Just another day, just another golden retriever with arthritis…

Today’s blog is about Baxter, a golden retriever that was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both of his hocks, or ankles, at just 1 year of age.  He began displaying some of the common symptoms of arthritis early on such as trouble with stairs and jumping, difficulty getting up from a lying down position, and not wanting to go on walks.  Luckily his owner sought treatment and at 2 years of age,  Baxter received VetStem Cell Therapy under the care of Dr. Joey Yazer at Cobequid Animal Hospital.

After treatment, Baxter was able to resume his normal activities including walking on the beach and jumping on the couch to snuggle with his canine companions.  Baxter responded so well to stem cell therapy, that he hasn’t required a re-treatment since March of 2015!  According to his owner, he continues to live a normal and happy dog life.  Read the rest of Baxter’s story here.

Golden retrievers are not the only dogs that are prone to arthritis.  Statistics show that an estimated 1 out of 5 dogs will get arthritis.  If your dog is displaying some of the symptoms of arthritis or has already been diagnosed, contact VetStem today to get a list of veterinary stem cell providers in your area.

Two weeks ago, there was an historic international stem cell meeting for veterinarians in Costa Rica.  I was an invited speaker to provide an overview of the last 20 years of veterinary stem cell research and clinical use.  Senior veterinarians from Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Costa Rica and the United States attended for two full days of lectures and discussions.  There was a large focus on dogs and cats and how stem cells are being used to successfully treated arthritis, eye diseases, kidney failure and many others.  It was exciting to see that the use of stem cells in our animals has expanded around the globe and that we have colleagues everywhere that are expanding the field.

Additionally, an international veterinary stem cell association was formed, IACERVET (International Association of Cellular and Regenerative Veterinary Therapies).  There are members from around the world including Europe.  I have been asked to serve as a founding member and to serve on the guiding board of directors.  This is an amazing step towards efficient sharing of knowledge and improving care of animals!

Attached is a picture or Dr. Michelle Andrade, Dr. Natalia Luka, Dr. Luciana Benedetti, Dr. Bob Harman, and Dr. Priscilla Ortiz (association president) all founding members, signing the official association formation documents in San Jose Costa Rica.

AR River Playboy, aka Woody, was in bad shape when Jena purchased him.  Her veterinarian, Dr. Ian Campbell of Santa Lucia Farm, diagnosed Woody with injuries in both front suspensory ligaments.  Jena had known and loved Woody for years so despite his potentially career ending injuries, she purchased him anyway.

Dr. Campbell recommended and treated Woody with VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy.  After the treatment with stem cells, Woody underwent an extensive rehabilitation program before returning to work.  His injuries healed so well that he eventually went on to win the Central Coast Cutting Horse Association’s $15k Amateur Champion as well as the Kern County Cutting Horse Association’s $15k Amateur Champion.  A year later he won the Central Coast Cutting Horse Association’s $15k Amateur Reserve Championship.

Woody’s story is not entirely unique.  VetStem has helped many horses return to work, including Zan, whose story we shared a while ago.  If your horse has been diagnosed with a potentially career ending injury, contact Vetstem to receive a list of veterinary stem cell providers in your area.

We know one out of five dogs suffer from arthritis.  Is your dog the one out of five?  This blog will focus on the risk factors and symptoms of arthritis to help you to determine if your dog should be evaluated by your veterinarian.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints and wearing of the cartilage that covers the bones of the joints.  When cartilage becomes worn down, the joints are no longer able to move smoothly and shock absorption is reduced making things like walking, running, and jumping more painful.  Increased pain can lead to decreased movement which may cause muscles to atrophy and ligaments to become more lax.

So, what are the risk factors for OA?  Unfortunately, a common cause of OA is dysplasia (when the joints are misshapen) which is a congenital condition that many large breed dogs are prone to.  Additional risk factors include being overweight, broken bones, infection, or just wear and tear from repetitive motion.  Your dog is also more likely to get OA as he/she ages.  Add to this the fact that pets are living longer due to the advances in veterinary medicine and we can understand why the 1 in 5 statistic is so high.

Common symptoms of OA include limping, decreased activity, and a reluctance or inability to jump.  There are several other signs of OA however it is best to consult with your veterinarian if your dog may be at risk of getting OA.  Annual exams can be a good way to catch the disease early and if any of these symptoms have a sudden onset, a visit with your vet may be in order.

If your dog has been diagnosed with OA, contact VetStem today to receive a list of veterinary stem cell providers in your area.

