5 Things Every Pet Owner Should Know About Regenerative Medicine
In our previous post, we discussed the five most important things every veterinarian should know about regenerative medicine. But as with any veterinary treatment, it is important to not only educate the veterinary professional performing the therapy, but also the pet owner whose companion may benefit from this therapy. With this in mind, here are 5 things every pet owner should know about regenerative medicine.
1. Regenerative Medicine uses the animal’s own cells to treat injured tissue
Regenerative medicine is a unique therapy that relies on the animal’s own cells to initiate healing and repair of injured tissue. Whether treating with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) or Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC), the cells that are isolated using a special process have unique properties that accelerate healing, especially in areas that have poor blood flow. These areas can include cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Because the cells are treating the animal they were taken from, the likelihood of an adverse event from a treatment is minimal.
2. Regenerative Medicine can provide long lasting pain relief and healing
Therapeutic effects from PRP treatments for dogs with mild to moderate osteoarthritis have been reported to last up to 9 months, with select cases lasting for more than a year! Practitioners have even reported case outcomes enabling the withdrawal of NSAID and other joint medications completely. Treatments utilizing BMAC stem cells, with special regard to ligament and tendon treatments, have reported complete healing of the tissue from a single treatment and return to sport/ function within a short period of time. Although some PRP treatments may require more than one administration, it may be a convenient alternative to daily dosing of oral medications.
3. Treatments are fast and minimally invasive
Treating with PRP or BMAC stem cells is fast and can be done within a single veterinary visit. Platelet rich plasma only requires a sampling of blood, which is then processed using a specialized system, which takes less than 15 minutes. BMAC treatments take less than 30 minutes, in which the dog is placed under anesthesia and bone marrow is collected and processed similar to PRP. Once samples are ready, they are injected directly into the area they are needed and the patient can begin their recovery.
4. Thousands of animals (and people) have been treated using regenerative medicine
From top performing agility dogs to trusty companions, regenerative medicine has been used to treat thousands of dogs, horses and cats for a wide range of injuries for over 20 years. Its growing popularity has been in part due to famous (two legged) athletes receiving the treatments, including Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant.
5. Regenerative Medicine is not a “cure-all”
As with any therapy, there is no “silver bullet”. It takes a multi-modal approach to truly see exceptional results, and regenerative medicine is no exception. Injecting PRP or BMAC stem cells is only one part of the “treatment puzzle”, which should also include a comprehensive rehabilitation therapy program including modalities such as laser therapy, underwater treadmill, therapeutic exercise and others.
It is also important to note that regenerative medicine does not cure or prevent arthritis. Although PRP and BMAC stem cells help with the healing and repair of the tissue, they cannot reverse arthritis or build cartilage that is no longer there. In many severe arthritis cases, regenerative medicine aids with the health of the joint and provides pain relief rather than rebuilding lost tissue.
For more information on regenerative medicine or to learn more about the Companion Regenerative Therapies System, please click here.
Stay tuned for our next blog where we will discuss intra articular injections and how they are used in veterinary medicine!
