Press Releases

Arthritic Dog Enjoys Her Final Years in Comfort Thanks to VetStem Cell Therapy

Callie, a senior Flat-coated retriever mix, experienced an improved quality of life after treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy for arthritis.

2024-11-12 --

Callie, a 14-year-old Flat-coated retriever mix, was suffering from spondylosis and severe arthritis in her hips and knees. Spondylosis, a condition that affects the vertebral bones of the spine, and arthritis are very painful degenerative diseases that can greatly affect a dog’s mobility and quality of life. While Callie was ambulatory, she required assistance to get up. And due to the pain she was experiencing, she began to snap at her owners.

Her owners sought the expertise of a now retired board-certified veterinary surgeon, Dr. Tim McCarthy. At the time, Dr. McCarthy had been working with a regenerative medicine company, VetStem, Inc., for eight years and had also participated in a veterinary stem cell study. He recommended that Callie be treated with VetStem Cell Therapy. This innovative treatment uses the dog’s own stem cells to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.

To begin the VetStem process, Dr. McCarthy collected a sample of fat tissue from Callie’s abdomen during a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. The fat was shipped to the VetStem laboratory where technicians processed the fat to extract and concentrate the stem and regenerative cells contained therein. Five doses of Callie’s stem cells were prepared and shipped to Dr. McCarthy for injection. Approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure, Callie received stem cell injections into each hip and each knee, as well as an intravenous injection.

Remarkably, within just days of treatment, Callie began to show signs of improvement. Eventually, she was able to rise on her own and regained her energy and zest for life. Her family noted, “She had her energy back, she was running around, and she stopped snapping at us. It gave her life back to her for the next 2 years and 3 months.” Thanks to VetStem Cell Therapy, Callie was able to enjoy her golden years before crossing the Rainbow Bridge. Her family expressed immense gratitude, stating, “We are so very thankful for her stem cell therapy!”

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases in dogs and pain associated with osteoarthritis can greatly reduce a dog’s quality of life. 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 osteoarthritis. Additionally, a peer-reviewed study of dogs with chronic osteoarthritis of the hip found that treatment with stem cells reduced pain and lameness.