Immune-mediated diseases occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues, leading to inflammation and disease-related side effects. In dogs and cats, these conditions can affect many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, intestines, blood cells, and more. Common examples include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA), feline chronic gingivostomatitis, and certain inflammatory skin conditions. While traditional treatment often relies on immunosuppressive medications such as steroids, some pets continue to experience persistent symptoms or medication-related side effects.

Stem cell therapy is emerging as a promising regenerative medicine option for select immune-mediated conditions because of the unique immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells. Rather than simply replacing damaged tissue, these cells help regulate the immune response by reducing excessive inflammation and promoting a healthier balance within the immune system. This may help decrease ongoing tissue damage while supporting the body’s natural healing processes. Research has demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells can influence the activity of multiple immune cell types, making them an area of growing interest for a variety of inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases.

One of the most promising veterinary applications is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in dogs and cats. Studies have reported improvements in clinical signs, including reduced vomiting and diarrhea, weight gain, and improved quality of life following stem cell therapy. At VetStem, we have also seen encouraging outcomes in pets with IBD and other immune-mediated conditions, particularly those that have not responded well to conventional treatments alone. While stem cell therapy is not considered a cure, it may provide meaningful improvement for carefully selected patients when incorporated into a comprehensive treatment plan.

As research into regenerative medicine continues to expand, stem cell therapy may become an increasingly valuable tool for managing immune-mediated diseases in veterinary medicine. By helping regulate the immune system rather than simply suppressing it, stem cells offer a different approach to treating chronic inflammatory conditions. If your pet has been diagnosed with an immune-mediated disease, talk with your veterinarian to determine whether VetStem Cell Therapy may be an appropriate addition to their treatment plan. You can also contact us to find a VetStem provider near you.

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

VetStem Cell Therapy is primarily used for the treatment of orthopedic conditions in dogs and horses. It is also used, with some frequency, for non-standard indications in cats such as chronic kidney disease and gingivostomatitis. Another non-standard indication that is treated in both dogs and cats, as you may remember from this previous blog, is inflammatory bowel disease.

These and other non-standard indications fall under VetStem’s clinical research department. This means that there are minimal published studies demonstrating effectiveness of stem cell therapy in the treatment of these diseases and VetStem is conducting their own research to help determine if stem cells are a viable treatment option. Clinical research cases are approved on a case-by-case basis, as stem cells are not appropriate for all disease processes.

Stem Cells Have Immunomodulatory Functions

The truth is, we don’t yet fully understand the entirety of what stem cells are capable of. That is one of the reasons why stem cell research for the treatment of various diseases is so important. While the research is ongoing, there is some evidence to suggest that stem cells have multiple immunomodulatory functions. That is, they have the ability to modulate the immune system. Thus, it makes sense that they may be helpful in controlling immune-mediated diseases.

VetStem Cell Therapy for Immune-Mediated Disease

Veterinarians have utilized VetStem Cell Therapy for a number of immune-mediated diseases. We mentioned a few of them earlier: gingivostomatitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). That’s right, the literature suggests that both gingivostomatitis and IBD are immune-mediated diseases. Additional immune-mediated diseases that have been treated with VetStem Cell Therapy with some success include keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS, or dry eye), immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), and immune-mediate polyarthritis (IMPA).

As we mentioned above, the research is ongoing so we can’t say with certainty that stem cell therapy will help in every case. Additionally, diseases present differently from patient to patient. Thus, treatment outcomes will also vary. Stem cell therapy is not a miracle cure-all treatment option. But it is a natural alternative to the potentially damaging immunosuppressive medications that are commonly used to treat immune-mediated diseases.

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