Stem-cell technology treats ailing dogs at Tri-County Hospital in Fort Pierce

Photo by Juan Dale Brown

Courteney Kendall, left, of Fort Pierce, and Kendra Hurrell of MediVet America work on separating fat stem cells from Cody, a 7-year-old chocolate Labrador.

FORT PIERCE — Two dogs treated Monday at Tri-County Animal Hospital in Fort Pierce will get a new lease on life thanks to cutting-edge technology that uses stem cells to help the body heal itself.

Dr. Annette Sysel, the clinic's senior associate veterinarian, performed the procedure on a 7-year-old Labrador retriever and an 8-year-old Rottweiler.

The procedure involved removing fat from the dog's body, done through an incision under general anesthesia, then processing the fat to harvest the stem cells using technology and equipment from Medi-Vet America, an animal health company.

Before Monday, the procedure required sending the fat overnight to a lab in California, where it was processed and then returned, requiring a second visit for the patient. Today, both dogs were finished after several hours and the cost to the owner, approximately $1,800, was about half of what it would have been previously.

During the in-clinic processing, the stem cells are stimulated by a laser, turning dormant stem cells into active ones and increasing their volume by 400 percent. The activated stem cells are then injected into the dog's joints and through an intravenous line to begin the healing process.

Photo by Juan Dale Brown

Tri-County Animal Hospital Dr. Annette Sysel gets ready to inject Cody with stem cells harvested from him several hours earlier. Maria Belmontes, a vet technician at the hospital, is ready to assist. The injection into Cody's hips and joints is expected to relieve pain and regenerate healthy cells..

Lynn Marcum, the Medi-Vet America distributor for Florida who provided the equipment and training, said the activated stem cells "are like homing devices," gravitating to the area needing repair and regeneration.

Sysel said the stem cell therapy is effective in dogs, cats and horses.

"They're basically returned to a much more comfortable and higher quality of life," she said.

For Bobby Bennett, owner of Cody, the Labrador retriever, that's exactly what he wants. For the past three years, Cody has suffered from hip dysplasia, arthritis and inflammation.

"It's difficult to see him struggle," Bennett said.

Although Cody has been unable to participate in his favorite activity — playing ball — Bennett is optimistic this therapy will change that.

"I'm hoping that he becomes 80 percent of what he used to be," he said.

Two additional dogs were scheduled to undergo the procedure Tuesday. Each will return after 10 to 14 days to have the staples from their incision removed and for an initial recheck, followed by visits at 30-, 60- and 90-day intervals to evaluate their progress.

"Usually after the first recheck, 80 percent of people say, 'My pet's doing a lot better,'" Sysel said.

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