As pet parents, we all want to be prepared, whether it’s for an unexpected injury or a chronic condition that affects our furry friend’s comfort and quality of life. What if there was a way to plan ahead for your pet’s health, giving you access to cutting-edge treatment options before problems arise? That’s where VetStem StemInsure comes in.

VetStem’s StemInsure is a proactive stem cell banking service that allows pet owners to have their pet’s own regenerative stem cells collected and stored for future use. A small sample of fat tissue is

collected by your veterinarian, typically during a routine procedure like a spay/neuter or dental cleaning—and sent to VetStem’s lab, where stem cells are isolated and cryopreserved. These banked cells can later be used to treat a variety of orthopedic conditions like arthritis and soft tissue injuries, as well as various internal medicine and inflammatory diseases, providing a personalized and minimally invasive treatment option when it’s needed most.

The key benefit of StemInsure is that it prepares you in advance. By banking stem cells when your pet is young and healthy, you’re capturing them at their most potent and avoiding the need for future surgical collection when your pet is older or ill. Because VetStem Cell Therapy uses your pet’s own cells, it reduces the risk of reaction and allows for faster access to treatment if health issues arise down the road.

VetStem StemInsure gives peace of mind and flexibility in managing your pet’s long-term wellness. Whether your pet is an active breed, has a predisposition to joint issues, or you simply want to be ready for the unexpected, banking stem cells today ensures you’re equipped with advanced treatment options for tomorrow.

At VetStem, we have the potential to store stem cells from each patient whose fat we process. It is our general protocol to store a small number of stem cells from each fat sample for potential future use. Known as the Retention Sample, this small number of cells affords us the ability to provide stem cell treatments for the life of the patient from whom the cells came. More on that later.

Storage of Stem Cell Doses for Future Use

In addition to the Retention Sample, VetStem has the ability to store any unused stem cell doses from the initial stem cell process. How does this work exactly? Let’s say your dog has bilateral hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis and your veterinarian plans to give your dog an injection of stem cells directly into each hip as well as an intravenous injection. Three injections equals three doses. But suppose the fat sample from your dog had enough cells to provide six doses. Well, those extra three doses would then be cryopreserved for potential future use. And then down the line, if your dog started showing signs of discomfort, your veterinarian could request those three doses for a second stem cell treatment.

The Retention Sample Can Be Used to Provide More Doses

In keeping with this same scenario, your dog has now had two rounds of treatment, three injections each time. Therefore, all six doses from the initial fat processing have now been used. That is where the Retention Sample comes in. Our standard protocol is to store a small number of cells from every fat sample that we process. For a fee, the Retention Sample can be put into culture to grow more stem cells. The cultured stem cells will be genetically identical to your dog’s original stem cells. And once the culture process is complete (it takes approximately 3-4 weeks), your dog will have usable stem cell doses again.

Cryopreservation of Stem Cells

Cryopreservation of stem cells allows the cells to maintain their functional properties. When stored at very low temperatures, the cells can be stored for long periods. Normal biological processes are slowed allowing the regenerative properties of stem cells to remain intact. Cryopreserved cells will last the lifetime of your pet.

With the ability to culture and store extra stem cell doses, your pet should only have to undergo one fat collection procedure. Having extra doses available for use also eliminates waiting time. We ship stem cell doses out Monday through Friday and can work with short notice in most cases. This is especially beneficial for some of the animals who are battling life threatening conditions such as kidney disease.

If your pet has cells stored at VetStem and you have questions regarding those stored cells, do not hesitate to contact us! We can be reached by phone at 858-748-2004, email, or through our contact page. Alternatively, if you would like to receive a list of VetStem providers in your area, contact us here.

One of the services that VetStem provides is cell banking, or storage, of your pet’s extra stem cells.  Once the stem cells are extracted and concentrated from your dog’s, cat’s, or horse’s fat tissue, they are portioned into “doses” either for immediate use or for storage in cryopreservation tanks.

There are several reasons why we store any extra stem cells that aren’t needed for the initial treatment.  By storing your pet’s extra cells, your veterinarian will have the ability to request additional doses for future treatments if necessary.  Future treatments can be used if your pet’s condition causes discomfort again, if your pet gets re-injured, or even if your pet develops a new condition that was not previously treated.  Our friend Bodie, a longtime stem cell recipient, is a perfect example of why storing stem cells can be beneficial.

It is important to note that cell yields vary and not every patient has enough to store extra doses.  That being said, VetStem stores what we call a “Retention Sample” for nearly every patient.  The Retention Sample is a small number of your pet’s stem cells that is cryopreserved and saved for a potential future culture.  What this means is, if your pet uses up all of his/her stem cell doses, VetStem can use the Retention Sample to initiate a stem cell culture to grow more of your pet’s own stem cells.  This process takes a few weeks and does incur an additional charge however it allows us to potentially create a lifetime supply of stem cell doses for your pet. Both Bodie and Whisper have had their stem cells cultured so they may continue with treatment as needed.

Another benefit to storing your pet’s extra stem cells is that it eliminates the need for another fat collection procedure, should your pet require additional treatments.  This is especially important for older dogs and cats or patients who are otherwise not a good candidate for anesthesia.  By storing your pet’s extra cells and avoiding additional fat collection procedures, you are potentially saving money and reducing the amount of times your dog or cat has to undergo anesthesia.  Though horses do not require full anesthesia for the collection procedure, the fat collection is still a minor surgical procedure and thus incurs additional expense.

Clearly, there are many benefits to storing your pet’s extra stem cells.  VetStem stores each patient’s extra cells for one year at no extra charge.  After the first year there is a nominal fee, charged annually, to continue storage.  We also offer discounts if you pay for multiple years up front.  We occasionally get questions from owners regarding storage and whether or not they should continue.  Our advice is to consider the bigger picture.  For instance, does your dog or cat have an ongoing degenerative disease such as osteoarthritis that may worsen over time?  Is your dog or horse a performance or working animal that is at risk of getting injured?  If the answer is yes, then it is most likely in your (and your pet’s) best interest to continue your pet’s stem cell storage.