Our hospital now offers stem cell therapy, a revolutionary treatment for a range of arthritic conditions that afflict both cats and dogs, and that also shows promise in other areas, as well.
Stem cell therapy is currently being successfully used in the treatment of conditions that receive limited benefit from traditional therapies, such as osteoarthritis and other orthopedic problems. This type of regenerative medicine involves using adult stem cells obtained from the pet's own fat tissue, and so eliminates any concerns both about embryo use and rejection by the patient. Additionally, the patient's cells are not passed through cell culture, minimizing worries about infection.
Current uses for stem cell therapy in canines include treatment of canine osteoarthritis (in both NSAID non-responsive cases and NSAID intolerant cases), cases of orthopedic disease where the patients are not candidates for surgery, and patients with non-healing fractures.
