At just one and a half years old, Hex, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi, was already proving herself as a standout in the agility world. In only a few short months, she advanced rapidly through the Novice, Open, and Excellent levels of AKC agility and was just about ready to start competing against more experienced dogs at the Master level of competition. Then, just one week before her first Master-level competition, Hex came in from the yard limping.

Although initial treatment with NSAIDs provided some relief, Hex continued to show reduced range of motion in her left front leg. Her owner sought out Dr. Sherman Canapp of Canapp Sports Medicine, a board-certified veterinary surgeon internationally recognized for diagnosing and treating complex soft tissue and orthopedic injuries in canine athletes. After a thorough evaluation, he diagnosed Hex with multiple soft tissue injuries in her left shoulder, along with abnormalities in both elbows.

Dr. Canapp recommended arthroscopy of both elbows and the left shoulder, followed by VetStem Cell Therapy to support healing and recovery. After completing the surgical repairs and subsequent stem cell injections, Hex began a carefully structured rehabilitation program with a veterinary physical therapist. About three months later, she was cleared to return to agility training.

Her owner reported, “I am grateful and excited to report that Hex is back running agility at the highest levels! One year after her injury, we returned to agility competition. We took things slowly, but she has never looked back – running better than before with a visible improvement in her jumping form and in her performance of the obstacles. Agility is a tough sport and can be even harder for dogs (like Corgis) that aren’t really built for lots of jumping or running up and down A-frames at high speed, but with careful strength and fitness training and stem cells from VetStem, Hex is holding her own competitively, trialing almost every weekend. Hex completed her Master Agility Champion title (MACH) and she will be competing in the AKC Agility Invitational. Most importantly, though, Hex is happy and sound. I know that VetStem Cell Therapy has been a critical part of Hex’s return to sport and I sleep better at night knowing that Hex’s stem cells are banked and ready should we need to use them in the future.”

Stem cells are regenerative cells that can differentiate into many tissue types and release growth factors and proteins that help reduce inflammation, stimulate tissue repair, and promote healing. VetStem Cell Therapy has been used in the treatment of orthopedic injuries, arthritis, and tendon and ligament damage in dogs, cats, and horses. By helping injured animals heal, stem cells can improve quality of life and, in many cases, allow canine athletes like Hex to return to competition.

Whether your dog is a competitive athlete or a beloved companion, VetStem Cell Therapy may help with a variety of conditions and injuries. Speak with your veterinarian or contact us to find a VetStem provider near you.

Hex

One Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to reflect on the connection between animal and human health. Treating animals can lead to breakthroughs for people, which is exactly what happened with VetStem and our sister company, Personalized Stem Cells (PSC). For more than two decades, VetStem has led the way in regenerative medicine for animals, pioneering the use of a patient’s own stem cells to support healing, reduce inflammation, and improve quality of life. Along the way, the success we saw in veterinary patients led directly to the formation of PSC, which now brings the same personalized, cell-based approach to people.

This One Health connection is especially clear in the story of Erin Taormino. Erin is one of the world’s most accomplished trainers of reined cow horses. She became the first woman ever to win the World’s Greatest Horseman title, and in 2024 she joined the NRCHA Million Dollar Rider club, cementing her place in the history of the sport. But years of riding, training, and competing at the highest level took a toll. Erin developed severe osteoarthritis in both hips, leaving her facing the very real prospect of double hip surgery, a procedure that could sideline her career and limit her ability to ride, train, and compete.

Fortunately for Erin, she was already familiar with stem cell therapy, having seen her horses benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy. She stated, “I’ve seen firsthand how stem cells helped my horses recover and perform. When it came to my own body, I wanted to see if there was a way to avoid surgery and stay in the saddle.” Following PSC’s Right-to-Try pathway, Erin received injections with her own stem cells into each hip. After treatment, Erin was able to avoid hip replacement and continue competing at the highest level of her sport, including again this year entering and placing in the Run for a Million competition in Las Vegas, Nevada. She stated, “Stem cells allowed me to keep riding, training, and doing what I love. I don’t know if I’d be here today, competing at this level, if I had gone through double hip surgery. For me, it’s incredible that the same science helping my horses could also help me. We’re both athletes, and stem cells have been a game-changer.”

Erin’s story is a powerful example of how advancements in veterinary medicine can translate into meaningful breakthroughs for people. One Health Awareness Month is a reminder that progress in veterinary medicine can reach far beyond animals. At VetStem, we’re proud that our experience caring for animals has helped shape the future of regenerative medicine for humans too.

Photography Credit: Carolyn Simancik: instagram.com/carolyn_simancik
instagram.com/taorminoperformancehorses

January is Walk Your Dog Month, a perfect reminder that one of the simplest activities you can do with your dog is also one of the most beneficial, especially for their joints. Regular, controlled walks help keep joints healthy and may actually reduce the symptoms or delay the onset of osteoarthritis (OA). Read on to learn how you can keep your dog feeling and moving their best.

