Press Releases

Cat with Gingivostomatitis Experiences Relief after Treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy

Checkers, a cat, was successfully treated for gingivostomatitis with VetStem Cell Therapy.

2026-10-20 --

Checkers, a beloved eight-year-old cat, was struggling with gingivostomatitis. Gingivostomatitis is a debilitating condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the gums. It can be very painful and lead to inappetence, reduced grooming, and weight loss. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease. Common treatments include lifelong medical management with antibiotics, steroids, and pain medications and/or full mouth tooth extractions.

Checkers’ condition had progressed to an advanced stage, with significant swelling, inflammation, and blistering. His owner did not want to have all of his teeth removed and wanted to explore other treatment options to help him. Fortunately for Checkers, his veterinarian recommended treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy.

To begin the VetStem process, Checkers’ veterinarian collected a fat tissue sample from his abdomen in a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. The fat was aseptically packaged and sent overnight to the VetStem laboratory. Once received, VetStem lab technicians processed the fat to extract and concentrate Checkers’ stem and regenerative cells. Approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection, two injectable doses of Checkers’ stem cells were delivered to his veterinarian. One dose was administered into his gums, and the other was administered intravenously.

Approximately 10 months after his initial treatment, Checkers received a follow-up treatment identical to his first, using his own banked stem cells. According to his owner, he responded well to treatment and his symptoms resolved. In fact, Checkers has not required a re-treatment with stem cells in over four years.

VetStem, a veterinary regenerative medicine company located in California, is currently researching the use of stem cells for the treatment of gingivostomatitis. Current literature supports the notion that gingivostomatitis is an autoimmune disease. Mesenchymal stem cells have demonstrated the ability to migrate to areas of inflammation, downregulate inflammation, modulate the immune system, stimulate neoangiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels), and repair damaged tissue. Additionally, clinical studies have demonstrated that intravenous administration of adipose (fat) derived stem cells could ameliorate the clinical signs of gingivostomatitis. While more research is needed, preliminary results suggest that VetStem Cell Therapy can improve the symptoms of some cats with gingivostomatitis and thereby improve their quality of life.