Stem Cell Therapy

What is Stem Cell Therapy?

Vet-Stem® isolates regenerative cells from a sample of an animal's own fat for treatment of tendons, ligaments and joints.

Stem Cell Therapy is NOT to be confused with the controversial use of stem cells derived from human embryos.

What are Stem Cells?

A stem cell is a naturally occcuring cell in any animal that can transform into a specific type of cell (bone, heart, tendon, etc) to heal and regenerate healthy tissue.

How does the Procedure work?

Dr. Sams collects fat from your pet and the fat is shipped via Fedex to the Vet-Stem® laboratory for processing, concentration and purification. The cells are then returned for implantation at the site of disease/ injury or by intravenous injection.

Is it Safe?

Since the cells come from and are returned to your pet, there is almost no risk of rejection. The risk of infection is the same as with any surgical procedure. Vet-Stem® processes the cells in a sterile environment and adds an anti-biotic to the cell suspension before returning them for injection. As a precaution, Vet-Stem® recommends administering a brief course of systemic anti-biotics following the initial collection process.

Dr. Sams is accredited with Vet-Stem® to perform Stem Cell Therapy and has a state-of-the-art facility where sterility is carefully protected.

How long does the treatment last?

The longevity of the results varies from case to case. Vet-Stem® studies show that many dogs treated with stem cells have had long-term success with one injection, while a few patients have required a second injection to continue the healing process in a severe injury site.

How long is the recovery from a stem cell treatment?

An exact recovery time with this therapy is not specific. Each pet's recovery is dependent upon the severity of its case and how long the pet needs to be in a rehab program. Most patients will show clinical signs of improvement in the first few weeks, but without rehabilitation and time off, these results may not occur as soon, nor last as long as they would if the animal went through the recommended rehab program.
At the Sams Clinic, we have an excellent in-house Physical Rehabilitation service. Dr. Sams will recommend the best program, tailored to the patient.

What Conditions are treated?

The most common problems being treated are Osteoarthritis along with tendon, joint and ligament injuries.

Who is Vet-Stem®?

Vet-Stem® is a veterinary laboratory service located in San Diego, California. The company was founded in 2002 and is dedicated to the development of adipose derived stem cells for animal health. For more information including success stories, please visit
www.vet-stem.com

Can my pet's stem cells be stored?

Yes. The Vet-Stem Bank ™service is a specially designed tissue preservation process that prepares your pet's stem cells for long term storage in liquid nitrogen storage containers.

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