You may already know that nearly 1 in 5 dogs will be diagnosed with OA during their lifetime. That’s why prioritizing joint care from an early age is so important. While there are many ways to support canine joint health, research shows that consistent, low-impact exercise, like daily walks, can help maintain joint function and mobility in dogs both with and without OA.

Walking plays a key role in maintaining joint health by promoting the circulation of joint fluid, which helps nourish cartilage and keep joints moving smoothly. Regular walks also support healthy weight management, reducing excess stress on joints that can accelerate wear and tear. In addition, walking strengthens the muscles surrounding the joints, improving stability and helping protect against injury and long-term degeneration.

When it comes to exercise, consistency matters more than intensity. Dogs who are mostly sedentary during the week and then pushed into long, strenuous activities on the weekend are at higher risk for joint strain, soreness, and injury. Sudden bursts of activity can overload joints and soft tissues that aren’t conditioned for the demand. Daily walks, even if they’re shorter, provide steady, low-impact exercise that helps dogs build and maintain strength safely over time.

All of that being said, walking is not a foolproof method for stopping or curing OA altogether. Your veterinarian can offer advice in terms of supplements and other ways to support your dog’s joint health. Additionally, VetStem Cell Therapy has been shown to reduce pain and lameness associated with arthritis in dogs, thereby leading to a better quality of life.

Today, January 9^th, is National Australian Shepherd Day and we wanted to share the story of a special Aussie who was treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for a non-standard indication: sebaceous adenitis. We haven’t discussed this topic much on our blog however a few patients have received VetStem Cell Therapy for this condition and have experienced good results overall.

Sebaceous Adenitis

Sebaceous adenitis is a challenging immune mediated skin disease in dogs in which the immune system attacks the sebaceous glands. These glands help to maintain skin and coat health. Dogs with this disease often experience dry and brittle fur, hair loss, scaling, skin lesions, and potentially secondary skin infections.

Unfortunately, like most immune mediated conditions, treatment is aimed at controlling symptoms and is not curative. This means that lifelong treatments such as frequent bathing with medicated shampoos, along with supplements and medications will be necessary to help keep pets with this disease comfortable. As you can imagine, treatment can be labor intensive and not all pets respond.

Nikita’s Story

Nikita, an Australian Shepherd, was diagnosed with sebaceous adenitis after her owner noticed patchy fur with poor skin and coat quality. Nikita’s case was so bad that she was on heavy doses of steroids and other immunosuppressive medication. Her dedicated owner sought treatment with stem cell therapy, hoping to achieve a better quality of life for Nikita.

Nikita’s initial treatment included three separate intravenous doses spaced approximately one week apart. After her first two doses, both her veterinarian and her owner noticed slight improvement in her skin. Approximately thirty days after her initial treatment, her owner noticed that her fur was growing back, her skin was healthy, and she was off 75% of her medication. Nikita was also more social and willing to play again. It was clear she was feeling much better!

Following Nikita’s initial stem cell treatment, she continued to receive retreatments once to twice a year to help keep her symptoms under control. Prior to stem cell therapy, her condition had progressively worsened, and her owner shared that the disease was slowly but surely taking her life. One family member recalled, “Unless you had seen Nikita so close to dying, you can’t appreciate what a gift stem cells have been. She is such a happy, naughty, loving, and lovable little dog now.”

Stem Cells for Immune Mediated Diseases

While stem cells are still being studied for the treatment of immune mediated diseases, we do know that stem cells play a key role in not only managing pain but also in down-regulating inflammation. Perhaps most importantly for these conditions, stem cells have demonstrated immunomodulatory characteristics and the ability to help balance a patient’s immune system.  By addressing immune imbalance rather than solely managing symptoms, stem cell therapy may serve as a valuable treatment for dogs with sebaceous adenitis, particularly those that are difficult to manage with conventional therapies alone.

The Takeaway

Though stem cell therapy did not cure Nikita’s disease, it played a meaningful role in improving her comfort and overall quality of life. VetStem Cell Therapy is not the answer for every condition and may not help every patient the way it helped Nikita. That being said, if your pet is struggling with an immune mediated disease that is not well controlled by standard treatment, speak to your vet about stem cell therapy. Or reach out to us for more information and a list of VetStem providers in your area.

Dr. Bernadine Cruz administering intravenous stem cells to Nikita

It’s hard to believe 2025 is coming to a close! It’s been a busy year for VetStem with a new commercial partnership and multiple milestones reached. For our final blog of the year, we’re recapping some of our biggest news of 2025.

