Press Releases

VetStem Biopharma Shares the Success Story of Frank who was Treated with VetStem Cell Therapy by Pain Management Specialist Dr. Jamie Gaynor

Frank, a Great Dane, had his arthritic knees treated with VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy by Dr. Jamie Gaynor of Peak Performance Veterinary Group.

2019-04-23 --

Frank is an albino, deaf Great Dane. His owners rescued him when he was four months old from a breeder who did not want him due to his health issues. Despite his hearing impairment, he was always an active and playful pup. Frank bonded with his brother, another Great Dane named Tom, and the two would play all day, every day. As the two grew, playtime became rougher and Frank ended up injuring his right rear leg.

Frank’s veterinarian, Dr. Jonathan Quint of Animal Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Castle Pines, Colorado, took X-rays of Frank’s leg and referred him to an orthopedic specialist. After more X-rays and examination, the specialist determined that Frank had a partially torn cruciate ligament and recommended surgical repair. After weighing her options, Frank’s mom, Andrea, decided to pursue rehabilitation instead.

For the next two years, Frank visited Animal Care Center (part of Animal Rehab and Wellness Center) for physical, laser, underwater treadmill, swimming, and massage therapies. He loved all of the attention and treats he received and showed a lot of improvement. In a follow-up appointment, VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy came up as a potential option to treat the arthritis that formed in Frank’s stifle as a result of his injury. Andrea scheduled an appointment with Dr. Jamie Gaynor of Peak Performance Veterinary Group to discuss stem cell therapy for Frank.

Dr. Gaynor is a veterinary pain management specialist who provides stem cell therapy out of several hospitals in Colorado, including Animal Rehab and Wellness Center. Dr. Gaynor has been working with VetStem since 2006 and participated in several of VetStem’s groundbreaking canine studies. In July 2018, Dr. Gaynor met with Andrea to go over all of Frank’s options. They collectively decided to move forward with VetStem Cell Therapy and the procedure was performed two weeks later.

In a minimally-invasive procedure, fat was collected from Frank’s abdomen and shipped off to the VetStem laboratory in San Diego, California. Upon receipt, the fat was aseptically processed to extract the stem cells and injectable doses of Frank’s own stem and regenerative cells were created. Three doses were shipped back to Dr. Gaynor for injection into both of Frank’s knees and also intravenously.

According to Andrea, Frank showed major improvement in less than three months. Andrea stated, “Actually, Frank was acting like a puppy again. His energy level went up, he became more involved and interested in daily activities. He started playing with his brothers again, he rebuilt his confidence with stairs and jumping into the car and on the couch. Most of all, we have not seen him limp once since his stem cell treatment…He truly is back to his old self again.” Now, over nine months after his stem cell therapy, Frank continues to do great! Though Frank will be nine in June, Andrea reported that he still plays like a puppy.

Stem cells are regenerative cells that can differentiate into many tissue types, reduce pain and inflammation, help to restore range of motion, and stimulate regeneration of tendon, ligament and joint tissues. In a peer-reviewed study of dogs with chronic osteoarthritis of the hip, it was found that stem cells reduced lameness and pain.

About Jamie Gaynor DVM, MS, DACVA, DAAPM
Dr. Gaynor received his DVM from Ohio State University in 1988. He went on to complete a 3-year residency in anesthesiology and received his board certification in veterinary anesthesiology. He is a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner and a Diplomate of the American Academy of Pain Management. He is also a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. He has been utilizing VetStem Cell Therapy since 2006 and has treated over 100 patients.