Over a decade has passed since the discovery of stem cells in fat tissue.  Dr. Pat Zuk at UCLA has just published an incredible review article on the history and current status of the adipose stem cell.  This review covers the discover and the rise of the adipose stem cell to be one of the “most popular adult stem cells currently being explored today” according to Dr. Zuk.  There is an excellent review table that shows the many, many articles on the research activity around the adipose stem cell, but more importantly, also shows the many current and past human clinical trials in real diseases such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis.  This quote says it all:  “Looking back, the isolation of the ASC (adipose stem cell) seemed to preface a decade that could easily be named the “decade of the adult stem cell.”  I have emailed Dr. Zuk copies of the Vet-Stem published clinical trials with hopes she will include them in future publications since our data shows the striking clinical benefit in dogs and horses with arthritis and improvement in their quality of life.  Please check out the related blog post on the Vet-Stem Dog Arthritis clinical trial. Also you can download the actual paper on the clinical trial at Vet-Stem.com.

Dr. Bob's Border Collie Buddy, Ritz

In my previous blogs we have spent a lot of time talking about how to help pets that are in pain from arthritis by using their own stem cells as a therapy.  It has been incredibly rewarding to work towards solutions that help relieve pet’s pain.  In this blog, I want to share a great slide show that illustrates how pets can help us with pain relief, depression and many other issues.  Take a few minutes to watch this great slide show from WedMD that shows you great examples of how pets improve the quality of our lives.

Dr. Bob and his polo buddy

I have devoted previous posts to the important subject of pet obesity and the effects on canine and feline arthritis.  I would like to revisit the subject again with some great new information  from veterinarian and author Dr Ernie Ward.  I pulled some interesting facts out of the article but if you would like to read it in it’s entirety click here.  Dr Ward is passionate about educating pet owners about pet obesity. Why is obesity in pets on the uprise?  Part of the obesity problem is lack of exercise and poor portion control.  According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), when it comes to expressing our affections with food, we are doing our animals a lot more harm than good. Read the rest of this entry »

Ted Robinsob and Stylish - treated with stem cells for arthritis

Arthritis is a painful, debilitating joint disease that can develop in any animal. It can be the result of a traumatic injury to the joint or can develop so slowly that many pet and horse owners may not even recognize the progression of the disease.  While this blog is focused mainly on arthritis in dogs, I thought that I would spend a little time discussing arthritis in horses.  According to the AVMA 2007 pet ownership and demographic study, there are about 7.3 million horses in the US.  It is estimated that 60% of the lameness issues in horses are due to arthritis, which extrapolated out is about 4 million horses!
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Gogo

In previous blogs  I introduced you to Gogo, a male German Shepherd who was recently retired from the bomb squad.  Gogo’s job was  to keep the airport safe from terrorist threats.  The sad thing is that Gogo loved his job and would still be out there working hard if his arthritis in his hips and elbows hadn’t been so painful. Despite trying all the latest in pain killers, Gogo just could not tolerate the

medications.  His handler had heard about stem cells and there happened to be a very experienced veterinary surgeon that used stem cells on many of his patients just down the street.    Dr Gassell examined Gogo and felt that the stem cells might reduce the pain and inflammation that the arthritis in Gogo’s hips and elbows was causing.  This first video shows Gogo before his stem cell treatment.   Note the difference in Gogo’s attitude, energy level and how he moves 3 weeks after stem cell treatment in the hips and elbows for arthritis.

The internet has quickly become a resource to many pet owners, especially those seeking new solutions for their dog’s arthritis. In this Examiner article, Dr. Selmer does a great job of taking a complicated subject of stem cell therapy for dog arthritis and making it an easy read. In the video embedded in the article, you will see how a dedicated pet owner used the internet to find new solutions for her dog’s arthritis pain due to elbow dysplasia.

Stem cells are quickly becoming many veterinarians’ treatment of choice for pets that have pain due to arthritis.  But with over 50,000 veterinarians in the country, many are still learning about this new therapy.  While there are veterinarians like Dr. Michel Selmer who researched new solutions for his patients suffering from arthritis pain and are now offering stem cell therapy, many veterinarians hear about this new modality from their clients.  At Vet-Stem we have created a letter for pet owners to download and share with their veterinarian.

Clinical Trial in Dogs with Hip Dysplasia Shows that Stem Cells Alleviate Pain from Arthritis

Veterinarians strive to practice the highest level of medicine by using products and techniques that have solid evidence to support effectiveness.  Vet-Stem was the first company to conduct and publish the results of a clinical trial in dogs that were suffering from arthritis pain associated with hip dysplasia.   Many of these dogs were crippled from arthritis and their owners had tried many different therapies to treat the pain.  For a few of the dogs, being in the study was a last resort. 
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Once it was determined that Gogo was a good candidate for stem cell therapy, his veterinarian did a full pre-surgical work up to determine if Gogo’s kidney, liver, heart and other organs were in good working order.  In order to collect the fat from Gogo, he would need to go under anesthesia for a brief time.  His blood work and chest films came back with information that determined he was a healthy senior citizen.  Read the rest of this entry »

We asked three of the top pet insurance companies in the United States to tell us in their own words if their company would cover a stem cell procedure for a dog or cat. Here are their answers.

“At Fetch, we’re proud to offer the most comprehensive pet insurance coverage for all medical conditions, including congenital and hereditary diseases. To us, this means that pets should get the best and most appropriate treatment as recommended by their veterinary team.”

When veterinarians started recommending Vet-Stem therapy to our policyholders, as an insurance company, we were excited to be able to offer coverage for a new treatment modality for serious orthopedic conditions. Now, having seen the success stories, I’m even more excited to be able to offer it to my own patients!”  (fetchpet.com)
– Dr. Jules Benson, BVSc MRCVS, VP Veterinary Services

Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell therapy is eligible for coverage in pets with a VPI® Pet Insurance policy providing that the condition being treated is eligible for coverage under the terms of the policy.  The reimbursement amount will vary based on the plan coverage provided for your pet’s condition. (www.petinsurance.com)
– Dr. Carol McConnell
Chief Veterinary Medical Officer/Vice President Underwriting and Veterinary Services

PurinaCare Pet Health Insurance takes great pride in the fact that our policies cover the cost of stem cell therapy for treatment of eligible conditions.  Our web site (www.purinacare.com) has more specific details about coverage and exclusions.

“As a veterinarian, I am always pleased to see that PurinaCare’s policies cover the latest in medical advances.  Our goal is for veterinarians and their clients to have the freedom to choose the best treatment for their pets!”
– Dr. Bill Craig, Chief Medical & Underwriting Director, PurinaCare Pet Health Insurance

We thank these three insurance companies for their answers and willingness to discuss coverage.  It is important that you review any insurance policy for coverage and exclusions.  We will continue to work with the industry to try to secure the best coverage for stem cell therapy for all your pets!

Upon retirement from the police force, Gogo was adopted by his handler, Deputy Letze.  Deputy Letze wanted to ensure that Gogo would be comfortable and enjoy his retirement.  He discussed using stem cells to treat Gogo’s elbow arthritis with his veterinarian.  Gogo’s veterinarian wanted to make sure that he was a good candidate for stem cell therapy for arthritis.  Gogo was referred to a board certified orthopedic specialist, Dr. Adam Gassel, for a thorough lameness evaluation.  Dr. Gassel has performed over 50 stem cell procedures and has seen how stem cells have improved the quality of life for a majority of his patient, making them more mobile and less painful.  Read the rest of this entry »