Stem cell research has been mentioned in the news quite a bit over the last couple of decades, with rapid developments taking place that could revolutionise medicine. Although there's some way to go for treatments to reach their potential, stem cells are already in use in veterinary medicine. For example, stem cell therapy can help a dog with arthritis.
Arthritis is a painful condition for both humans and animals, but in some ways, it can be worse for dogs. Because they're unable to understand, dogs sometimes cause themselves injury and make the condition worse. It's not easy to encourage them to avoid strenuous activity, particularly if they're excitable, and this can lead to them being in significant pain. Luckily, recent advances have made stem cell therapy available that can treat osteoarthritis in dogs.
What is stem cell therapy?
Stem cells are cells found naturally in the body: for example, in bone marrow or fat tissue. They have the amazing ability to transform into other cell types, which is the basis for their use in medical treatments.
Using stem cells in specific parts of the body can be useful in correcting damage and replacing lost cells.
How can it help with arthritis?
With osteoarthritis, the joints are inflamed, which can be due to factors such as damaged ligaments or cartilage. All the time this damage persists, the joints will experience the increased wear that makes them inflamed and painful.
By injecting stem cells into the arthritic joints of a dog, new cartilage can be created, effectively repairing the injury and promoting healing. This offers huge benefits over existing treatments, which focus on relieving symptoms and aren't able to treat the underlying cause.
Does it involve another animal?
No. Although some stem cell treatments in animals and humans may involve collecting cells from others, the treatment for arthritis uses cells from the patient's own fat.
How long does it take?
The entire procedure, including collection and injection of stem cells, is usually completed during a single day. The dog will be admitted as an outpatient and discharged later in the same day.
How quickly will it work?
Often, you might see some improvements in as little as three weeks. The dog's condition will improve even more for a month or more, before finally levelling out. After this point, the improvement won't last forever, but the dog's arthritis will be better for at least a year, often as many as three. It may be possible for your veterinarian to take extra stem cells during the initial treatment, which will make future injections quicker and easier. Remember to ask if this can be done.
For more information, talk with companies like Greenside Regenerative Therapies.