Our stem cell success story this week hails from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.  Meet Sheldon, a 4 year old Bernese mountain dog.  Sheldon suffered from pain and lameness in his front legs since he was a puppy.  His owners recognized his discomfort and took Sheldon to be examined by Dr. Robert Landry of Colorado Center for Animal Pain Management.  Dr. Landry determined that Sheldon had arthritis in both elbows as a result of Fragmented Coronoid Process (FCP).  As part of Sheldon’s treatment plan, Dr. Landry recommended VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy so in December of 2016, Sheldon received stem cell injections into each elbow and also intravenously.

Fast forward just over one year later and Sheldon’s owners remain pleased with his improvement since receiving VetStem cell therapy.  He is more active and is able to participate in some of his favorite activities once again.  His owners state they “are so happy with how the stem cells worked for him.”

You can read the rest of Sheldon’s story here.

Does your dog suffer from orthopedic pain, lameness, or discomfort?  Has your dog been diagnosed with arthritis?  If so, contact VetStem to find VetStem providers in your area.

Dog owners frequently ask how long the effects of stem cell therapy will last for arthritic canines and whether their dog may require additional treatments in the future.  The answer is a bit more complicated than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.  Each patient is different, and several factors may affect the outcome of stem cell therapy and whether the patient will require additional treatments.

Some of these factors include the severity of the arthritis at the time of treatment and your dog’s activity level.  A running buddy might require more treatments than a couch potato.  Typically, a dog will tell you by their behavior or a change in activity level whether a joint has become more painful.

Some dogs treated with stem cells experience prolonged relief. Baxter was treated twice approximately 3.5 months apart and hasn’t required an injection since 2015.  You can read Baxter’s story here.

In data collected by VetStem, it was determined that 63% of older dogs that received VetStem Cell Therapy were not retreated in the first year while 78% of younger dogs were not retreated in the first year.  Perhaps more importantly, according to volunteered survey data from owners, greater than 80% of dogs showed an improved quality of life after treatment with stem cells.

The good news is, should your dog require additional treatments, VetStem keeps a bank of your dog’s stem cells so that they do not have to undergo an additional fat collection procedure.

If you think your dog may benefit from VetStem Cell Therapy, contact us here to get a list of veterinary stem cell providers in your area.

This week, we bring you another stem cell success story.  Ruby, a border collie mix, was 10 years old when her quality of life began to rapidly decline.  She had to be carried up stairs and could no longer go on car rides, which was one of her favorite things to do.  Her owners worried they were going to lose her.

Ruby was examined by her veterinarian and it was determined that she had arthritis in her hips and would require a total hip replacement surgery.  Dissatisfied with this recommendation, Ruby’s owners took her to Dr. Jamie Gaynor at Peak Performance Veterinary Group who specializes in pain management.  Dr. Gaynor recommended VetStem Cell Therapy to provide some relief for Ruby’s arthritic hips.

Just 30 days after her treatment with stem cells, Ruby became more active and happy.  Her owners stated, “Ruby is back! She has regained her playfulness, sassy, bossy, collie attitude. She has resumed going for car rides and can stand up and stabilize herself. She jumps out of the car without hesitation. She ascends and descends the stairs like she used to.”

Click here to read the rest of Ruby’s success story.

While each patient is different, sometimes stem cell therapy can help your dog avoid a major surgery such as total hip replacement.  If your dog has been diagnosed with arthritis, contact VetStem for a list of veterinary stem cell providers in your area.

Although this blog primarily focuses on stem cells for arthritis, we thought a post about other indications for stem cells might be helpful to some.  We frequently get questions from animal owners about whether or not VetStem Cell Therapy might help with various illnesses or diseases.  Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no.  Oftentimes, the answer is maybe.  In this blog we will cover some of the potential indications for stem cell therapy.  It is important to remember however that all of the following treatments are still in the investigational stages.  VetStem cannot guarantee that your animal will have a favorable outcome, should you decide to have him/her treated with stem cells.

Kidney Disease: This is one of the most frequent inquiries we get.  Unfortunately, many pets will experience kidney disease in their lives.  Kidney disease can be either acute (sudden onset, lasts a short time) or chronic (develops over a long period of time, may worsen over time).    Some veterinarians have treated kidney patients with VetStem Cell Therapy.  While they have seen some favorable results, more investigation is needed to confirm the effect of stem cells on patients with kidney disease.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): IBD is a group of disorders that affect the gastrointestinal tract of dogs.  This is another condition that some VetStem veterinarians have treated with stem cell therapy.  There is literature to suggest that the use of fat-derived stem cells in canine patients with IBD can lead to significant improvement and even complete remission in some cases.  Of course every patient is different and IBD can be very complicated to diagnose so it is important to ensure your dog has a complete workup before pursuing stem cell therapy as a potential treatment option.

