Press Releases

VetStem Shares the Success Story of Leo who was Treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for a Knee Injury

Leo, a German shepherd, was successfully treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for a cruciate ligament injury.

2022-06-28 --

Leo, a 92-pound German shepherd, yelped and held his leg up after jumping out of his owner’s SUV. Two veterinarians confirmed that Leo had partially torn the cruciate ligament in his right knee. At first, his owners tried to manage his condition conservatively. Unfortunately, after several months of leash walks only, his symptoms worsened, and he began limping at night after lying on the floor. Leo’s owners knew they had to do more to help Leo be more comfortable.

After months of research, his owners elected to try VetStem Cell Therapy as opposed to knee surgery. To begin the process, Leo’s veterinarian, Dr. Chris Forstall of SouthShore Animal Hospital, collected fat tissue from Leo’s abdomen in a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. Once collected, the fat was aseptically packaged and shipped to the VetStem processing laboratory in Poway, California. Lab technicians processed the fat to extract and concentrate the stem and regenerative cells contained therein. Two injectable doses of Leo’s cells were shipped to Dr. Forstall for treatment and all the remaining cells were put into cryostorage for potential future treatment. Approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure, Leo received one injection of his own stem cells into each knee.

According to his owner, Leo showed improvement just one month after treatment. His owner stated, “Leo is improving every day. We are thrilled that VetStem banked Leo’s stem cells for future use. I’m looking forward to him improving even more. Thank you for offering this cutting-edge therapy!”

Unfortunately, cruciate ligament rupture is one of the most common reasons for hind limb lameness, pain, and subsequent knee arthritis in dogs. Additionally, according to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, 40-60% of dogs who injure one cruciate ligament will go on to injure the other cruciate ligament in the future. Because of this, many veterinarians choose to treat both knees with stem cells, even when there is only one injured knee. While there are multiple treatment options available, both surgical and non-surgical, treatment with stem cells may accelerate and improve healing within the joint. 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. According to surveys answered by owners and veterinarians, greater than 80% of dogs showed an improved quality of life after receiving VetStem Cell Therapy for orthopedic conditions.