In-clinic Stem Cell Therapy for Pets Now More Affordable and Effective

By Mike Hutchinson, D.V.M.
July 2010

Helping animals like Samantha, a 12-year old collie mix, is a big reason why I decided to go into veterinary medicine. For more than a year, Samantha had been experiencing significant osteoarthritis and was on anti-inflammatory and pain medicine. She could no longer jump up or climb stairs, including to the front porch so her owners, Ricki Molchen and Richard Greenhouse, had a ramp built. Even walking was painful, and she was falling down.

"I have to admit, we were considering euthanasia if she didn't improve," said Ricki. "She was really hurting, and we love her too much to let her suffer."

After an examination, I concluded that Samantha was a good candidate for a new form of animal stem cell regenerative therapy. On the morning of June 25, 2010, I performed the procedure. Removing a small sample of fat from Samantha's shoulder area, I placed the tissue into a sterile cup and used a process which separated the stem cells from the fat. Then the cells were activated using Samantha's own platelet growth factors combined with a patented new L.E.D. technology. Within a few hours of harvesting the fat, the stem cells were injected into Samantha‚s hips and right stifle. The remaining stem cells were injected intravenously. By 2:30 p.m., she was ready to go home and recuperate.

Less than two weeks after the procedure, Ricki reported that the change in Samantha has been nothing short of remarkable, and she continues to improve.

"She once again can climb stairs, loves to go out for walks. She's now trotting and even tries to jump up and give us hugs," said Ricki. "We're being careful, trying to get her to take it slow, but Samantha clearly feels like a new dog. We are so grateful!"

The procedure I performed on Samantha as well as other dogs, cats and horses is a new, autologous (taken from the animal's body and given back to the same animal) stem cell treatment developed by an Australian-based company called MediVet. A global leader in veterinary stem cell science, MediVet works to develop advanced stem cell treatments and all-natural veterinary products designed to maximize animal health, performance and recovery.

Recently launched in North America (www.MediVet-America.com, www.MediVetCanada.com), MediVet's Adipose Stem Cell Procedure Kit represents a major scientific advancement in animal stem cell regenerative therapy for pets and other animals suffering from osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, ligament and cartilage injuries, and other degenerative diseases. Already, the outcomes I've witnessed in my patients have been impressive.

This unique in-clinic treatment is completed in one day compared to the first-generation stem cell therapy method of shipping samples to an outside laboratory for stem cell extraction. With that process, veterinarians would have to wait days for the cells to be returned for injection during a follow up visit. Additionally, my independent research verifies that MediVet-America's process achieves up to four times the stem cell count of the older method.

Thanks to this new procedure, we are now able to deliver the results of hundreds of millions of dollars of research directly into clinics for our companion animal patients. Stem cell therapy for pets and other animals, such as those in the competitive performance equine market, first became commercially available in the U.S. in 2003, but the procedure has been unaffordable for many animal owners. This new therapy costs a fraction of the price of the old method, while delivering not only higher stem cell counts, but also the patented activation process which is likely to result in a more effective treatment.

In my view, this cutting-edge technology marks a significant milestone because we've discovered that 65 percent of animals may benefit from stem cell regenerative therapy. I believe this application signifies the biggest breakthrough in veterinary medicine since I entered the field. The superior results in stem cell counts and activation made me a staunch supporter. That's why I'm excited to share this news with my colleagues and recommend they learn more. One look at a rejuvenated Samantha says it all.

A leading practitioner in stem cell regeneration, Mike Hutchinson, D.V.M., "Dr. Mike" is a highly sought after speaker at national and international veterinary conferences on the uses of animal stem cells. He has performed more than 75 Adipose-Derived Stem Cell transplant procedures on dogs and cats, among his 20,000 surgeries in 24 years of practicing veterinary medicine.