Gracie

Gracie, a Golden Retriever, experienced an improved quality of life after being treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.

POWAY, CALIFORNIA, US, April 25, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Gracie, a spirited Golden Retriever, was two years old when she suddenly could not stand up. Prior to this, her personality had changed as well. She went from being a rambunctious, active pup to very calm. It turns out, she was struggling with pain. Her owners immediately took her to the veterinarian where it was determined she has a bad case of bilateral hip dysplasia resulting in osteoarthritis. Hip dysplasia is a deformity of the ball and socket hip joint that occurs during growth. The deformity results in joint laxity (looseness) and eventually leads to osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a painful condition that can greatly reduce a dog’s quality of life.

Fortunately for Gracie, her veterinarian works with VetStem proponent Dr. Angie Zinkus at Germantown Parkway Animal Hospital. Dr. Zinkus has treated multiple arthritic patients with VetStem Cell Therapy and agreed Gracie was a good candidate for the procedure. In this particular case, Dr. Zinkus mentored Dr. Susannah Mays to familiarize her with the VetStem process.

First, Dr. Mays collected fat tissue from Gracie’s abdomen during a minimally invasive anesthetic procedure. 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.

Gracie’s cells were divided into doses and a total of nine stem cell injections were shipped to her veterinarian for treatment while the rest were put into cryostorage. Approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection procedure, Gracie received injections of her own stem cells in her hips, knees, elbows, shoulders, as well as an intravenous injection. According to Dr. Zinkus, though Gracie’s knees, elbows, and shoulders did not show signs of arthritis, she prefers to treat each joint as a preventative measure to help protect against the development of future osteoarthritis.

In addition to stem cell therapy, Gracie received platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections into her joints. PRP and stem cell therapy work synergistically. Concentrated platelets accelerate internal healing processes by attracting stem cells, supporting an anti-inflammatory environment, and stimulating local tissue repair processes.

According to Gracie’s owner, the stem cell and PRP treatment was a huge success! Her owner noted that it only took a few months before they noticed a vast improvement stating, “Gracie is back to her silly self, running as fast as she can to chase our backyard squirrels!! Thank you, VetStem and Dr. Zinkus for this wonderful solution to Gracie's painful hips.”

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. A peer-reviewed study of dogs with chronic osteoarthritis of the hip found that stem cells reduced pain and lameness. 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.

About VetStem, Inc.
VetStem is a veterinarian-led Company that was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the profession. This privately held biopharmaceutical enterprise, based near San Diego, California, currently offers veterinarians an autologous stem cell processing service (from patients’ own fat tissue) among other regenerative modalities. With a unique expertise acquired over the past 15+ years and thousands of treatments by veterinarians for joint, tendon and ligament issues, VetStem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality. The VetStem team is focused on developing new clinically practical and affordable veterinary solutions that leverage the natural restorative abilities present in all living creatures. In addition to its own portfolio of patents, VetStem holds exclusive global veterinary licenses to a large portfolio of issued patents in the field of regenerative medicine.

Kristi Hauta, Director of Commercial Operations
VetStem, Inc.
+1 858-748-2004
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