I am back!  Sorry for the absence.  I needed a break from blogging to be able to finish a couple of book chapters on stem cell therapy and to help out our human stem cell therapy friends with our great data from dog, cat, and horse stem cell cases.  But now I am back and ready to start talking with you all again about stem cells for pets, and how we can give them the best quality of life.

I have a new furry buddy since last we talked.  His name is Ben; a Type A red Border Collie.  Ben goes nearly everywhere with me, including to talks I give at dog clubs and stables, and he loves to hang out all day at the office.

I gave an almost two hour educational lecture to the Cavalier King Charles pet owners group, Cavelier Circle San Diego, recently and it was clear from all the many questions asked that there is a real interest in stem cell therapy and how it can be used to treat various conditions in our companion animals.  So I will re-start this blog with discussion about the basics of stem cells.

Ben will be along as your guide and he will try to keep me focused on the topic!  He proofreads for me.

Since the mainstream media focuses on sensationalism in reporting, I want to give you all an honest and straightforward foundation in the basics of stem cell therapy so that you can decide for your pets, and also maybe for yourself soon, what is the right type of treatment when considering regenerative medicine.

We will talk over the coming weeks about what stem cells really are, how they work, and the practical aspects of how cells are collected and used to treat arthritis and other diseases.  We will cover costs, insurance, and how to choose a veterinarian for your pet’s stem cell procedure.

Stay tuned for the first in this series titled “What are Stem Cells?”

See you then!

Dr. Harman

Tucker was a 4 year old Boxer who was EXPLOSIVE in his energy level.  He would run and play outside for 4-6 hours a day.  One day he saw a cat and followed it off a 12 foot embankment at a dead run.  He sailed through the air and when he landed his right rear leg buckled.  When he got up he was limping and it got worse after a few days, so his pet parents, Larry and Robbi, took him to the vet and he was put on anti-inflammatory medication.

This process went on and off for the next 12 months as his hind leg deteriorated to the point that he could not walk up steps and stopped playing outside.  He did not want to go on walks anymore, other than to go outside and take care of Business.  His pet parents were scared that he would not be able to walk at all in 6-12 more months.  Tucker’s vet Dr. Christi Juliano, at Community Animal Hospital of Poughkeepsie, told Larry and Robbi about Vet-Stem and 1 month past his 5^th birthday they did the procedure.

Well, it took 6 months to fully take effect, but he went back to his old self of running, jumping, and playing for hours outside.  It was 2 years on February 5^th, 2012 since he had the procedure and he is like a young Boxer again.

Stories like this are why we do what we do!

We are so happy to be a part of your life, Tucker!

Living the Dream!