Nickie has always been an animal lover so when she found her home without a dog, she went in search of a new companion to join her family. She soon found Casey, an 8-week-old Rough Collie, and this adorable ball of fluff joined their family.

Unfortunately, the joy of the puppy days was short lived. At just four months old, Casey began to not eat regularly. Nickie diligently tried every recommendation her veterinarian made and not only did Casey’s appetite not improve, but he began to have frequent bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. She tried a variety of commercial, homemade, and prescription diets with no relief. In conjunction with the diets, Casey’s veterinarian prescribed numerous medications, including a steroid called prednisone.

After a variety of diagnostics including X-rays, bloodwork, ultrasound, and biopsies of his GI tract, Casey was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). As indicated by the name, the intestines of a pet with IBD are chronically inflamed, resulting in symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, inappetence, and weight loss. Currently, the primary treatments are medical management via diet and steroids +/- additional supportive medications.

Casey continued his regimen of 7 different medications and a prescription diet with minimal control of his symptoms for nearly 3 years until routine bloodwork revealed that his liver enzymes were elevated. He had another ultrasound with biopsies of his liver that revealed the steroids were damaging his liver. He still struggled with frequent watery diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss as well as hair loss and red, inflamed skin. Nickie was distraught and questioned if the time had come to let Casey go.

At this time, Casey’s veterinarian suggested trying VetStem Cell Therapy. VetStem, a veterinary regenerative medicine company located in California, is currently researching the use of stem cells for the treatment of IBD. Stem cells have demonstrated the ability to down-regulate inflammation, modulate the immune system, and repair damaged tissue. Additionally, multiple clinical studies have demonstrated that stem cells can improve the symptoms of IBD.

Nickie and her husband were skeptical at first, wondering if this was snake oil or just another dead end in Casey’s treatment. After discussion and research, they decided to pursue stem cell treatment as a last resort. Casey had fat collected from his abdomen in a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. The fat was aseptically packaged and shipped to the VetStem processing laboratory. Lab technicians processed the fat to isolate and concentrate the stem and regenerative cells contained therein. Therapeutic doses were then prepared for treatment.

Over the course of 10 months, Casey received 5 separate intravenous doses of his own stem cells. According to his owner, his symptoms have improved greatly and Nickie feels like she is finally getting to meet the real Casey. He now interacts with his family and even plays with them. He has made a best friend at the park that he loves to play with and takes long naps on the porch in the sun. He rolls over for belly rubs, which he had not done in the first 3 years of his life. 

Today, Casey eats well and is off all but one of his medications, including being completely off steroids. He has occasional IBD flare ups but nothing to the degree he experienced previously. He has grown back a full, thick Collie coat and loves to “talk” to Nickie and announce all the goings-on in his neighborhood. Nickie says that she has the wonderful problem that Casey is now slightly overweight, something she never thought she would see! Nickie says that without the excellent care of her veterinary team and VetStem Cell Therapy, Casey would not be here today.

Veterinary stem cell therapy, though not new, has gained significant traction in the last 10 years. Through ongoing research and treatment data, we continuously learn more about the many functions of stem cells and what diseases can be treated. VetStem has a variety of research programs, including the IBD program, to collect data and better understand how we can help pets. There is still much left to learn, and it is important to note that each animal responds differently to treatment.

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.

Next week is Veterinary Assistant Appreciation Week! Veterinary Assistant Appreciation Week was only recently started by The Stephen & Christine Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in 2022. Since most of our staff are former veterinary assistants, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge these key players in your pet’s veterinary care.

Veterinary assistants are an integral part of the veterinary team. As you may have guessed, their job is to assist veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians in all aspects of patient care. Some of their responsibilities may include ensuring patient comfort, sterilizing and preparing animal care equipment and facilities, animal restraint, as well as patient and client advocacy.

At VetStem, one of our main focuses is on education. We want to ensure that veterinarians and their team are educated and informed about VetStem Cell Therapy so they can answer their clients’ questions about treatment with stem cells. We understand that sometimes veterinary assistants are the messengers when it comes to explaining the VetStem process. As such, we do our best to make sure that all members of the veterinary team are informed about the ins and outs of stem cell therapy.

To do this, we offer online learning modules that are open to veterinarians and their team. We also provide local in-person and remote lunch and learns. This gives us a great opportunity to educate the entire team about VetStem Cell Therapy while also showing our appreciation by providing them with lunch.

