Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell Therapy

 

Dr. Sivula is credentialed to provide this therapy for your dogs!

This regenerative medicine uses a concentrated form of adipose-derived adult stem cells to treat traumatic and degenerative diseases. Conditions that can be treated with this therapy include arthritis, joint disease and tendon or ligament injuries. There are also studies under investigation to evaluate this therapy for the treatment of auto-immune diseases, liver disease and kidney disease!

Yes, we said stem cells. This may seem controversial or even unethical to some, but rest assured that these are NOT the same as embryonic stem cells. They're not even close. These cells are harvested from your adult dog's fat, but still have the same ability to turn into many different types of tissue. Unlike stem cells from bone marrow, these adipose cells are readily available and easy to collect.

 

It may sound a little confusing at first, but don't worry! Here's how the process works:

 

First, a sample of your pet's fat is collected and sent via overnight shipment to the Vet-Stem lab in California.

A trained technician isolates and collects these specific cells, which are immediate shipped back to Dr. Sivula.

Since these cells are derived from your pet's naturally occurring stock, they can be immediately injected into the affected area.

These cells are capable of differentiating into a variety of tissue types, like bone, tendon, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels.

 

 

Tendon and ligament injuries typically respond to a single dose. Due to the chronic nature of degenerative joint diseases like arthritis, additional dosages may be required depending on the severity and which joint is affected. Concurrent therapies like acupuncture, glucosamine, magnetic therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics can be continued while a pet receives this treatment. However, concurrent use of steroids like Prednisone or Dexamethasone is not recommended, and should be avoided for a minimum of 45 days after the injection is administered.

How about more good news: this therapy is very safe! Because the cells come from your dog's own tissue and are not modified during the collection process, the risk of a reaction is very low. Vet-Stem employs very stringent  protocols and quality control methods. Hundreds of studies have been published to support the safety of this procedure. As reported by veterinarians, canine adverse effects are exceptionally rare and only 0.6% of owners reported mild local inflammation at the injection site.