Friday August 21, 2009, 2:21 pm
Please visit the site to see the video-scroll to right:

Stem Cell Therapy Doing Wonders For Dogs
BOSTON (CBS) ―

It could be a big breakthrough in treating aging dogs. Veterinarians are now using stem cell therapy, and the early results are pretty amazing.

Watching 9-year-old Lola run might not seem like much to most of us, but for Lola's owner, Wendy Pun, it is nothing short of a miracle.

Lola was practically paralyzed with debilitating arthritis in her hips. Before the procedure, Wendy says she had to "literally bring her water to her. I had to pick her up to bring her outside to the yard so she could use the bathroom. It was awful, awful."

Wendy feared she might have to put Lola down, but then she heard of the stem cell therapy option.

Dr. Sue Casale of Angell Animal Medical Care in Boston is certified to perform the procedure. She says the stem cells come from the dog's own fat, and they can be programmed to become other things in the body if they are put in a particular environment.

"So if they are put in a joint, they can become cartilage cells," Dr. Casale said. "If they are put in your bone, they become bone."

The dog must go thru a short operation to have a vial of fat harvested. It is then shipped to a special lab, Vet-Stem Inc., where it is processed into stem cells. It is then quickly flown back to the vet's office, where it is injected into the dog's joints.

"It's a relatively simple procedure, compared to a major procedure like a total hip replacement.," says Dr. Scott Hufnagle, a veterinarian. "Recovery time is a lot quicker."

Right now, the stem therapy is being used primarily to ease the pain of arthritis in the hips and elbows of dogs. Veterinarians are waiting for the results of long term studies, but so far, they're very encouraged by what they see.

Dr. Casale says the potential for this approach could be enormous.

"They are looking not just at arthritis, which is what we are treating," she said. "They are looking for it being used for liver disease, and heart disease, and things like that.

"It is exciting to think of something like this because it really is very different than anything that we have seen in the past."

Wendy couldn't be happier with the results she has seen in Lola.

"Three weeks after the surgery she was able to walk and run around in the back

Yard," Wendy said. "It saved her life. I don't know what would have happened."

The entire procedure costs about $2,500, and Vet-Stem claims a success rate of about 85 percent.

So far there hasn't been much controversy with this type of treatment because the dog's own stem cells are harvested, and then re-injected.

To find a vet certified in the procedure, click here.

Friday August 21, 2009, 4:52 pm
Raffi, would this not be wonderful for Coco's cruciate ligament problem? My sack, I'm sitting here gob smackd. I'm bookmarking this and sending it to Coco's vet specialist.

Thank you dear friend, thank you!

Friday August 21, 2009, 5:30 pm
Well, they certainly making great break troughs in this...first they try their treatments on animals then offer it to humans...

OH MY Please visit this site for a truly heart warming video...thanks Raffi for this terrific story...to many animals suffering from arthritis, leg problems etc...hope this procedure would eventually get a little lower in price for some people who can affort it.

Great story!!!

Friday August 21, 2009, 6:15 pm
OMG..... WISH THIS WAS AVAILABLE SO LONG AGO, AND I CAN PATIENTLY WAIT FOR HUMAN TESTS... THIS WAS A CRIER FOR ME....

Friday August 21, 2009, 7:38 pm
Could have used this 3 weeks ago when I had to put my girl to sleep. Where were they?

Friday August 21, 2009, 8:41 pm
This is great news! Thanks for sharing this information.

Friday August 21, 2009, 9:53 pm
Important breakthrough... Thanks Rafael...

Friday August 21, 2009, 10:00 pm
This may have been able to help my Cinamon girl too...
Thanks Raffi.

Saturday August 22, 2009, 10:59 am
Great news... just hope it is done with ethical methods in mind and not used by destroying embroyos...

Saturday August 22, 2009, 11:30 am
This really is great news as long nothing is destroyed. I surely could have used this info for my last girl.
Important breakthrough!!
Thank you Raffi :(

Sunday August 23, 2009, 3:11 am
great news thanks raffi