We understand the value and knowledge that veterinary assistants bring to the team and know that veterinarians couldn’t do what they do without them! So if you get the chance, consider thanking your veterinary assistants next week.

In honor of National Golden Retriever Day, we are sharing a VetStem success story about a Golden Retriever named Makalia. At a young age, Makalia was diagnosed with bilateral elbow dysplasia. At approximately two-years-old, Makalia underwent elbow arthroscopy in her left leg, which was the worst of the two. Despite the procedure, Makalia would limp on and off. Her owners managed her pain with medication for several years.

When Makalia was eight years old, she began limping on her right front leg more. The limp got progressively worse and eventually she became completely lame on that leg. After laser therapy didn’t help, Makalia’s veterinarian, Dr. Adam Gassel, recommended arthroscopy on the right elbow in addition to treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy on both elbows.

To begin the process, Dr. Gassel collected fat tissue from Makalia’s abdomen in a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. At the same time, he performed arthroscopy on her right elbow. Her fat tissue was shipped to the VetStem processing lab where it was processed to extract and concentrate the stem and regenerative cells contained therein. Three injectable doses of Makalia’s stem cells were shipped back to Dr. Gassel. Approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure, Makalia received an injection of her own stem cells into each elbow as well as intravenously.

In a 90 day follow up evlauation, Makalia’s owners noted that she was no longer lame. Her stiffness, pain, and energy level had improved and she was no longer having problems walking or jumping. Her owner stated, “I didn’t realize how much pain she was in because now she is a new dog. Happier and playful again.”

Unfortunately, Golden Retrievers are among the breeds that have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with joint dysplasia and osteoarthritis. The good news is, VetStem Cell Therapy can help to reduce pain and inflammation associated with OA and can even lead to the regeneration of healthy cartilage tissue.

If you think your pet may benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy, speak to your veterinarian or click here to receive a list of VetStem providers near you.

Recently, we shared the success story of a sweet Husky mix named Kobi who was successfully treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for osteoarthritis in her elbows and wrists. Kobi’s story is special, in large part due to her traumatic start in life, followed by a harrowing prognosis after her parents learned she had severe osteoarthritis. Her owner’s submitted her story as a testimonial, and reading it gave us chills! So, while you may have already read VetStem’s version of the story, here is the full unedited version of Kobi’s story.

Kobi was a rescue through the Second Chance Pet Network in Dryden, Ontario. My husband Tom and I saw her on a Facebook post with her tiny curled husky tail and fell in love immediately, so we applied for adoption and set an appointment to meet her.

We learned that Kobi had a very rough beginning. She was found in November in a reservation in Northern Ontario, with no parents in sight. Her litter mates had passed away from the cold and only she and her brother were still alive, huddled in the middle together. The rescuers brought the two pups south to the shelter, and immediately realized the little boy was sick. Kobi and her brother were separated and he passed away soon after from parvovirus. Kobi was nursed back to health and eventually placed in a wonderful foster home.

When we met Kobi at nearly 8 months old, we couldn’t believe she hadn’t been adopted yet. When we visited her foster home, Kobi bounced right up to us and dropped onto her back to show her belly. I gave her a little rub and couldn’t believe how sweet she was. We loaded her up into the car and brought her home.

We introduced her to March (our 6-month-old German shepherd cross, adopted through the Winnipeg Shelter) and it was unconditional love at first sight. Day in and day out they wrestled and played but about 3 weeks after Kobi came home, she called for help from the yard. She was holding up her front leg, so I ran out and carried her inside. Hoping it was just a strain from hard play, we let her rest through the night. It did seem to improve, but then two days later, she called for help again and it was the opposite leg she was holding up. Puzzled, we made a vet appointment for her.

During the x-rays, it was obvious that the damage done to her little body in the cold had taken its toll, and as she grew, she developed dysplasia and arthritis in both front knees. She was put on pain killers and it was so hard seeing her dopey and hurting. Within a few weeks we were able to bring her to a surgeon nearly 6 hours away in Winnipeg and she had surgery on both front legs to correct the dysplasia and try to clean up some of the arthritis. It was so expensive, but very worth it, because it worked well! After a difficult and lengthy healing period, she was back to her nutty, bouncy self. The vet did say, however, that the arthritis was not a mild case and we’d be able to expect about 6 years before it became too much for anti-inflammatory and pain medication to handle.

