Stem Cell Therapy for Pets

Elissa, 23, received regenerative stem cell
therapy because of osteoarthritis in both of
her elbows. (Cat Channel, 2009)

 If you have a dog or cat in your life, you probably have a working knowledge of the many degenerative diseases that can cause severe pain, and even cripple your pets. You also know that treatment options are often limited to pain relief, NSAIDs, alternative medicine or surgery. What you may not know is that there is a new technology providing some very promising results.

It’s estimated that one in five dogs in the U.S. has chronic arthritis, and recently the Winn Feline Foundation released a report about the high frequency of osteoarthritis in cats. But there is hope on the horizon with a promising new treatment option that does not rely on daily medications or extensive therapy.

It is Fat Stem Cell Therapy and it’s a unique option available from Vet-Stem.

Fat Stem Cell Therapy uses the pets’ own stem cells (from fat tissue, not embryonic tissue) to treat this common problem. The process, created by VetStem, is relatively new on the market, but appears to be a remarkable process that has set the pet industry abuzz with some inspiring results.

The process is simple. Your veterinarian extracts a few tablespoons of fat from your pet, overnights the sample to VetSTem, and then receives the extracted stem cells back within a day. The stem cells are then injected into the affected joint. The entire process takes as little as 48 hours, and the

And it should be noted that the pet would need to be anesthetized to obtain the sample. As with any anesthetic procedure, there is a risk of problems. The benefits and risks should be carefully considered, and will vary according to patient. However, risks associated with the reinsertion of the cells are low. Since the vet is using your pet’s own cells, there is little to no risk of rejection.

The results thus far, speak for themselves. See for yourself by watching a video created by a woman who had the surgery done on her dog, Sacha. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ZUKNE69tg)

Vet-Stem has been performing this procedure on horses for several years, but has only expanded their services to the companion pet industry over the last year. To date, more than 1,200 dogs have been assisted using this revolutionary product and more than 1,100 veterinarians are certified in the procedure.

The extensive costs and dangerous side effects of treating pets with prescription drugs such as Rimadyl have created a need for new treatment solutions. Vet-Stem is one of the more amazing procedures we’ve seen to help our pets overcome the debilitating pain of arthritis and dysplasia. Now, when will it be available for people?

Stay tuned as we bring you more updates on pets who have undergone this procedure, several interviews with pet guardians, and the long-term results on the progress of these animals.