While VetStem Cell Therapy is primarily used to treat orthopedic conditions, many patients have received stem cell therapy for alternate indications such as kidney disease, gingivostomatitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Conditions such as these are still in the investigational stage, as there is minimal published data to demonstrate that stem cells are effective in treating these diseases.

That being said, it is well documented that stem cells have anti-inflammatory properties, which, theoretically, may make them effective at treating a wide range of inflammatory diseases and processes. One example of an inflammatory disease is feline asthma.

Asthma is defined as a chronic inflammatory process involving the tracheal, bronchi, and lung fields. Cats with asthma often have a chronic cough, acute respiratory distress, and vomiting. There is currently no cure for feline asthma so traditional treatment is focused on managing the disease with oxygen, inhalers, and steroids. As one can imagine, getting a cat to cooperate with using an inhaler is not always easy. And long-term steroid use comes with several negative side effects.

That’s where VetStem Cell Therapy comes in. Stem cells have the ability to home to areas of inflammation and down-regulate that inflammation. Not only can they control inflammatory processes, stem cells can also modulate the immune system, which may play a role in reducing the number of acute asthmatic episodes in an affected cat. Some cats have received VetStem Cell Therapy for asthma, and while much of the evidence is anecdotal at this point, we have received reports of improvement in symptoms and one case where the cat went into complete remission. That being said, we still have much to learn about using VetStem Cell Therapy to treat feline asthma. And it is important to note that every patient reacts differently to treatment with stem cells.  

Tomorrow, March 25^th, is National Newfoundland Dog Day! Newfies are a unique breed and are often as sweet and gentle as they are big! Unfortunately, like all giant breeds, Newfies are prone to orthopedic issues like osteoarthritis and cruciate ligament injuries. This was exactly the case for Ava, a 115-pound, 3-year-old Newfoundland who partially tore her cruciate ligaments in both knees.

As a mellow dog, Ava was able to recover without surgical intervention and resumed her normal activities without any noticeable pain. That being said, when Ava was approximately 6 years old, she began showing signs of pain and decreased mobility, a result of the arthritis that had developed in her knees.

Ava’s veterinarian diagnosed Ava with moderate osteoarthritis in both knees and recommended treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. Ava’s owner agreed, stating, “I have grown up with horses and had seen success stories of using stem cells to help ligament and tendon tears…and started researching VetStem. After all, a Newfoundland is really a mini pony.”

To begin the VetStem process, Ava’s veterinarian collected fat from her abdomen in a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. The fat was aseptically packaged and shipped to the VetStem processing laboratory in Poway, California. Lab technicians processed the fat to extract and concentrate Ava’s stem and regenerative cells. Three injectable doses of Ava’s own stem cells were shipped to her veterinarian and approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure, Ava received one injection into each knee as well as an intravenous injection. The rest of her cells were put into cryopreservation for potential future use.

Ava’s owner noted that it took about four weeks to see significant improvement in her lameness and mobility. At six weeks post stem cell therapy, Ava could get up from lying down and walk normally. She no longer did mini-skips or awkwardly adjusted her weight between her back legs.  She was also able to discontinue her use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Nine months after treatment, Ava was examined, and her veterinarian noted that both knees felt very strong and stable compared to before the stem cell treatment.

Approximately two years later, Ava hurt her leg again while playing. Fortunately, she had banked stem cell doses from her initial treatment. This time, Ava’s veterinarian treated both of her knees and both of her elbows, where she had also developed arthritis. Like before, it took about four weeks before Ava’s owner noticed improvement in her mobility. She was able to trot and play with her sister Newfie and go on her normal thirty-minute walk. Prior to stem cell therapy, Ava’s owner stated that she could barely go on a five-minute walk. 