That was hard to hear, but we’re stubborn people and we were determined Kobi was going to live her longest and best life. Over the next two years, Tom and I fostered 40 puppies and dogs, largely with the help and patience of March and Kobi. There were ups and downs with her comfort level but for the most part, Kobi was a happy, hilarious, quirky puppy.

In 2019, the 4 of us moved to Calgary, Alberta. A BIG city compared to where my country girls grew up, but they love a good adventure! After about a year and a half, when Kobi was creeping up to 5 years old, she started showing signs of pain and slowing down. Is a husky who can’t be the fastest dog at the Bark Park even a husky anymore? We visited a few vets looking for solutions and it was a really emotional time. I refused to believe the only option was pain medication and laser treatment until it was time to let her go. That was for old dogs and she was still just a puppy.

After a lot of tears and many hours of research, Tom found something called Stem Cell Therapy. We found Bow Bottom Veterinary Hospital in Calgary and they were incredible with Kobi. Dr. Schell identified that Kobi would be a great candidate for the treatment! It wasn’t an easy journey – another big surgery for our little husky to harvest the cells, but from there, the injections were easy peasy. After 3 weeks, it was clear that Kobi had never felt better. Literally! She’d NEVER been that comfortable before in her whole life. She played more and cuddled harder than ever before. It was incredible! Two weeks ago we all celebrated Kobi’s 6th birthday together. There was a point when we thought our time together would be up by now, but today she’s got a lot of years left and we’re going to make the best out of every single one of them. <3

As our avid readers know, we like to acknowledge and celebrate various pet and veterinary “holidays” in our blog. Today happens to be an unusual but fun one: it’s Penguin Awareness Day! But what does this mean and why is it relevant to VetStem?

Well, first a little bit of history. Penguin Awareness Day gained popularity amongst scientists and other related institutions in 2010. Their main goal was to highlight their penguin research and to get the public interested in conservation. Today, Penguin Awareness Day aims to educate the public about penguins and their natural habitat and to learn about the effects of climate change on the various populations of penguins. Unfortunately, penguin numbers around the world are dwindling.

It is a terrible thing when animals become endangered or extinct. At VetStem we are proud to say that we have helped several penguins live a better quality of life! Several penguins have actually received VetStem Cell Therapy for conditions such as degenerative joint disease. And like in dogs and horses, they have experienced a better quality of life as a result!

Click here to see a video about VetStem Cell Therapy for penguins. Though an older video, at approximately 36:00 minutes, Dr. Todd Schmitt at SeaWorld San Diego begins talking about their penguin conservation efforts. He talks a bit about using VetStem Cell Therapy to treat arthritis in penguins and there is even a video of the first-ever penguin to be treated with stem cells.

While it may not seem like much, we are extremely proud that VetStem has a small part in penguin conservation. To date, VetStem Cell Therapy has improved the quality of life in numerous penguins, thereby helping them to live longer and more comfortably. We do not take our role in exotic animal conservation lightly and continue to further our efforts in this field.

It should come as no surprise to dog owners that going for regular walks is not only necessary but also beneficial. Of course dogs need potty breaks, but the exercise and mental stimulation that come with walking your dog is great for both you and your furry companion.

While going for a leisurely walk around the neighborhood may not seem like much, there are actually many benefits associated with walking your dog regularly. Getting out in the fresh air with all sorts of new smells and sights to explore may bring your dog great satisfaction and may benefit their mental and emotional health. Additionally, giving them something constructive to do, such as walking, may prevent them from doing something destructive, like chewing on your favorite pair of shoes.

Perhaps more importantly, walking can help to reduce your dog’s weight or maintain an ideal weight. Unfortunately, obesity has become a major health concern in pets. According to some statistics, obesity is the most common preventable disease in dogs, affecting approximately 25-30% of the general canine population. As with people, obesity is associated with an increased risk for many serious diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and osteoarthritis.

Speaking of osteoarthritis, regular walks can help control symptoms of this disease as well. By reducing an obese pet’s weight, you also reduce the stress on their joints. Additionally, walking can help to strengthen the muscles and supporting soft tissue structures around the joints, promoting increased joint stability. It can also increase joint fluid circulation, which is beneficial to maintaining healthy joint cartilage.

