In last week’s blog, we talked about how VetStem Cell Therapy can help reduce pain. While pain can come from many different sources, one area where stem cells may really make a difference is in managing post-surgical pain. When combined with procedures like joint replacements or cruciate ligament repairs, VetStem Cell Therapy not only supports long-term recovery but also helps ease the immediate pain after surgery.

One example is Lucy, an energetic Golden Retriever who loves to run and play. Unfortunately, she injured her knee and was diagnosed with a torn cruciate ligament. Her veterinarian, Dr. Kim Carlson at Lenity Vet Specialists and Emergency Care, recommended surgery to stabilize her knee, but she also suggested adding VetStem Cell Therapy to speed up healing and manage post-surgery pain.

Cruciate ligament injuries in dogs can lead to long-term issues like arthritis, even after surgery. The surgery fixes the problem mechanically, but it doesn’t completely restore the joint to its former state. That’s where stem cells come in. Stem cells help reduce pain and inflammation, inhibit the formation of scar tissue, and encourage the regeneration of damaged tissues. Although stem cell therapy won’t cure arthritis, it can slow its progression and improve the dog’s quality of life.

After stem cell therapy, Lucy’s owner was thrilled with the results, noting that Lucy healed quickly and was back to running and hiking in no time. Almost a year later, Lucy is her happy, healthy self, free from pain and with no sign of a limp. According to Dr. Carlson, the combination of surgery and stem cell therapy worked wonders for her recovery.

For dogs like Lucy, stem cell therapy offers a way to manage pain and support healing post-surgery, ensuring they can return to their playful, active lives. If you think your pet may benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy, contact us to receive a list of VetStem providers near you.

Lucy

When our pets suffer from chronic or acute pain due to conditions like arthritis or injuries, it can be heartbreaking to see them struggle. The good news is that, with the help of the IVAPM, a focus on pain management in veterinary medicine has gained significant traction over the last decade. Newer and more natural techniques to manage pain that don’t involve long term use of medications have become more mainstream such as rehabilitation, acupuncture, and even stem cell therapy!

As we know, stem cells utilize numerous mechanisms of action to improve a painful pet’s quality of life. One of their most important mechanisms of action is their ability to reduce inflammation. Through cellular communication, stem cells are able to limit inflammatory responses and actually shift from a pro-inflammatory environment to an anti-inflammatory environment.

Reducing inflammation can of course lead to greater comfort, but current literature indicates that stem cells can also target both acute and chronic pain directly. Initially, stem cell therapy was mainly associated with healing, regeneration, and inflammation reduction. However, more recent studies have explored how stem cells can directly influence pain perception. These studies reveal that stem cells release cytokines—small proteins that can act similarly to opioids in blocking pain. Interestingly, these pain-relieving effects can be reversed by Naloxone, an opioid antagonist.

This insight clarifies why pet owners and veterinarians frequently report that pets undergoing VetStem Cell Therapy for conditions like osteoarthritis or injured cruciate ligaments experience notable improvements in comfort just days after treatment. By directly alleviating pain, the therapy enhances the pet’s overall comfort while the stem cells continue their healing work.

Veterinarians encounter and address pain in their patients daily and utilize a range of treatment options that include medications, devices, various integrative therapies, and surgery. Stem cell therapy offers an additional approach for addressing pain in pets. VetStem Cell Therapy provides a natural, readily available source of anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving cells, which can be particularly advantageous for cats and certain dogs that may not respond well to conventional anti-inflammatory medications.

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 near you.

As Animal Pain Awareness Month continues, it’s important to provide insight into signs and symptoms of pain in pets, which can often be subtle. Recognizing signs of pain in pets can be challenging for many pet owners, as animals often hide discomfort due to their instinctual nature. However, there are several key indicators that can help you determine if your pet is in pain.

One of the most noticeable signs is a change in behavior. If your typically active dog or cat becomes lethargic, hides more often, or shows a sudden aversion to being touched, it could be a sign that something is wrong. Pets may also display changes in their eating or drinking habits, such as a loss of appetite or excessive thirst, which can indicate underlying pain.

