Meet Tango (right), a 9-year old Beagle with severe arthritis who, we are happy to report, is doing great 9 months after stem cell therapy changed his life.  Flutter, his English Setter buddy, is glad to have him back.

“In his 9^th year, Tango’s arthritis had progressed to the point where he could barely walk.  Multiple tests, x-rays, and alternative therapies had no effect, and pain medications were barely keeping him mobile.  Sadly, I could see his days winding down dramatically. Read the rest of this entry »

Recognizing the signs of aging is important if we want our pets to have a good quality of life in their golden years.

A visit to the vet may be needed if you notice any of the following in order to know if your dog is aging normally or if there are things you can do to help them:

•   Change in energy level, gets tired more easily, not as playful

•   Personality change- more grumpy towards dogs and or humans Read the rest of this entry »

“Nash had chronic degenerative arthritis in both elbows.  Walking more than 10 minutes would make him lame,” Kristie remembers. 

For those of us who have experienced it or have even seen it take its toll on relatives or pets, we know how debilitating arthritis can be.  Arthritis involves anything from joint inflammation to depletion of the smooth articular cartilage that allows our bones to glide smoothly against each other.  Swelling, stiffness, and pain typically perpetuate the cycle of more swelling, more stiffness, and more pain.  Read the rest of this entry »

Quality is important when it comes to Vet-Stem’s stem cell therapy and the laboratory where your dog’s sample is processed is especially critical.  Our lab is where samples of fat are processed to provide concentrated stem cells for your animal.  Samples arrive daily, are processed the same day and the cell doses are returned to your veterinarian for use in treating arthritis and other orthopedic conditions in dogs, horses and cats within 48 hours of collection.  I have asked Dr. Carolyn Wrightson, our laboratory director, and her staff to write this post to give you a little peek behind the scenes here at Vet-Stem.  You can also watch the Nightline segment to get more of a look at the lab.  Read the rest of this entry »

We come across so many wonderful stories about our patients, our extended Vet-Stem family, that we thought sharing them with you would be a great way to spend some time.  Some of these stories are especially touching, when you can see and feel the strong bond between an animal and their person.  Some bring us to tears.  And all of them give us a look into the lives of families touched by what we get to do every day.

Meet Lucy, a gorgeous American Bulldog with hip dysplasia.

“Lucy had a severe case of hip dysplasia.  The vet said on a scale of good to bad, Lucy was horrific.  A hip replacement would be too expensive for us, and we couldn’t bear the thought of such an extensive surgery.  Read the rest of this entry »

Sometimes you just need to see a video that makes you laugh out loud!  This YouTube of a Pug that had severe arthritis shows you how much energy and enthusiasm can be unleashed by stem cell therapy.  This cute little Pug was treated at Olathe Animal Hospital in Kansas.  It will make your heart soar to see how much fun this little guy is having now just 60 days after he was treated with his own adipose stem cells.  Enjoy the video.

As our pets age, we watch with fingers crossed as they slow down.  We hope that the stiffness is just because of the cold weather, and come summer they will liven up again.  But when a new puppy starts to limp and whimper in pain, we are faced with the unexpected.  That puppy was supposed to be frolicking and carefree for years and years, not hobbling around like an old guy.

Meet Walker, the Golden Retriever, 2 ½ years after stem cell therapy. Read the rest of this entry »

You want the best for your companion when it comes to health care.  Your veterinarian has recommended Stem Cell Therapy as the best treatment for your dog with arthritis.  The pain from your dog’s arthritis has not been controlled very well with his regular pain medications and he just is not able to enjoy life.  He may be older, but clearly he has a lot of life to live!  This is a common scenario and one in which you need to evaluate the costs and how to afford the best treatment.  Luckily, there are now a number of great options to help with financing this treatment if you can’t just write the check today.

Always discuss the options available through your veterinarian and see what the clinic provides.  Veterinarians are kind-hearted and want to see that your pet gets the very best of care. Read the rest of this entry »

Summer is here and more and more Americans are including their pets in travel plans.  In a survey conducted by PetRelocation.com, “61 percent of pet owners surveyed said they travel more than 50 miles with their pets at least once a year, with 38 percent of those pet owners stating that they travel as often as once a month with their pets.”

Here are some recommendations on how to make an arthritic dog comfortable when they travel with you. Read the rest of this entry »

I think part of what makes it so hard to see our beloved little friends in pain is that we can’t explain to them why it hurts.  We try to decipher where the pain is from telltale signs like limping, getting up slowly, or not being able to make it up the stairs anymore.  But some animals are just stoic so we may not even notice their problem until it’s much worse.  If only they could speak up!  Luckily, technology and experienced veterinarians really help in figuring out the problem and finding the best solution to bring our pets back to their playful, happy selves.

Meet Baxter, a happy Yellow Lab with elbow dysplasia.  Raymond & Carolyn tell his story about how Vet-Stem helped bring joy back to his life. Read the rest of this entry »