Golden Hunter’s Stem Cell Life
- Updated
On Jan 9th Nightline featured
the story of Hunter and the use of his own stem cells to provide relief from
debilitating arthritis due to hip dysplasia. For those that missed this incredibly
interesting program, I now have video of it below.
Hunter has severe arthritis in
his left hip but has shown quick improvement after being injected with his
own stem cells.
“His leg, it’s almost like it’s lifeless and it’ll drift back,” Linda said,
referring to Hunter’s tendency to favor his right leg.
X-rays show that Hunter has hip dysplasia, a common ailment in purebred
dogs that causes the ball of the leg bone to loosen from its socket, causing
painful wearing on the joint. “You can see that the edges of the bone are
very worn away. They’re not nearly as smooth,” said veterinarian Jerry Bausman.
Facing the possibility of a shortened life for Hunter, the Rihas were considering
a $10,000 hip replacement, when the doctors offered something new, different,
and much cheaper. For only about $2,500 they could treat Hunter with his own
stem cells, the healing and regenerative cells that live in both humans and
animals. …
“We’re kind of reverting the body back to a younger age or a younger stage
when we were more of a regenerative stage,” said Bausman. In a fairly easy
procedure, Hunter’s stem cells will be recovered from his body fat, isolated
in a laboratory, and re-injected into his hip in greater concentration than
his own body could accomplish.
Stem cell therapy is in regular use for animals, where there is less regulation
than that for humans. This has helped research progress far more quickly.
VetStem has pioneered the application of the technique, already having treated
about 3000 horses for joint problems. In the same way that Vet-Stem Regenerative
Cell (VSRC) therapy has demonstrated successful therapeutic outcomes in horses
with tendon and ligament injuries, fractures, and joint disease, it is now
being used to treat osteoarthritis in dogs.
Since 2005, selected clinics have treated dogs with osteoarthritis and orthopedic
soft tissue injuries. Initial studies demonstrate that intra-articular administration
of VSRCs significantly decreases pain and improves comfort in the majority
of cases. Duration of the benefit from a single injection varies from several
months to more than one year.
Besides the overwhelming scientific data demonstrating the clinical efficacy
of regenerative cellular therapy in animal models of osteoarthritis, osteochondral
defects, tendon repair, and fractures, many additional studies are now demonstrating
success in treating systemic disorders such as cerebral and myocardial infarction,
muscular dystrophy, and immune-mediated disorders. Based on these studies,
Vet-Stem is developing protocols to treat internal medicine conditions.Vet-Stem
Regenerative Cell Therapy is limited to veterinarians who have completed a
Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell medicine credentialing course. Their services are
only available from your veterinarian. However, a Vet-Stem veterinarian is
able to discuss regenerative stem cell therapy with your own veterinarian.
The above information is simply informational.
It's intent is not to replace the advice of a veterinarian nor to assist
you in making a diagnosis of your pet. Please consult with your own veterinarian
for confirmation of any diagnosis. Your pets life may depend on it.