Physical symptoms are also important to watch for when assessing your pet’s well-being. Limping, difficulty standing or walking, or a change in their posture can signal that your pet is experiencing discomfort. Additionally, behavioral cues like excessive grooming of a particular area, whining, growling, or unusual aggression can also be signs of pain.

The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) works to educate both pet owners and veterinary professionals on how to recognize signs of pain in pets and has included numerous resources on their website. Some valuable tools for pet parents include checklists and videos for both dogs and cats to help determine if your pet is in pain.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s crucial to consult with a veterinarian as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a significant difference in managing your pet’s pain and improving their quality of life. Regular check-ups and being attentive to changes in your pet’s behavior can help ensure that any pain is identified and addressed promptly, allowing for the best possible care and comfort for your furry friend.

September marks Animal Pain Awareness Month, a time to shine a spotlight on the often-overlooked suffering of animals. While we are increasingly aware of pain management in humans, our furry companions also experience discomfort that can be just as debilitating. This month serves as a reminder to recognize the signs of pain in animals, which can be subtle and easily missed. From changes in behavior to shifts in eating habits, these signals are their way of communicating distress, urging us to pay closer attention to their well-being.

Veterinary professionals emphasize that pain management is not just about alleviating discomfort but also about enhancing the quality of life for animals. Advances in veterinary medicine have introduced more effective pain relief options, from medications to alternative therapies like acupuncture, physical therapy, and even stem cell therapy! By understanding and recognizing the signs of pain, we can advocate for better care and prompt treatment, ensuring that animals receive the relief they need.

Animal Pain Awareness Month is also an opportunity to educate ourselves so we can be proactive about our pets’ health and well-being. The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) works to educate veterinary professionals and pet owners to better understand how to recognize and manage pain in pets and, in doing so, has helped the field of veterinary pain management grow tremendously in recent years. Pain management is an invaluable tool in maintaining happy and healthy pets.

Stay tuned for more pain awareness blogs all month long!

As we wrap up Animal Pain Awareness Month, we wanted to share a VetStem Cell Therapy success story. As you may remember from last week’s blog, stem cells have the ability to directly modulate pain, thereby leading to increased comfort and an improved quality of life. This particular patient was treated by the President-Elect of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, Dr. Douglas Stramel. Dr. Stramel, who owns and practices at Advanced Care Veterinary Services, is the first and only Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

As the President of IVAPM, Dr. Stramel takes pain management very seriously and has made it a primary focus of his veterinary practice. He employs advanced multi-modal pain management protocols including physical therapy, acupuncture, shock wave, laser therapy, and, you guessed it, regenerative medicine. Dr. Stramel has been a longtime user of VetStem Cell Therapy and has treated nearly 50 patients. Thus, when Kim, a German Shepherd and trained agility dog, presented with a partially torn cruciate ligament, he recommended treatment with stem cells.

To begin the VetStem process, Dr. Stramel collected a sample of fat tissue from Kim’s abdomen during a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. The fat was shipped to the VetStem laboratory where technicians processed the fat to extract and concentrate the stem and regenerative cells contained therein. Three doses were prepared and shipped to Dr. Stramel for injection and the rest of Kim’s cells were put into cryopreservation for potential future use. Approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure, Kim received an injection of her own stem cells into each knee as well as an intravenous injection.

According to her owner, Kim had a great response to stem cell therapy and her knee is still doing well. She was even able to return to competition! Her owner stated, “Kim’s stem cell injection has provided her an opportunity to live her best life. We decided to change sports, so she now does AKC Rally and UKC Nosework. She continues with rehab to keep her knee in the best possible shape. Her rehab includes cold laser, underwater treadmill, and acupuncture therapy every 2-3 months.”

While stem cells have many mechanisms of action, studies focusing on the ability to directly affect acute and chronic pain have been relatively recent. Stem cells can also down-regulate inflammation and contribute to tissue regeneration, all of which helped to get Kim feeling better.

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 near you.