Feline Chronic Gingivostomatitis: This is a severe oral inflammatory disease affecting felines.  Cats with this disease may experience oral pain, reduced appetite, and weight loss.  Oftentimes, these cats will need to have all of their teeth extracted and even then, some will still require lifelong medications and treatment.  VetStem Cell Therapy might provide relief.  Two small studies on cats with full mouth extractions conducted at the University of California at Davis have shown that fat-derived stem cell therapy led to improvement or remission in the majority of cats treated. A few veterinarians have seen favorable results using VetStem cell therapy however more investigation is needed.

Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH): This condition applies specifically to equines.  Many performance horses experience bleeding in their lungs 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.

This is just a small list of what we consider non-standard indications that may respond to stem cell therapy.  As a reminder, these conditions are still in the investigational stages and your animal may or may not respond as expected.  If your animal is suffering from one of these conditions or a condition that is not listed here, it is best to consult with your veterinarian and contact VetStem to get more information about your animal’s specific condition.  You can also contact us here to get a list of veterinary stem cell providers in your area.

Koda was about 9 years old when his owners noticed he was limping and his left elbow was swollen.  X-rays revealed that Koda had arthritis as a result of elbow dysplasia.  Dr. Douglas Stramel at Advanced Care Veterinary Services recommended VetStem Cell Therapy and Koda received an injection of his own stem cells into his problematic elbow as well as intravenously.

In addition to stem cell therapy, Koda also received physical therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic care and the combination of therapies led to an improved quality of life.  According to his owner, Koda became happier and more playful.  She noted, “Koda can now go up and down the stairs when he wants to and not struggle. He had been hesitant to go on walks for a period of time prior to the stem cell therapy but now there is no hesitation.”

You can read the rest of Koda’s story here.

If your dog has been diagnosed with arthritis, stem cell therapy may provide some relief.  Consult with your veterinarian or  to find a veterinary stem cell provider in your area.

As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for their patients, VetStem pioneered the use of regenerative stem cells in veterinary medicine and now holds exclusive licenses to over 50 patents including world-wide veterinary rights for use of adipose derived stem cells.  VetStem has been providing stem cell services to veterinarians since 2004 and has now provided services for over 13,000 animals.  When it became clear that stem cell therapy led to positive outcomes, additional stem cell providers began to emerge on the market.

You may have seen or heard of in-clinic stem cell processing.  These systems allow veterinarians to process their patient’s stem cells on site in their own hospital.  While this may seem like a more convenient method, there are some serious points to consider before choosing your stem cell provider.

We have compiled this helpful list to demonstrate VetStem’s high quality standards and to help you compare our services with other stem cell providers.  Some of the highlights include:

1. VetStem technicians have years of experience with thousands of samples.  Our laboratory technicians are trained to do one job: process stem cells.  While that may seem obvious, who do you think is processing your animal’s stem cells if using an in-clinic stem cell provider at your veterinary office?  The answer is likely a veterinary technician.  Having worked in the veterinary industry for years, I can tell you with full confidence that vet techs have about 100 different jobs and often several jobs going on at the same time.  He/She may not have the time to devote to processing your pet’s stem cells without getting pulled away to help restrain an animal, process blood work, fill a prescription, or assist in surgery.  Distractions can lead to mistakes and mistakes can lead to a negative outcome in your animal’s therapy.
2. VetStem uses sterile Bio-Safety cabinets inside hepa-filtered clean rooms.  As clean as your veterinary office may appear, you can’t get any cleaner than a “clean room” that is designed specifically to process stem cells.  We take sterility very seriously at VetStem, to the point that we may recommend delaying treatment if we feel a sample’s sterility has been compromised.
3. VetStem determines the cell yield and viability of each sample to determine an accurate dose prior to shipment.  It only makes sense that cells are counted, viability is verified, and the correct dose is prepared before a patient receives their stem cell injection(s).  Unfortunately, the in-clinic systems do not allow for this.  So how does your veterinarian know how to divide up the stem cells to provide the proper dose(s)?  By counting cells and verifying the viability of the cells, VetStem ensures that your animal receives accurate dosing.  This helps make the stem cell therapy as effective as possible.

As you can see, we at VetStem really pride ourselves in providing the highest quality standards to all of the patients whose stem cells we process.  We want what is best for your animal and therefore do our best to provide quality service.  We pioneered this technology and we continue to work closely with the FDA to ensure we are following the current guidelines regarding stem cell therapy.  If you have any questions for our team, feel free to contact us by email or by phone.