What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a long-term condition where the cartilage in the affected joint deteriorates, leading to pain and lameness. This can be especially debilitating for dogs. Stem cell therapy is a novel and cutting-edge treatment that is showing increasing effectiveness in combating osteoarthritis.
What are stem cells?
Stem cell therapy is relatively new in both veterinary and human medicine. However, its use for treating osteoarthritis (OA) is more advanced, especially in cats and dogs, where arthritis is very common. It is estimated that 20% of dogs suffer from OA, and globally, tens of thousands of dogs have been treated with stem cells. In successful cases, the stem cells are injected into the joints, alleviating pain and allowing pets to walk without lameness.
How do stem cells work?
The process involves taking a small fat sample from your pet under general anaesthesia, from which stem cells are isolated and cultured into millions of cells. These cultured stem cells are then returned to your vet for injection into the arthritic joints. Additionally, some cells are stored frozen for future use, ensuring they are always available if needed.
Stem cells offer natural anti-inflammatory pain relief for your dog, with noticeable effects within a week to 10 days after injection. These benefits include improved mobility, reduced stiffness, and pain-free movement. The relief typically lasts for a few months and can last for up to a year, after which a follow-up injection may be necessary. Following stem cell treatment, dogs can often live pain-free with reduced or even no medication for an extended period of their lives.
Is it safe?
Yes, the stem cells are isolated from the same dog, making the procedure safe and eliminating the risk of rejection or adverse reactions. However, there may be risks associated with the injection process itself, and pet owners should discuss these potential risks with their veterinary surgeon.
If you want to know more about stem cell please visit The Veterinary Tissue Bank
Testimonial from Brody’s mum and dad …
Brody is now 2 days post stem cell injections and he is happy and his usual cheeky self! He’s just having short lead walks to help the stem cells settle and do their job.
Brody was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and elbow dysplasia at 8 months old. At the time we were told it was so severe that if we did nothing, he’d be lucky to get to 6 years old. Last month we celebrated his 11th birthday! He’s been having stem cell therapy for about 5 years and it’s been truly life changing for him. It gives him the ability to be active again and enjoy life pain free.
We want to say a massive thanks to everyone at Mochdre Vets for looking after him so well and for being able to carry on this amazing treatment for him.
Debbie, Phil & Brody
