Cell Therapy, nearly 76% of treated horses returned to full work at their prior level of performance. Additionally, another 16% returned to full work at a lower level of performance. Furthermore, 92% of the horses with acute injuries and over 71% of the horses with chronic injuries returned to their prior level of performance after treatment.

It is important to remember that outcomes vary and not all horses will respond to treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. In the aforementioned retrospective review, 5 of the 62 treated horses were non-responsive.

If your horse has an injured suspensory ligament and you are curious about whether he/she may benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy, speak to your veterinarian. You can also contact us to receive a list of VetStem providers in your area.

November is National Senior Pet Month, and we want to show those frosted-faces some extra special attention in this week’s blog! Like people, increased age is a risk factor associated with osteoarthritis. One study conducted in the UK indicated that dogs over eight years old were most frequently diagnosed with osteoarthritis. The same study found that dogs over twelve years had the greatest odds of being diagnosed with osteoarthritis compared to other age groups. These findings support the notion that osteoarthritis is predominantly a disease of aging.

Osteoarthritis is the Number 2 Reason for Euthanasia

Given that approximately 1 in 5 dogs in the United States are affected by osteoarthritis, it comes as no surprise that the disease has previously been labeled as the second most common reason for euthanasia. Though there are several treatment options available to help alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, many of them come along with unpleasant side effects and/or begin to lose efficacy after prolonged use.

VetStem Cell Therapy for Osteoarthritis

While it is not a cure for osteoarthritis, as there is no cure for this progressive disease, many arthritic pets have benefited from treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. Based on information obtained from veterinarians and dog owners, 81% of arthritic older dogs who were treated with VetStem Cell Therapy experienced an improved quality of life. In addition, 63% were not re-treated in the first year, meaning the benefits of stem cell therapy lasted longer than a year. Below are some additional numbers regarding older dogs who received VetStem Cell Therapy for osteoarthritis.

Is VetStem Cell Therapy Right for your Senior Pet?

Though stem cell therapy may lead to a better quality of life in some pets, it may not be the best option for your pet if they do not tolerate anesthesia well or if they have active cancer, which is more prevalent in older pets and is contraindicated with VetStem Cell Therapy. Thus, if you think your pet may benefit from treatment with stem cells, the first place to start is talking with your veterinarian. He/She can perform a comprehensive exam to determine if your pet may be a good candidate for stem cell therapy.

Need to find a vet who provides VetStem Cell Therapy? Click here.

One topic we have not covered is wound healing. Chronic wounds can be a major problem for pets and present many challenges for veterinarians. Some wounds require significant ongoing medical care which can be both stressful and expensive for pet owners.

Stem Cell Therapy for Wound Healing

Stem cells have many potential uses. Veterinarians primarily use VetStem Cell Therapy to treat orthopedic conditions as well as some internal medicine conditions. Stem cells have shown the ability to reduce inflammation and pain and to lead to tissue regeneration. Adipose-derived stem cells can differentiate into multiple tissue types, including skin. Stem cells also release growth factors and cytokines, which the body uses to promote healing.

There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the potential efficacy of stem cell therapy for wound healing. That being said, there is still significant research to be done before any claims of definitive treatment can be made. While the research continues, some veterinarians (and human physicians) are using stem cell therapy experimentally to help with wound healing.

Jaguar Receives Stem Cell Therapy for Severe Burns

In September, a story came out about a jaguar who was severely burned in a wildfire in Brazil. Amanaci, whose name means “goddess of the waters”, was found in an abandoned hen house amidst the fires in the Pantanal wetlands. She had third-degree burns on all four paws and on her belly. Her mammary glands were swollen with milk, indicating she recently had cubs. Veterinarians speculated that Amanaci spent considerable time trying to protect and save her cubs, which is why she was burned so badly. Unfortunately, no cubs were found.

Amanaci was transported to the NEX Institute where veterinarian, Daniela Gianni and several others took over her care. Dr. Gianni, who has previous experience using stem cell therapy in large cats, treated Amanaci’s wounds with multiple rounds of stem cell treatments along with other therapies due to the severity of her condition. And though her treatment is progressing well, it is believed she is not capable of surviving in the wild at this point. Amanaci will likely continue living at the institute along with 23 other jaguars. To read more about Amanaci’s story, click here. Or click here to watch a brief video.