We’re back with another pain-themed blog for Animal Pain Awareness Month. This week, we are discussing VetStem Cell Therapy as a means to control pain in pets. While stem cells have many mechanisms of action including the ability to differentiate into many tissue types and stimulate the regeneration of tendon, ligament, and joint tissues, they also have the ability to reduce pain and inflammation.

The ability of stem cells to down-regulate inflammation is important when it comes to pain management. Through cellular communication, stem cells are able to limit inflammatory responses and actually shift from a pro-inflammatory environment to an anti-inflammatory environment. By reducing inflammation, stem cells promote healing and increased comfort.

While a reduction in inflammation can lead to increased comfort, current literature supports that stem cells also have the ability to address both acute and chronic pain directly. Stem cells have shown to secrete pain blocking cytokines (small proteins), which can have opioid-like effects. Interestingly enough, these effects can actually be reversed by Naloxone, an opioid antagonist.

This helps to explain why we consistently hear from pet owners and veterinarians alike that patients treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for things like osteoarthritis or injured cruciate ligaments, experience increased comfort within just days of receiving treatment. By directly decreasing the pet’s pain, their comfort level goes up while the stem cells continue to perform their healing duties.

Thousands of animals have experienced a better quality of life as a result of treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. Stem cells have the advantage of being a readily available, natural source of anti-inflammatory and pain blocking cells. This can be especially beneficial for cats and some dogs who do not tolerate pain medications well. 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 near you.

For those who missed our last few blogs, September was declared Animal Pain Awareness Month by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM). Animal Pain Awareness Month was established to raise awareness and to help veterinary professionals and pet owners recognize and manage pain in animals.

Unfortunately, recognizing pain in our pets is not always easy. Some instances of acute pain are likely to be more obvious, such as pain from an injury or surgical procedure. However chronic pain tends to come on more slowly and thus, we may not recognize the signs for a while. An example of chronic pain is pain from osteoarthritis.

As part of their efforts to educate pet parents about recognizing pain in pets, the IVAPM has a list of the most common signs of pain. They are:

• Decreased activity – Take notice if your animal is not playing as much as usual
• Not going up or down stairs – This could be an early sign of osteoarthritis
• Reluctance to jump onto surfaces – This especially applies to cats
• Difficulty standing after laying down – This is a sign of osteoarthritis
• Decreased appetite – This can signal mouth pain
• Over grooming or licking a particular area – This can be a sign of referred pain

For a more comprehensive list of the common signs of pain in dogs and cats, visit the IVAPM website.

Additionally, they have put together checklists for dogs and cats that can be used to help determine if your pet is in pain.

While September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for these potential signs of pain at all times. If you notice that your pet is exhibiting any of these signs, a trip to your vet may be in order.

As discussed in last week’s blog, September is Animal Pain Awareness Month. Animal Pain Awareness Month was created by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) and is dedicated to raising awareness to help veterinary professionals and pet owners recognize and manage pain in animals. But who is IVAPM? In this week’s blog, we will discuss the IVAPM and their important mission in veterinary medicine.

Who is IVAPM?

The International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) was founded in 2001 by a group of veterinarians, including one of VetStem’s earliest users and collaborators, Dr. Jamie Gaynor. The organization evolved over the years and today, is led by an active board of directors to provide veterinary pain management education as well as a pain management certification program. The current president of IVAPM, Dr. Douglas Stramel, is also an avid VetStem user.

The IVAPM unites veterinary professionals across all disciplines from around the world to advocate for best practices in the treatment of pain in animals. The organization is committed to encouraging pain management for all animal species through education and advocacy. They also encourage various veterinary organizations to raise public awareness about pain and pain management as it pertains to veterinary patients. IVAPM is the leading forum and educational resource for veterinary professionals and pet owners interested in animal pain prevention, management, and treatment.

IVAPM Pain Management Forum

One of the primary goals of IVAPM is to educate the veterinary community to recognize and treat pain in all species of animals. IVAPM provides continuing education on a variety of topics around the world. As mentioned above, they also provide the only interdisciplinary pain management certification program for veterinary professionals.