• Perhaps our most significant development of the year came in February when we announced that we entered into an exclusive license and supply agreement with PetVivo Holdings, Inc. to commercialize VetStem’s PrecisePRP Products.
• Following this announcement, PetVivo officially launched PrecisePRP at the annual Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas, NV. 
• In March we secured additional funding to accelerate the final steps toward FDA conditional approval of StemStat™ Ortho, an allogeneic, off-the-shelf stem cell therapy for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis. This milestone positions VetStem to become the first company to bring an FDA-approved allogeneic stem cell product to the veterinary market – a groundbreaking achievement in the field of regenerative medicine.
• In April, we reached yet another industry-leading milestone with over 40,000 stem cell treatments processed for nearly 17,000 patients.
• August saw the VetStem Sales and Marketing team in Kansas City, MO for the annual Fetch DVM360 conference. We sponsored and exhibited at this show and teamed up with our commercial partner, PetVivo Animal Health. VetStem CEO, Dr. Bob Harman, and small animal technical services veterinarian for PetVivo, Dr. Juli Goldstein, delivered lectures about regenerative medicine and multimodal treatment approaches to osteoarthritis in small animals.
• We wrapped up the year with a few record-breaking stem cell processing months as everyone worked to squeeze in their stem cell therapies before the holidays!

As we conclude our 24th year in veterinary regenerative medicine, we’re grateful for the progress made and energized for what’s ahead. Here’s to another year of advancing regenerative medicine and delivering meaningful, life-changing care for the animals who rely on us. See you in 2026!

Dr. Harman delivering a Regenerative Medicine lecture at Fetch Kansas City

December 9th was International Day of Veterinary Medicine, an annual reminder of the essential role veterinarians and their teams play in supporting the health and welfare of animals. From routine preventive care to managing complex medical conditions, veterinarians are dedicated to improving the lives of all animals, from pets and livestock to wildlife and working animals. This day highlights the skill, compassion, and commitment that define the veterinary profession.

At VetStem, we are grateful to work alongside veterinarians who continue to expand the use of regenerative medicine in clinical practice. Over the years, our veterinary partners have helped advance the application of stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma for a wide range of orthopedic and inflammatory conditions. Their willingness to explore new treatment modalities has contributed to better outcomes and improved comfort for thousands of animal patients.

As we recognize International Day of Veterinary Medicine, we want to extend our appreciation to the many veterinarians who trust VetStem as part of their treatment approach. We remain committed to providing high-quality regenerative medicine solutions and look forward to continuing this important work of helping pets live longer, healthier, and more comfortable lives.

In honor of National Cat Lovers’ Month, we’re highlighting how VetStem Cell Therapy can help improve quality of life for cats facing common chronic conditions. Using your cat’s own regenerative cells collected from a small sample of fat, VetStem Cell Therapy offers a natural way to reduce inflammation, support healing, and promote long-term comfort.

Orthopedic Issues

Arthritis and orthopedic injuries can greatly affect a cat’s mobility and quality of life. VetStem Cell Therapy helps reduce inflammation, improve joint comfort, and support tissue repair. Many cat owners report better mobility, increased playfulness, and an overall happier cat following treatment with stem cells.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

CKD is one of the most common illnesses in older cats. Common symptoms can include weight loss, lethargy, variable appetite, and poor coat quality. Some cats may also drink and urinate more, vomit, or have diarrhea. Unfortunately, treatment options for cats with kidney disease are limited. Stem cells have shown promise in supporting kidney function by reducing inflammation and fibrosis. While not a cure, VetStem Cell Therapy may help slow progression and improve symptoms in some cats with CKD.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Cats with IBD often struggle with chronic vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. Stem cells may help calm the immune system and decrease gastrointestinal inflammation in cats with IBD. Many veterinarians consider this therapy when traditional treatments aren’t enough or cause unwanted side effects. Numerous cats (and dogs!) have shown remarkable improvement after treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy, with some even experiencing a full resolution of their symptoms.

Feline Chronic Gingivostomatitis (FCGS)

This painful oral inflammatory condition can significantly impact a cat’s quality of life. VetStem Cell Therapy is a promising option for cats who don’t fully respond to dental extractions or medications. And some cats have been able to avoid full mouth extractions after treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. Stem cells can help regulate the immune response and reduce severe inflammation in the mouth, thereby improving symptoms and quality of life.

If your cat is struggling with any of these conditions, talk to your veterinarian to see whether VetStem Cell Therapy may help or contact us to find a VetStem provider near you.

In last week’s blog, we shared the story of Gemini, a puppy who was able to avoid hip replacement surgery with the use of VetStem Cell Therapy. While that’s wonderful for Gemini and her family, we also want to point out that surgery absolutely has its place in orthopedics. There are times when surgical repair is the best option to produce the desired outcome. When that is the case, pet owners may want to consider VetStem Cell Therapy in conjunction with surgery.