Just over a year and a half after Ava’s second stem cell treatment, her owner contacted VetStem to say that Ava was still doing well. At nearly ten years old, Ava was still moving around well and had not had any anti-inflammatory medication since four weeks post her second treatment with stem cells. Her owner stated, “I can’t recommend stem cell therapy enough…so many people who know her were able to see the difference in her level of comfort, which only validates her story in my eyes even more. Thank you VetStem, you truly saved my bear’s life and I will always be thankful for that!” If you think your pet may benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy, speak to your veterinarian or contact us to receive a list of providers near you.

Though we spend a lot of time in this blog focusing on stem cells for dogs, VetStem Cell Therapy has helped a significant number of horses as well. Numerous athletic horses that suffered potentially career-ending injuries were able to get back into competition with the help of stem cells. Similarly, non-competitive horses have also benefited from VetStem Cell Therapy, which allowed them to live better quality lives with less pain.

One example is a Quarter Horse named SR Famousinparadise or Elvis for short. Elvis suffered severe injuries to both front deep digital flexor tendons (DDFT). The DDFT functions to stabilize the joints of the lower leg when the limb is weight bearing and allows flexion of the digit. Unfortunately, injuries to the DDFT are common in athletic horses. These injuries are serious and can significantly affect a horse’s soundness and athletic ability. Injury to the DDFT typically requires a lengthy rehabilitation process regardless of the treatment method.

In Elvis’ case, his veterinarian, Dr. Fabio Aristizabal of Cave Creek Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery, recommended treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. Typically, the fat for stem cell therapy comes from the tailhead of the horse. It’s a minimally invasive procedure that can be done with limited to no scarring. After the fat was processed at the VetStem cell processing laboratory, several doses of Elvis’ own stem cells were prepared and shipped to his veterinarian for injection into his injured tendons and surrounding areas.

VetStem Cell Therapy utilizes the patient’s natural healing cells to treat degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis as well as traumatic injuries such as torn ligaments and injured tendons. Stem cells are regenerative cells that can differentiate into many tissue types. They have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, help to restore range of motion, and stimulate regeneration of tendon, ligament, and joint tissues. Additionally, stem cells can reduce the formation of scar tissue, and lead to cleaner, more complete healing of torn tendons and ligaments.

After his treatment, Elvis began a strict rehab protocol including stall rest, hand walking, and new shoes every six weeks. At about 1/3 of the way through his recovery, Elvis had an ultrasound to evaluate his injuries which showed significant healing. According to his owner, Elvis continued his rehab program and has appeared happy since the treatment.

If you think your horse may benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy, speak to your veterinarian or contact us to receive a list of VetStem providers near you.

Monday, March 13^th is National K9 Veterans Day. This day is set aside to commemorate the service and sacrifices of American military and working dogs throughout history. The date is significant, as it was on March 13, 1942 that dogs first began training for the new War Dog program, and officially became a part of the U.S. Armed Forces.

VetStem has treated several working K9s, including Lex, the bomb sniffing German Shepherd who served two tours in Iraq. While we have shared his story before, it’s always worth revisiting as a reminder of the sacrifices working dogs make in order to serve their two-legged companions.

In 2007, Lex was on duty in Iraq with his handler and best friend, 20-year-old Corporal Dustin Lee. On March 21, 2007, Cpl. Lee’s base was attacked, and a 73 mm rocket explosion killed Cpl. Lee. Lex was also injured in the attack however was said to have laid upon Cpl. Lee in an attempt to protect him. Later, it was said that Lex had to be pulled away from Cpl. Lee to allow medics to attend to him. Unfortunately, Cpl. Dustin Lee succumbed to his injuries and passed away shortly after being taken to a nearby hospital. This was just six weeks before Cpl. Lee was scheduled to return home.

Lex also sustained injuries in the attack. His fur was burned and shrapnel was lodged in his back and spine. After returning home and attending the funeral of his friend Cpl. Lee, Lex returned to duty at the Marine Corps base in Georgia. Cpl. Lee’s family however lobbied for months to adopt Lex and in December 2007, Lex was officially discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps and taken home to his new family in Mississippi.

