Recently, we shared the success story of a sweet Husky mix named Kobi who was successfully treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for osteoarthritis in her elbows and wrists. Kobi’s story is special, in large part due to her traumatic start in life, followed by a harrowing prognosis after her parents learned she had severe osteoarthritis. Her owner’s submitted her story as a testimonial, and reading it gave us chills! So, while you may have already read VetStem’s version of the story, here is the full unedited version of Kobi’s story.

Kobi was a rescue through the Second Chance Pet Network in Dryden, Ontario. My husband Tom and I saw her on a Facebook post with her tiny curled husky tail and fell in love immediately, so we applied for adoption and set an appointment to meet her.

We learned that Kobi had a very rough beginning. She was found in November in a reservation in Northern Ontario, with no parents in sight. Her litter mates had passed away from the cold and only she and her brother were still alive, huddled in the middle together. The rescuers brought the two pups south to the shelter, and immediately realized the little boy was sick. Kobi and her brother were separated and he passed away soon after from parvovirus. Kobi was nursed back to health and eventually placed in a wonderful foster home.

When we met Kobi at nearly 8 months old, we couldn’t believe she hadn’t been adopted yet. When we visited her foster home, Kobi bounced right up to us and dropped onto her back to show her belly. I gave her a little rub and couldn’t believe how sweet she was. We loaded her up into the car and brought her home.

We introduced her to March (our 6-month-old German shepherd cross, adopted through the Winnipeg Shelter) and it was unconditional love at first sight. Day in and day out they wrestled and played but about 3 weeks after Kobi came home, she called for help from the yard. She was holding up her front leg, so I ran out and carried her inside. Hoping it was just a strain from hard play, we let her rest through the night. It did seem to improve, but then two days later, she called for help again and it was the opposite leg she was holding up. Puzzled, we made a vet appointment for her.

During the x-rays, it was obvious that the damage done to her little body in the cold had taken its toll, and as she grew, she developed dysplasia and arthritis in both front knees. She was put on pain killers and it was so hard seeing her dopey and hurting. Within a few weeks we were able to bring her to a surgeon nearly 6 hours away in Winnipeg and she had surgery on both front legs to correct the dysplasia and try to clean up some of the arthritis. It was so expensive, but very worth it, because it worked well! After a difficult and lengthy healing period, she was back to her nutty, bouncy self. The vet did say, however, that the arthritis was not a mild case and we’d be able to expect about 6 years before it became too much for anti-inflammatory and pain medication to handle.

That was hard to hear, but we’re stubborn people and we were determined Kobi was going to live her longest and best life. Over the next two years, Tom and I fostered 40 puppies and dogs, largely with the help and patience of March and Kobi. There were ups and downs with her comfort level but for the most part, Kobi was a happy, hilarious, quirky puppy.

In 2019, the 4 of us moved to Calgary, Alberta. A BIG city compared to where my country girls grew up, but they love a good adventure! After about a year and a half, when Kobi was creeping up to 5 years old, she started showing signs of pain and slowing down. Is a husky who can’t be the fastest dog at the Bark Park even a husky anymore? We visited a few vets looking for solutions and it was a really emotional time. I refused to believe the only option was pain medication and laser treatment until it was time to let her go. That was for old dogs and she was still just a puppy.

After a lot of tears and many hours of research, Tom found something called Stem Cell Therapy. We found Bow Bottom Veterinary Hospital in Calgary and they were incredible with Kobi. Dr. Schell identified that Kobi would be a great candidate for the treatment! It wasn’t an easy journey – another big surgery for our little husky to harvest the cells, but from there, the injections were easy peasy. After 3 weeks, it was clear that Kobi had never felt better. Literally! She’d NEVER been that comfortable before in her whole life. She played more and cuddled harder than ever before. It was incredible! Two weeks ago we all celebrated Kobi’s 6th birthday together. There was a point when we thought our time together would be up by now, but today she’s got a lot of years left and we’re going to make the best out of every single one of them. <3

As our avid readers know, we like to acknowledge and celebrate various pet and veterinary “holidays” in our blog. Today happens to be an unusual but fun one: it’s Penguin Awareness Day! But what does this mean and why is it relevant to VetStem?

Well, first a little bit of history. Penguin Awareness Day gained popularity amongst scientists and other related institutions in 2010. Their main goal was to highlight their penguin research and to get the public interested in conservation. Today, Penguin Awareness Day aims to educate the public about penguins and their natural habitat and to learn about the effects of climate change on the various populations of penguins. Unfortunately, penguin numbers around the world are dwindling.

It is a terrible thing when animals become endangered or extinct. At VetStem we are proud to say that we have helped several penguins live a better quality of life! Several penguins have actually received VetStem Cell Therapy for conditions such as degenerative joint disease. And like in dogs and horses, they have experienced a better quality of life as a result!

Click here to see a video about VetStem Cell Therapy for penguins. Though an older video, at approximately 36:00 minutes, Dr. Todd Schmitt at SeaWorld San Diego begins talking about their penguin conservation efforts. He talks a bit about using VetStem Cell Therapy to treat arthritis in penguins and there is even a video of the first-ever penguin to be treated with stem cells.

While it may not seem like much, we are extremely proud that VetStem has a small part in penguin conservation. To date, VetStem Cell Therapy has improved the quality of life in numerous penguins, thereby helping them to live longer and more comfortably. We do not take our role in exotic animal conservation lightly and continue to further our efforts in this field.

It should come as no surprise to dog owners that going for regular walks is not only necessary but also beneficial. Of course dogs need potty breaks, but the exercise and mental stimulation that come with walking your dog is great for both you and your furry companion.

While going for a leisurely walk around the neighborhood may not seem like much, there are actually many benefits associated with walking your dog regularly. Getting out in the fresh air with all sorts of new smells and sights to explore may bring your dog great satisfaction and may benefit their mental and emotional health. Additionally, giving them something constructive to do, such as walking, may prevent them from doing something destructive, like chewing on your favorite pair of shoes.

Perhaps more importantly, walking can help to reduce your dog’s weight or maintain an ideal weight. Unfortunately, obesity has become a major health concern in pets. According to some statistics, obesity is the most common preventable disease in dogs, affecting approximately 25-30% of the general canine population. As with people, obesity is associated with an increased risk for many serious diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and osteoarthritis.

Speaking of osteoarthritis, regular walks can help control symptoms of this disease as well. By reducing an obese pet’s weight, you also reduce the stress on their joints. Additionally, walking can help to strengthen the muscles and supporting soft tissue structures around the joints, promoting increased joint stability. It can also increase joint fluid circulation, which is beneficial to maintaining healthy joint cartilage.

Walking is a relatively easy and low-impact exercise that comes with many health benefits. While January may not seem like the best month to get out and walk your dog, it’s actually a necessary reminder that dogs need exercise year-round, regardless of the colder temperatures. That being said, you should exercise your pet safely and remember that every pet has different capabilities. If you have questions about exercising your dog, it’s always best to speak with your veterinarian.