In addition to these efforts, IVAPM puts on an annual Pain Management Forum to bring together like-minded veterinary professionals who all advocate for the best practices in the treatment of animals in pain. In both 2022 and 2023, VetStem exhibited and sponsored labs at the Forum. 2024 will bring the third annual Pain Management Forum.

Resources for Pet Owners

The IVAPM does not solely focus on educating veterinary professionals. Pet owners play a key role in both recognizing and managing their pet’s pain. Thus, the IVAPM has several resources for pet owners as well. Through their website, pet owners can search for Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioners and also find various resources to help determine if a pet is in pain.

September is here and as some of you may know, this month is very important in the veterinary world. September has been declared as Animal Pain Awareness Month by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM). The goal of this month is to raise awareness and to help veterinary professionals and pet owners recognize and manage pain in animals of all species. As such, each year, we dedicate the entire month of VetStem blogs to the topic.

Pain Management in Pets

Just like people, pain in our pets can lead to a decreased quality of life. By managing an animal’s pain, we not only make them feel better, but we also help them live a happier life. IVAPM works to educate veterinary professionals and pet owners to better understand how to recognize and manage pain in pets and, in doing so, has helped the field of veterinary pain management grow tremendously in recent years.

As the field continues to grow, there have been a great many advances for methods to control pain in animals. Pain medications are no longer the only way to control pain. Several newer and more natural alternatives have become more mainstream in veterinary medicine including things like rehabilitation, acupuncture, and even stem cell therapy. With these advances, veterinarians now have the ability to help several different painful conditions that they struggled with in the past.

Types of Pain in Pets

It is important to note that there are multiple types and causes of pain in animals. Pain can be acute such as pain from a recent surgical procedure or injury. Acute pain is characterized by pain that has come on suddenly or has only been present for a short period of time. Alternatively, chronic pain can be more subtle and likely came on slowly over an extended period of time. An example of chronic pain is osteoarthritis pain.

We can further break this down into types of pain. The three primary classifications of pain are nociceptive, inflammatory, and neuropathic. Nociceptive pain is caused by noxious stimulation such as an injury/physical damage, exposure to chemicals, or exposure to extreme temperatures. As its name suggests, inflammatory pain is caused by acute or chronic inflammation. And lastly, neuropathic pain comes from damage to an element of the nervous system.

Understanding the types and causes of pain in pets can help pet owners recognize when their pet may be in pain and when to seek help from their veterinarian. Pain management is an invaluable tool in maintaining happy and healthy pets. Stay turned for more pain awareness blogs all month long!

The VetStem sales and marketing team just returned from the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM) Pain Management Forum in Atlanta, GA. For the past few years, VetStem has sponsored a dry lab at the forum. Additionally, experts in veterinary pain management have discussed the use of regenerative medicine as one approach to managing pain in pets.

Founded in 2001 by a group of veterinarians, including one of VetStem’s earliest users and collaborators, Dr. Jamie Gaynor, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management unites veterinary professionals across all disciplines from around the world to advocate for best practices in the treatment of pain in animals. The organization is committed to encouraging pain management for all animal species through education and advocacy. They also encourage various veterinary organizations to raise public awareness about pain and pain management as it pertains to veterinary patients. IVAPM is the leading forum and educational resource for veterinary professionals and pet owners interested in animal pain prevention, management, and treatment.

One of the primary goals of IVAPM is to educate the veterinary community to recognize and treat pain in all species of animals. In addition to offering continuing education, they also provide the only interdisciplinary pain management certification program for veterinary professionals. Last year, IVAPM launched the first annual Pain Management Forum where like-minded veterinary professionals can connect to advocate for the best practices in the treatment of animals in pain.

This year, at the second Pain Management Forum, Dr. Gaynor delivered a lecture in which he included information on the topics of VetStem Cell Therapy and platelet rich plasma. You may be surprised to learn that stem cells not only have the ability to down-regulate inflammation, but also to directly affect pain. Current literature supports that stem cells have the ability to address both acute and chronic pain by secreting pain blocking cytokines (small proteins), which can have opioid-like effects. We enjoy attending and supporting the IVAPM Pain Management Forum and look forward to supporting their cause in 2024!