Pearl Retrieving Her Frisbee
Her owner reports that she can run like the wind and is doing better than ever.
(PRWEB) June 12, 2018
Pearl was an active black lab that enjoyed going on long walks with her mom and loved retrieving her frisbee. Approximately one year ago, these activities became problematic for Pearl. After her walks, she would limp badly, primarily on her right front leg. Pretty soon, she had a consistent limp. Her owners, Norm and Debbie, decided to take Pearl to their veterinarian in Corvallis, Oregon for evaluation. After several tests, their veterinarian referred them to Dr. Amie Csiszer, a veterinary surgeon at Oregon Veterinary Referral Associates.
Upon examination, Dr. Csiszer noted that Pearl had pain and decreased range of motion in both elbows and that her right elbow was more painful than her left. Pearl was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both elbows as a result of bilateral elbow dysplasia. Dr. Csiszer recommended arthroscopy to treat both elbow joints as well as VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy.
In September 2017, Pearl underwent bilateral elbow arthroscopy. After the procedure, while Pearl was still anesthetized, Dr. Csiszer collected a small amount of fat from Pearl’s abdomen to send to VetStem’s laboratory in San Diego, California. Upon receipt, the fat was processed, and injectable stem cell doses of Pearl’s own stem cells were created and shipped back to Dr. Csiszer. Approximately 48 hours after the fat collection, Pearl received stem cell injections in both elbows and also intravenously.
After the procedure, Pearl went home and began her recovery process. She was kept on leash for the first 6 weeks and started with very short walks. After a few weeks, her owners increased her walks, gaging the distance by how Pearl responded. In a 30-day follow up evaluation, Pearl’s owners noted that her lameness and pain had improved compared to before the procedure and that she was able to discontinue her pain medications.
Around two months after the procedure, Pearl’s owners began allowing her the occasional off-leash romp and by the middle of the third month, she seemed back to her old fun-loving self. Her owner would take her to a nearby pond where she would swim and retrieve a frisbee, one of her favorite things to do. In a 90-day follow up evaluation, her owner reported that she was no longer stiff or in pain and her quality of life had significantly improved. He reported that the stem cell therapy exceeded his expectations and he was very grateful, not just to have his pain-free dog back but also to have additional stem cells stored at VetStem should Pearl require future treatment.
Now, approximately 9 months after her stem cell therapy, Pearl is back to chasing the frisbee on solid ground since the local pond is drying up. Her daily swims and a diet recommended by her veterinarian have helped her to lose a little weight, which will benefit Pearl’s joints moving forward. Her owner reports that she can run like the wind and is doing better than ever. Go Pearly!
Stem cells are regenerative cells that can differentiate into many tissue types; they have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, help to restore range of motion, and stimulate regeneration of tendon, ligament and joint tissues. In a peer reviewed study for chronic osteoarthritis of the elbow joint in dogs, it was found that dogs experienced decreased lameness after receiving VetStem Cell Therapy. When used in conjunction with surgery, VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy can help to improve healing by reducing scar tissue formation and pain.
About Dr. Amie Csiszer DVM, DACVS
Dr. Amie Csiszer is a board-certified specialist in small animal surgery and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgery. She is skilled in soft tissue reconstructive surgery and wound management, surgical oncology, orthopedic surgery and adult stem cell treatment for osteoarthritis. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Tufts University in 2006. She completed a one-year rotating internship at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists in 2007 and a surgical internship with Veterinary Surgical Centers of the Delta in 2008. She then completed her residency in small animal surgery at OVRA in 2011. Dr. Csiszer has been VetStem credentialed and treating stem cell patients since 2008.
About VetStem Biopharma, Inc.
VetStem Biopharma is a veterinarian-lead 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 13,000 patients treated by veterinarians for joint, tendon or ligament issues, VetStem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality beyond the realm of research. 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. The Company’s stated mission being “to extend and enhance the lives of animals by improving the quality of recovery in acute conditions, but also by unlocking ways to slow, stop and ultimately revert the course of chronic diseases”. In addition to its’ own portfolio of patents, VetStem holds exclusive global veterinary licenses to a portfolio of over 70 issued patents in the field of regenerative medicine.