Walking is a relatively easy and low-impact exercise that comes with many health benefits. While January may not seem like the best month to get out and walk your dog, it’s actually a necessary reminder that dogs need exercise year-round, regardless of the colder temperatures. That being said, you should exercise your pet safely and remember that every pet has different capabilities. If you have questions about exercising your dog, it’s always best to speak with your veterinarian.

Well friends, here we are again nearing the end of another year. It’s hard to believe 2022 is almost over. This has been a big year for VetStem, one with a lot of change but also a lot of growth; a new building, new employees, and many new opportunities to educate veterinarians and pet owners about stem cell therapy. As our last blog of the year, we like to give our readers an overview of all that has happened with VetStem in the last 12 months. So, without further ado, here is VetStem’s 2022 year in review.

• Towards the end of 2021, VetStem announced that we spun out our veterinary division, splitting off from our contract manufacturing division. With this separation, came a new corporate office. While the laboratory remains in the same buildings, our administrative offices have moved for the first time since VetStem opened their doors! Check out some pictures of the new space below.

• In February, VetStem CEO, Dr. Bob Harman, was invited to present stem cell data at the Global Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) Symposium. VetStem Cell Therapy has been successfully used to treat this deadly virus in multiple elephants.

• In March, we announced that we had reached an industry leading milestone: VetStem has processed over 15,000 patient samples and has provided over 35,000 stem cell treatments.

• In April, we announced our new Chief Development Officer Dr. Anne Hale. Dr. Hale has significant experience in product development and regulatory approval and has led the charge in the development of upcoming VetStem products.

• In June, Dr. Harman once again had the opportunity to present stem cell data for exotic animals. This time it was at the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM) conference. Dr. Harman discussed the use of VetStem Cell Therapy for various aquatic animals including dolphins, sea lions, and sea turtles!

• In August and October, we announced that two of our biggest proponents reached VetStem milestones. Equine vet, Dr. Martin Gardner, reached 500 VetStem cases and small animal vet, Dr. Jeff Christiansen, surpassed 225 VetStem cases.

• Also in October, Dr. Anne Hale delivered a lecture at the annual American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) conference all about the use of VetStem Cell Therapy in cats.

• Lastly, in November, Dr. Harman was invited to present about the use of real-world evidence in biological treatments at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons second annual Biologics Symposium. Though Dr. Harman officially represented our human counterpart, Personalized Stem Cells, his talk centered on his use of veterinary stem cell data from VetStem that helped guide the development of our human stem cell clinical trials.

And there you have it. Another year in the books. We thank you for your continued support, without which we couldn’t be here, improving and saving the lives of animals. We wish everyone the happiest of holidays and look forward to seeing what 2023 has in store for VetStem.

Each year on December 9^th, we celebrate International Day of Veterinary Medicine. On this day, veterinary professionals are recognized for their hard work and tremendous efforts in promoting the health and well-being of animals across the globe. Though one day is hardly enough to celebrate this dedicated group of medical professionals, we’d like to take this opportunity to discuss the impact that veterinary workers have not only on animals but on humans as well.

Veterinary medicine is not for the weak of spirit. It’s a challenging job physically, mentally, and emotionally. But most will tell you that this line of work is so incredibly rewarding, which often outweighs the challenges. Despite the human-animal bond and the growing evidence of the benefit pets can have on the health of their owners, veterinary professionals are rarely revered on the same level as human medical professionals. And yet, veterinary medicine and human medicine are much more intertwined than one might think.

Many advancements made in veterinary medicine also have a positive impact on human medicine. For instance, numerous vaccines, medications, and medical procedures have come about as a result of research in veterinary patients. In fact, we recently used our own veterinary stem cell data to launch stem cell clinical trials in people with our human company, Personalized Stem Cells.

The link between veterinary and human medicine is known as One Health. According to the CDC, “One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment.” While the One Health concept has gained increasing recognition in recent years, we think it’s important to emphasize the role that veterinary professionals have played in both animal and human medicine. So though International Day of Veterinary Medicine is only celebrated for one day, we will recognize and celebrate the many accomplishments of veterinary professionals every day.

Happy National Cat Lovers’ Month! We never miss an opportunity to talk about how much we love cats. We’ve already introduced you to the VetStem Pack so for this week’s blog, we wanted to introduce you to some of the VetStem Clowder! (And if you’re curious about how VetStem Cell Therapy is being used in cats, check out this blog.)