But Lex’s story doesn’t end there. Due to his injuries and the shrapnel that was still lodged in his body, Lex developed degenerative joint disease. His osteoarthritis became a problem, causing pain and mobility issues. That’s where VetStem comes in. Lex was taken to Dr. Lee Morgan of Georgetown Veterinary Hospital who recommended treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. In 2010, Lex received injections of his own stem cells in his left hip and knee as well as intravenously. Lex initially had a great response to treatment and regained the ability to go up stairs.

In addition to Lex, VetStem has provided stem cell therapy services for several law enforcement and working K9s including Yana, a search and rescue dog, and Jax, an explosive detection dog. Though their stories may not be as dramatic as Lex’s, working dogs face rigorous physical activity and the potential for injury while on the job or later down the line after years of wear and tear on their joints. Just like their two-legged partners, they are willing to sacrifice it all for the safety of others. And for that, we honor all K9 veterans and working dogs alike.

Life for a dog with osteoarthritis can be tough. Pain and inflammation cause a decrease in mobility and quality of life. And those things become much worse when you suddenly lose a limb due to cancer. This is Reggie’s story.

Reggie, a mixed breed dog, lived an active and playful lifestyle. He was accustomed to 20+ mile hikes in the beautiful Colorado mountains and enthusiastically played fetch for hours in his back yard. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in his hips and his quality of life quickly began to deteriorate. His 20-mile hikes turned into 5 miles on flat terrain followed by crippling hip pain for the rest of the week. His legs began to slip out from under him while playing fetch and he would be in intense pain afterwards. Because of this, his ball had to be retired.

To make matters worse, Reggie was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on his front left leg. He was 11 years old at the time, so his owners initially elected to remove the tumor as opposed to amputating his leg. Despite several surgeries to remove the tumor, it kept recurring. To minimize chances of metastasis, Reggie’s owners eventually opted to amputate his leg at the recommendation of his veterinarian.

At the same time, his veterinarian recommended treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy for his remaining arthritic limbs. During his amputation surgery, his veterinarian, Dr. Angie Zinkus of Germantown Parkway Animal Hospital, collected fat tissue for VetStem Cell Therapy. The fat was shipped to and processed at the VetStem processing laboratory, and six stem cell injections were shipped back to Dr. Zinkus. Approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure, Reggie received an injection of his own stem cells into both hips, both knees, as well as his remaining elbow and shoulder.

When a dog undergoes leg amputation, the remaining legs must bear the extra weight, which may lead to the development and/or worsening of osteoarthritis. By treating Reggie’s shoulder, elbow, and knees, in addition to his arthritic hips, Dr. Zinkus hoped to mitigate the excess wear and tear on his joints, and potentially delay the onset or reduce the severity of future osteoarthritis in those joints.

In addition to stem cell therapy, Reggie received platelet therapy in each of his treated joints. Platelet therapy and stem cell therapy work synergistically. Concentrated platelets accelerate internal healing processes by attracting stem cells, supporting an anti-inflammatory environment, and stimulating local tissue repair processes.

According to his mom, Reggie had a great response to the stem cell and platelet therapy. She stated, “Once Reggie recovered from the amputation and was solid on his 3 legs, his quality of life has been amazing! His ball has come out of retirement and he is back to chasing it down like a champ without pain! We’ve slowly been increasing his mileage on his daily walks and he hasn’t been in any pain. His hips had been so painful that he no longer wanted to snuggle in bed with us for fear that we would bump his hips, and now we almost can’t get him out of our bed. The stem cell and PRP injections have given us our boy back, and he is living his best senior tripawd life! We celebrated his 13th birthday in February and are grateful to have a few more years with him knowing he will be comfortable.”

If you think your pet may benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy, speak to your veterinarian or contact us to receive a list of providers near you.