Hi all! Veronika here, VetStem’s Customer Service Manager. I’m taking over the blog this week to tell you the story of Gryffin, my cat who received VetStem Cell Therapy for inflammatory bowel disease. Gryffin is an eleven-year-old Ragdoll who rules our house! He has many nicknames including Gryffindorable and the Handsomest of Handsomes! If you haven’t guessed, he has me wrapped around his little fluffy paw.

But recently, he has been experiencing some symptoms that warranted a trip to the vet. My normally floofy boy lost a lot of his beautiful coat. He was vomiting 2-3 times a week, had a reduced appetite and weight loss. Though normally full of catitude, he was acting lethargic and not playing or engaging much with the family or my crazy Frenchie, Darby, and was often isolating.

Gryffin was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a gastrointestinal disease that can affect both cats and dogs. It is characterized by inflammation of the intestines and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite, and weight loss. Numerous cats have received VetStem Cell Therapy for IBD and I’ve heard great results firsthand from some of their owners so I knew exactly what I needed to do.

Gryffin received his first stem cell treatment in February. About a week after that first intravenous injection, I noticed small positive changes. His appetite increased and he was generally a little more upbeat. He was coming out of his shell a little bit and even started climbing to the top of his cat tree again.

He received a second intravenous stem cell treatment in early March, three weeks after his first treatment. That is when I began to notice more obvious improvements. He now voluntarily plays (by himself or with us). He’s also begun doing “racetrack” around the house again and annoying Darby. His stools have firmed up and he has not vomited in probably a month or more. I even bought him $30 worth of cat toys because I was so excited he wants to play again! His coat has started to come back and he has gained some weight.

I know without a doubt that stem cells helped my sweet boy feel better. I’m so fortunate to work for VetStem and to know about this amazing technology. I want to spread the word to all pet owners who are dealing with IBD, which can be such a frustrating and debilitating disease. If you think VetStem might help your furry friend, don’t hesitate to reach out! You can bring it up to your veterinarian (print out this blog if you want!) or use our Locate a Vet page to find a VetStem vet near you: https://vetstem.com/locatevet.php.  

Check out a video of Gryffin playing with his toy mouse now that he’s feeling better: