Stem cell therapy has been controversial, to say the least.  However, what I am so excited about is not embryonic stem cell therapy, which comes from a possibly unrelated embryo, but adult stem cells, which is harvested from your own body.  This technology is not in the future, it is here, right now.  It is being used to help dogs who suffer with osteoarthritis of the elbows, hips, knees, tarsi, carpi and shoulders, dogs with polyarthritis, dogs with tendon and ligament injuries, and dogs with bone fractures.  With the research going on, hopefully soon there will be help for dogs with liver, heart and kidney diseases, as well.  The process is relatively simple.  Your vet has to be credentialed and authorized by the Vet-Stem Company, to do the treatment.  The process requires your dog to be anesthetized twice within a 72 hour time frame, so a complete examination, including blood tests, are required to be certain that he or she is fit for that process.  If your dog is safe for the anesthetics, and fits the profile for the stem cell therapy, then your vet anesthetizes him or her, and by sterile surgery, removes the required amount of fat from your dog.  That fat is packaged specifically for transport to the Vet-Stem Lab, the lab extracts the stem cells from the fat, and within 48 hours the stem cells are back to your vet ready to be injected into the affected joints.  This type of medicine is called Regenerative Medicine.  These adult stem cells have the ability to differentiate into many different tissues, including tendon, bone, and ligament.  There is no chance for rejection, because it is autologous, that is, it is cells from your own body.  The lab does a cell count and viability assessment of the stem cells extracted from the fat, and sends the appropriate number back to your vet for injection of the affected tissue.  If there were excess cells collected, the Vet-Stem lab will bank those cells in liquid nitrogen for possible use in the future.  Those cells can live for over 14 years.

So you can see why I am so excited about this new Regenerative Medicine.  Our first case will be a sweet young German Shepherd boy with bilateral elbow dysplasia who is not a candidate for surgery.  His Mom is doing everything she can to help him, including medications, chinese herbs, acupuncture, and physical therapy, including the underwater treadmill and exercises.  However, this stem cell treatment may really decrease his pain and stiffness, and boost his ability to move.  We are really excited to provide this new therapy that may provide help for those dogs who have not been helped adequately with the previous modalities we offer. We will continue to watch for the newest and safest therapies on the horizon for your loving companion animal.  Watch these posts for updates on the dogs we judge to require this new Regenerative Medicine.