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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!
Light Up the Laser – Treatment Techniques to Optimize Outcomes
It is crucial to apply proper treatment techniques so that the therapy is not only delivered optimally, but safely as well. When combined, all the small details that the operator adheres to form a treatment which delivers therapeutic benefits to the patient.
The first set of proper treatment techniques apply to the laser therapy delivery platform itself. In order to allow the light energy to travel as efficiently as possible, the fiber needs to be fully unwound and should not be kinked or forcefully bent, this will also provide for minimal resistance when the hand piece is maneuvered by the operator. Selecting the appropriate treatment head is an important factor as well. For maximum patient comfort, the small treatment heads should only be used at a maximum power of 3 watts, never higher. The off-contact (often called “cone”) treatment heads should be held at about 1 to 2 inches from the tissue surface, never in direct contact with the patient’s skin or hair coat. The optical window of each treatment head piece must also be clean, intact, and free of any debris, defect, or scratches. The operator will select the appropriate protocol applicable to the condition / body part / surface area being treated. Once these parameters have been selected, we are then ready to begin treating the patient.
The patient should be allowed to position itself so that it is as comfortable as possible, as long as the target site remains accessible. A soft, fleece-like substrate (such as a pad, blanket, or bedding) also makes for an excellent material to rest on. It will also wick away urine if the patient is incontinent. Whenever possible, in treating musculoskeletal conditions, it is best to make direct contact with the deep tissue applicator (aka “the large massage ball” treatment head) so as to maximize penetration of the light energy into the tissues. If, however, we are dealing with exposed tissues such as with a hot spot, open wound, or a fresh surgical incision, a non-contact technique is required, holding the treatment head at 1 to 2 inches from the surface of the area being treated.
When performing the treatment, the treatment head is held perpendicular to the surface of the target tissues to ensure an even beam spot. The laser beam should make a full excursion, crossing over from the affected tissues into the nearby healthy tissue margins, never hovering over the same treatment area. As the treatment is being carried out, the operator will continuously move the hand piece at 1 to 3 inches per second so as to fully and evenly illuminate the treatment site. The hand piece should never be kept motionless when the laser is being delivered to the patient. The operator will also monitor the patient and treatment area for any possible increase in warmth, which is especially important when treating tissues which are heavily pigmented or with a dense hair coat. The latter also especially applies to the anesthetized patient, such as when treating dental extraction sites, for the patient will not be able to physically respond to any sensation of discomfort or excessive warmth.
Specific parts of the patient also carry inherent treatment nuances. When treating joints or an extremity, it is optimal to treat as circumferentially as possible, while putting that joint through a gentle passive range of motion (if possible) so that all aspects of the intra-articular surfaces are well illuminated. Any biomechanically associated structures to the target site should also be assessed and possibly considered for treatment, as secondary sites are often affected due to the deterioration of the primary target structures and compensation changes in biomechanics. When treating with a contact technique, it is usually to the added comfort and medical benefit to the patient to apply a massage-like technique, but care should be taken to decrease applied pressure when passing over a boney prominence, such as a dorsal spinous process, as this may create discomfort in those areas. The laser operator should use both hands to constantly monitor the patient as the treatment is being carried out - feeling for increased coat temperature, withdrawal and/or muscle spasm during treatment.
Applying these treatment techniques is easily achieved - they are all small facets that together create an optimal treatment delivery of this cutting-edge medical modality. An experienced operator following these guidelines will be able to give the patient the full benefit of a treatment well-designed and well carried out in a non-invasive manner.
“5 Things Every Vet Should Know About Regenerative Medicine”
In our previous posts, we’ve explored numerous topics surrounding regenerative medicine. But with all the literature and new data regarding these therapies, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with information. That’s why we’ve decided to condense this material to provide you with the 5 most important things every veterinarian should know about regenerative medicine.
1. Regenerative Medicine is not a new therapy
This may come as a surprise, but regenerative therapies including Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Stem Cell therapy have been around for more than 20 years. Pioneered in the 1970’s, PRP and stem cell therapy has been widely used in dentistry, plastic surgery and orthopedic procedures, treating both athletes (Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant to name a couple) and the “weekend warrior” alike. It has also been a common therapy in the equine world, treating many of the top race horses during and after their careers. This has provided us with 20 years’ worth of data and scientific backing to these therapies, many of which can be found on a publication search such as pubmed.gov.
2. Not all systems are validated for veterinary use
Because regenerative medicine has been around for several years, many of the systems that have been made available in the veterinary market came over from the human medical field. These systems which were originally engineered to process human samples, are now processing those samples from our canine patients. However, as we discussed in our previous post regarding validation, it is important to make sure whichever system is being used has been validated and optimized for the specific species it intends to treat. It is equally important that the validation has been performed by a 3rd party to eliminate bias in the final results. Click here to read the multicenter validation study for the CRT system.
3. Providing these therapies does not require a large time commitment
Processing for PRP or stem cell therapy can take less than 30 minutes and can be done in your own practice. No longer do you have to send out samples and wait for days or weeks to treat your patients. In less than 30 minutes you can collect, process and administer your PRP or stem cell treatments, making it a convenient therapy for both you and your clients alike.
4. Technicians can do the majority of the procedure
In addition to the minimal time required for processing samples, the majority of the work can be done by your hospital staff. Scheduling for these procedures requires a small time commitment of the administering vet, allowing your clinic to see more patients and utilizing your staff’s time efficiently.
5. You have support!
Venturing into regenerative medicine doesn’t have to be a solo journey! There are numerous educational courses, events, hands on trainings and webinars available year-round, which provide you support as you enter into this area of therapeutics. As with all Companion Animal Health products, education is our number one priority, which is why with each purchase of the CRT system, an 8-chapter training video is included along with a 1 hour live web training to for your supporting staff. Take a look at the Education & Training tab on our website, which contains both upcoming events and previously recorded webinars.
Stay tuned for our next blog post where we will look at the 5 things every pet owner should know about regenerative medicine.
