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VetStem Biopharma Shares the Success Story of Abby who was Treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for Kidney Disease

Abby, a basset hound mix, was successfully treated for kidney disease with VetStem Cell Therapy.

2021-02-23 --

Abby is a basset hound mix who was diagnosed with renal disease when she was just one year old. According to her owner, she was very lethargic and would not eat or drink. With minimal treatment options, Abby’s owner elected to pursue treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy. Though many cats and dogs have received VetStem Cell Therapy for renal disease, there is minimal published data regarding efficacy.

Abby’s veterinarian began the procedure by collecting fat from Abby’s abdomen during a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. Her fat tissue was aseptically packaged and shipped to the VetStem laboratory in Poway, California. Upon receipt, VetStem lab technicians processed Abby’s fat to extract and concentrate her stem and regenerative cells. One injectable dose of Abby’s stem cells was shipped back to her veterinarian for intravenous infusion approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure. The rest of the stem cells were put into cryo-storage.

Due to the nature and severity of Abby’s condition, she went on to receive three more stem cell infusions in the four months following her initial treatment. Since her initial treatment in 2014, Abby continues to receive an intravenous injection of her own stem cells twice yearly and based on her most recent bloodwork, Abby’s kidney values are in the normal range. Her owner stated, “Six years later and she is doing great. She is a normal, happy healthy dog. I have her injected with her stem cells every six months and monitor her kidney levels through bloodwork twice a year.”

Though renal disease is not uncommon, older pets tend to be at higher risk. According to the International Renal Interest Society, “The prevalence of chronic kidney disease has been estimated to be 0.5-1.0% in dogs and 1.0-3.0% in cats.” VetStem veterinarians have used stem cell therapy to treat numerous cats and dogs with renal disease. Though there is minimal data compiled for canines, preliminary data from cats treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for chronic kidney disease looks promising. More research is needed however to determine the effectiveness of stem cell therapy for the treatment of kidney disease. Because of this, all renal cases are handled under VetStem’s clinical development department.