Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell treatments for dogs with arthritis are now available in Marlborough and they are more affordable than you think.
Click on the link for more information E-book: Stem Cell Therapy.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are cells that have the ability to renew themselves indefinitely into a range of specialised cell types. Stem cells act as a repair system for the body in response to disease or injury, as well as replenishing cells in various vital tissues and organs. There is a smattering of dormant adult stem cells spread throughout the body from birth.
Stem cell technology is not new to medicine. Bone marrow transplants for example are a form of stem cell therapy. What is new however is that scientists have found stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible. It is now recognised that fat contains a very much higher concentration of dormant stem cells than any other tissue. Conveniently, it is usually readily available as well as accessible.
Uses of stem cell therapy
Stem cell therapy has been used successfully to treat arthritis, ligament and tendon injuries and severe bone fractures in dogs, cats and horses. Treatment of arthritis in dogs is most common.
What does the procedure involve?
- Assessment. All animals must be screened for their suitability which includes an assessment of their clinical history, a physical examination and blood test.
- Xrays of all joints to determine which joints require treatment
- Fat harvest. A small sample of fat (10-30g) is surgically removed from behind the shoulder blade under general anaesthesia.
- Stem cell processing. The stem cells are processed and activated. This process takes approximately 3 hours.
- Stem cell injection. The stem cells are injected directly into the affected joints under sedation.
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Why is using a dog’s own fat stem cells such a successful technique?
- Fat tissue is easy to collect
- Fat is rich in mature stem cells that help to regenerate and repair damaged or unhealthy tissue. They also have anti-inflammatory properties.
- There are no side effects and there is no risk of rejection
- The whole procedure can be completed within a few hours. The animal is admitted to the clinic in the morning and discharged later in the afternoon.
- Rapid results are seen, with an improvement often seen within 14 days
- As the stem cells repair the arthritic joints, continued improvement is often seen several months after treatment, with improved mobility and reduced pain.
- Results are long lasting.
And the results?
While stem cell therapy is not a cure all, most cases do experience a significant improvement. The results range from pleasing to amazing! Some patients can come off all medications and live drug free while others will experience less pain and greater mobility.
Arthritis is the number 1 cause of chronic pain in pet dogs and cats and for some pets it is a crippling disease that may result in euthanasia. Medical treatment focuses on reducing pain and slowing the progression of the disease with anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgery such as a hip replacement may be able to help in some situations. Stem cell therapy offers so much more by stimulating repair and regeneration of the damaged joints.
What is the cost of treatment?
Although this process involves leading edge technology, we are able to offer this procedure to our clients at an affordable price. This is because the whole process including the lab processing of the fat sample can be performed in house, thereby saving costs.
For further information on this exciting new treatment option please contact The Vet Centre on 577-9822 or enquire@vetmarlborough.co.nz