Stem cell therapy can be a valuable addition to many surgical procedures to help enhance healing and improve outcomes. While surgery can repair structural damage, such as torn ligaments and fractured bones, adding VetStem Cell Therapy can help address inflammation and support the body’s natural repair processes. Together, surgery and stem cells offer a more comprehensive approach to healing for pets recovering from injury or managing orthopedic conditions.

Stem cells are known for their anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. They can also help reduce pain, minimize scar tissue formation, and promote healthy tissue regeneration. When used in conjunction with surgery, such as cruciate ligament repair, VetStem Cell Therapy may help speed up recovery, improve comfort, and reduce the risk of future arthritis. Many veterinarians have found that pets receiving stem cells in conjunction with surgery experience smoother recoveries and regain mobility more quickly.

At VetStem, we’ve seen numerous success stories where stem cells were used alongside surgery to enhance healing. From cruciate ligament repairs to arthroscopy, combining VetStem Cell Therapy with surgical treatment has helped pets get back to doing what they love, faster and with less discomfort. If your veterinarian has recommended surgery for your pet, ask whether adding stem cell therapy might be a good option. You can also request a list of VetStem providers in your area through our Locate a Vet form.

Gemini, a young Golden Retriever, began struggling with mobility as early as nine months old. Her owners noticed that simple activities, like climbing stairs or getting up from a resting position, were becoming increasingly difficult for her. She also experienced intermittent lameness and discomfort. Gemini’s veterinarian diagnosed her with bilateral hip arthritis caused by hip dysplasia, a developmental condition in which the hip joint does not form properly. This joint instability can lead to painful osteoarthritis, even in very young dogs.

Because of her age, Gemini’s family hoped to avoid invasive surgical procedures. Her veterinarian, Dr. Andrea Hayes of VCA Boone Animal Hospital, recommended VetStem Cell Therapy as a less-invasive treatment option. “After her first stem cell treatment, at 10 months old, she showed significant improvement in all areas of mobility,” her owner shared. “Although her range of motion had improved, it was still not at an acceptable range, and she still showed signs of discomfort at times.”

When Gemini turned two, her owners decided to use some of the stored stem cells for a second treatment. “At the age of 24 months, we still felt she was too young to consider a surgical procedure and decided to have another stem cell treatment performed with the banked doses we had in storage at VetStem from the original procedure,” her owner explained. “After this second treatment, Gemini’s condition significantly improved. Her range of motion is almost that of a healthy dog. Although stairs are still somewhat of an issue for her, she has no other mobility issues at this time. We are grateful to have found a non-surgical option for Gemini to improve her quality of life. We are also grateful for having someone like Dr. Hayes making this type of treatment available to us. It is comforting to know that this type of treatment is still available for Gemini in the future, if needed, with the banked cells we still have at VetStem. Our hopes are to avoid ever having to put her through hip replacement or any other type of orthopedic surgery. Gemini is currently in training to become a certified therapy dog just like her brother and sister dogs.”

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common orthopedic conditions in dogs and can significantly impact mobility and overall quality of life. VetStem Cell Therapy has been used to treat thousands of dogs with osteoarthritis, with over 80% of pet owners and veterinarians reporting improved comfort and function. And because osteoarthritis is often a progressive condition, VetStem’s ability to store stem cells for future treatments can be a valuable tool for long-term care.

Think your pet may benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy? Speak to your veterinarian or contact us for a list of VetStem providers near you.

Gemini

November is National Senior Pet Month, a time to celebrate our beloved older companions and to raise awareness about their unique health needs. Just like people, pets can experience age-related changes such as stiffness and slower movement, which is often a result of arthritis. But growing older doesn’t have to mean giving up the things that bring them joy. At VetStem, we believe every stage of life deserves to be lived comfortably, and that’s where VetStem Cell Therapy can help.

It’s a common misconception that regenerative medicine is only for young, athletic animals recovering from injury. In fact, many of our patients are senior dogs and cats being treated for arthritis or other degenerative conditions. VetStem Cell Therapy can help reduce inflammation, promote tissue repair, and improve overall comfort and mobility. In a survey of older dogs treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for arthritis, over 80% showed improved quality of life. One example is Callie, who regained her zest for life and was able to fully enjoy her golden years after treatment with stem cells.

During National Senior Pet Month, we encourage pet owners to take a closer look at how regenerative medicine can support their aging companions. Whether your senior pet is showing early signs of arthritis or has been struggling for some time, VetStem Cell Therapy may offer a safe and effective way to enhance their comfort and mobility. Talk to your veterinarian to find out if your pet is a good candidate or contact us to receive a list of VetStem providers near you.