Frankie and Puck

Frankie and Puck are two Maine Coons owned by VetStem CEO, Dr. Bob Harman. Each one weighs 28lbs! As you can imagine, they hold their own with Mick and Gracie, the Border Collie and Aussie of the house.

Josephine’s Amazing Dreamcoat aka “Phini” and Scarf

Phini and Scarf are both Oriental Shorthairs owned by our Director of Commercial Operations, Kristi. Phini tolerates Scarf who tends to get himself into trouble. For instance, he loves eating socks. Can you tell by that goofy look on his face?

Ali’I, Keone, Squirrel, and Lilly

These four cuties are owned by Customer Service Rep, Whitney. Apparently they each hang out in different locations in the house so the only way you’d know Whitney has 4 cats is if you shake the treat can and they all come running!

Gryffin

Gryffin is a Ragdoll owned by Customer Service Manager, Veronika. According to Veronika, he’s full of cattitude and rules the roost (as he should with a face like that!)

Portia

Portia is a Manx mix owned by our Marketing Assistant, Ashley. If you so much as brush up against her, her purr machine kicks into high gear. She’s a love!

It’s been a while since we’ve done a good overview blog on the various uses of VetStem Cell Therapy in horses. The VetStem Sales and Marketing team is currently heading to San Antonio, TX to exhibit at the annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) conference so we figured no better time than the present!

Some of you may not know this but VetStem’s very first patient was a horse that was treated way back in early 2004 for a tendon injury that would have normally been career-ending. As in dogs, veterinarians most frequently use VetStem Cell Therapy to treat orthopedic conditions in horses. Though their anatomy and injuries are different than our canine friends, the treatment methods are very similar.

VetStem Cell Therapy for Equine Tendon and Ligament Injuries

In performance horses, tendon and ligament injuries are a leading cause of decreased performance. These injuries often require prolonged healing times and can be the source of reinjury. While soft tissue injuries can take many months to heal, VetStem Cell Therapy may speed up the healing process. Stem cells can reduce pain and inflammation and regenerate tendon and ligament tissues, thereby reducing the formation of scar tissue. When paired with a good rehabilitation routine, stem cell therapy may help horses get back to work faster.

VetStem Cell Therapy for Equine Joint Conditions

As with tendon and ligament injuries, VetStem Cell Therapy can be beneficial for joint conditions in horses. Horses have been treated for a wide array of conditions including osteoarthritis (OA), osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), subchondral bone cysts, and meniscal tears. In one study utilizing VetStem Cell Therapy for the above conditions, there were several important findings:

1. 80% (8/10) of cyst-only cases returned to their prior level of activity
2. 95.2% (20/21) of OA cases in the study returned to prior level or lower level of work
3. The average time for horses in the study from treatment to return-to-full work at prior level of performance was 6.2 months or 5.8 months for those horses returning to a lower level of work
4. 83.3% (50/60) with joint injuries returned to prior level of performance or at least to a reduced performance level, with only 16.7% (10/60) being non-responsive to treatment.

VetStem Cell Therapy for Alternative Conditions in Horses

There’s plenty of data out there that stem cells can benefit soft tissue injuries and joint disease, but there are a few other conditions that VetStem may help as well. One of these conditions is Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH). EIPH is characterized by the presence of blood in the lungs of performance horses following strenuous exercise. Traditional therapy includes medications that can reduce the amount of hemorrhaging but don’t actually treat or cure the disease. In a clinical research program conducted by VetStem, it was determined that the majority of horses treated with VetStem Cell Therapy experienced significant improvement with little to no bleeding post racing.

Another condition that VetStem may help is uveitis. Uveitis is characterized by inflammation of the uveal tract of the eye and can be a one-time episode or recurrent. Recurrent uveitis can lead to permanent damage and even blindness. Though the cause of recurrent uveitis is unclear, there is evidence to suggest it may be immune-mediated. Stem cells have demonstrated the ability to reduce inflammation and to modulate the immune system. Preliminary in-vitro and clinical case series results demonstrate safety and that stem cells may be effective in controlling recurrent uveitis.

Veterinarians have treated horses for numerous conditions that we have not mentioned here, some with favorable results, others not. If you think your horse may benefit from treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy, whether it’s for an orthopedic condition or something else, speak to your veterinarian or contact us to receive a list of VetStem providers in your area.