How Stem Cell Therapy Is Helping Pets Live (Slightly) Longer, Better Lives
If you have a dog or cat that has lived a long life thus far, but you know that you may have to prepare for the end soon, ask your vet about stem cell therapy. While stem cell use in humans is strictly regulated, it is not so regulated in pets. In fact, it is a very common treatment for many age-related disorders in pets. Here is how stem cell therapy can help your pet live a longer, better life.
How the Treatment Starts
Since most cats and dogs are mixed breeds, the stem cells used to treat pets are taken from their own bone marrow and DNA. The veterinarian who has the skills and knowledge to do so takes the samples from your pet, works on them in a lab to grow the stem cells, and then reinjects the stem cells into the area of your pet's body that is having a problem or is diseased. If the vet cannot do this him/herself, then your vet will send the samples to a veterinary stem cell lab to create the treatments.
What Stem Cells Treat in Cats and Dogs
Most of the conditions treated by stem cell therapy in cats and dogs are age-related.
This includes:
- Weak bladder control
- Arthritis
- Immunodeficiency problems, such as FIV (Feline HIV)
- Diabetes
- Sight and eye problems
- Brain issues
If your advanced age or elderly pet suffers from any of the above, he/she may be a good candidate for stem cell treatments. The treatments often pause and sometimes even reverse the progression of these disorders, giving your pet a better quality of life with less pain. It may also have the positive side effect of less concern and frustration for you as you care for your pet.
Life Expectancy with Stem Cell Treatments
Stem cell treatments are not cheap. You may pay $2-3,000 per cell collection, extraction and injection, each round. It may extend the life of your pet anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. It can also cause cancer and expedite your pet's death, since not all stem cell cases in pets have been reported as successful. Still, if your intended goal is to make your pet more comfortable until the inevitable day arrives, it may at least give you peace of mind knowing that you tried absolutely everything you could to make your pet happy and comfortable right up to the very end.
For more information, contact a company like Greenside Regenerative Therapies.
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