Regenerative Medicine

We are proud to offer therapies using stem cells and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), often in conjunction with each other.

Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cells are powerful healing cells that already exist in the body. They are capable of becoming many different types of tissue (muscle, bone, cartilage, kidney, etc.) and act in places of injury or disease to replace old or damaged cells. Traditionally used to treat osteoarthritis, they are also helpful in treating bone, ligament or spinal cord injuries, as well as conditions such as intervertebral disc disease. To use them therapeutically, we extract them from fat tissue, concentrate and inject them into the place of disease or injury where they can get to work creating new tissue.

Platelet-rich Plasma

PRP is made using blood. Platelets help the healing process, and PRP contains a high concentration of platelets along with important proteins and growth factors that further accelerate healing. We often use PRP along with stem cells, but it is also effective when used alone, which is more affordable and is also a good option for an animal that cannot undergo surgery to harvest fat.

Why would my pet need stem cell therapy?

For animals that are suffering from painful or otherwise debilitating conditions, stem cells offer a safe, effective approach that can decrease or eliminate the need for medications. Treatment entails using the animal’s own stem cells, essentially eliminating the risk of rejection or other reactions. Likewise, PRP is a product of the animal’s blood. Both stem cells and PRP are natural, safe, and effective.

If your pet is dealing with discomfort or impairment related to the following issues, stem cell therapy/PRP may help:

• Osteoarthritis

• Ligament/bone injuries

• Muscle disease or injury

• Spinal cord dysfunction

• Stomatitis (in cats)

• Kidney disease

• Liver disease

• Cardiomyopathies

• Inflammatory diseases of the skin and gut

What is involved in stem cell or PRP therapy?

One of our veterinarians will assess your pet to evaluate if one of these therapies is likely to help. If you and the doctor decide to proceed, your animal will undergo anesthesia and we will surgically harvest fat tissue, usually from the abdomen. Our stem cell technician then processes the fat on site to extract the stem cells. When the stem cells are ready (4-5 hours after the fat harvest) we inject them, usually along with PRP, into the places of injury or disease. Typically we can extract a great number of stem cells, so there are plenty for future treatments. We send the surplus cells to our partner, Ardent Animal Health, who stores them. Ardent provides us with the supplies and protocols and keeps us up to date about advances in regenerative medicine.

We also prepare the PRP onsite. It is a faster process than extracting stem cells. We draw enough blood from the animal for a single treatment (which often involves different areas of the body), process it, and inject or otherwise apply it where needed. PRP is not suitable for long-term storage, so we prepare it on the day it will be used.

Once your pet has received all injections, they recover with us and return home at the end of the day. You will likely see significant improvement within a week or two.

We would love to discuss stem cell/PRP options for your pet!

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