Regenerative Medicine
We can now offer regenerative therapies in order to treat osteoarthritis and other conditions in dogs and horses. This is a new and innovative approach to help reduce inflammation and pain by restoring normal function to joints and other tissues. Two types of treatment are available.
Stem cell therapy
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are “adult” or tissue-resident stem cells which are naturally present in the body where they help to keep tissues functioning normally and assist with tissue regeneration following injury. Injecting stem cells into joints can reduce pain and increase limb function in dogs with osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease. Injecting stem cells into injured tendons and ligaments can also aid the healing process. Fat containing stem cells are collected from your dog under general anesthesia and sent to a specialist lab for culture and preparation for injection into the joint. This second procedure will usually occur under sedation, approximately two weeks later. We would then hope to see improvement 2-3 weeks after the injection into the joint.
Image credit: 3h Biomedical
Platelet rich plasma (PRP)
PRP is made by concentrating the platelets normally seen in low numbers in the blood. Platelets contain high levels of growth factors and other proteins which may be beneficial for the modulation of inflammation in joints. A blood sample is obtained from your dog and the plasma prepared using special collection tubes and a dedicated centrifuge machine. The PRP can then be injected into the affected joint or tissue under sedation, that same day. Again, we would expect to see the beneficial effects of the injection within 2-3 weeks.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons