Today is German Shepherd day so we thought we’d share a special VetStem success story about a bomb sniffing German Shepherd named Jax. Like many large dog breeds, German Shepherds are predisposed to hip dysplasia and arthritis. And unfortunately, Jax was diagnosed with the condition at a young age.

Hip dysplasia is a deformity in the ball and socket joint of the hip that eventually leads to osteoarthritis. It is a painful condition that can greatly reduce a dog’s quality of life. And of course, it affected Jax’s ability to perform on the job.

Jax’s veterinarian, Dr. Jeff Christiansen of Superior Veterinary Surgical Solutions, recommended treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. Dr. Christiansen has been utilizing VetStem Cell Therapy for over a decade and has previously provided stem cells for working police dogs. To begin the process, fat was collected from Jax’s abdomen in a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. The fat was processed at the VetStem processing laboratory to extract and concentrate the cells contained therein. Three injectable doses of Jax’s own stem cells were shipped to Dr. Christiansen for treatment. Jax received one injection into each hip and one intravenous dose.

According to his owner and handler, Jax responded well to the treatment. He stated, “Jax is a year and a half and, well, to say he’s a fantastic pup is an understatement. His limping is gone and he’s a typical GSD.” Jax has been maintained on a yearly intravenous injection of his stored stem cells for the past couple of years. Last we heard, Jax is rocking the bomb work! Way to go, Jax!

Jax