Chance is a rescued German Shepherd who came to Safari with bad cruciate tears in his knees. His knees had not been treated surgically and, as a result, degenerated into some pretty bad arthritis. Arthritis causes the joint to swell and painfully rub against and scrape away the cartilage. The effects of arthritis caused Chance to have trouble getting around, as he became more and more lethargic. Inevitably, Chance reached a point where he could no longer handle the stairs. Rather than surgery, Chance’s owner opted for stem cell therapy to help with the pain. What did the stem cells do? The stem cells did a lot more than help with his pain, they regrew brand new cartilage cells! Chance was given two rounds of stem cell injections, 6- 8 weeks apart. It takes the cells about 2-3 weeks to start having an effect. Three months later, his owner started seeing improvement. Chance hobbled less, started to play with his brother Conner more, and was gradually becoming his old self again. Chance is now a much more energetic dog, is much younger acting than before, and can now climb stairs and play with his brother again!
Arthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is a general term marked by abnormal conditions of the joint and surrounding tissues that occurs when cartilage is worn away quicker than it can regenerate. When the protective cartilage that cushions the joint wears away, it creates friction between the bones and becomes swollen and painful.
Please, do not give your pet over-the-counter pain medication (or medication not prescribed to them), without first consulting us here at Safari.
As painful as it is for our pets, it is equally emotionally painful for us to see them in this condition. We want to do what is best for our pets and their quality of life and, foremost, relieve them of their pain as quickly as possible. When we are in physical pain ourselves, we may not hesitate to grab a bottle of pain relieving medicine, but think twice when it comes to your pet. Several medications are extremely toxic, including ibuprofen, so please, do not give your pet over-the-counter pain medication (or medication not prescribed to them), without first consulting us here at Safari.
Arthritis can affect any breed at any age (cat or dog), therefore, it is good to know and watch for these risk factors:
Arthritis in cats is more prevalent than previously thought, simply because cats mask their pain even more so than dogs.
Symptoms include discomfort, pain, inflammation and lameness that eventually leads to bone damage and severely restricted mobility making them reluctant to run, jump, climb and/or play.
Specific breeds that are more susceptible due to hereditary factors:
Cat breeds genetically predisposed to Arthritis are the Himalayan, Persian and Siamese.
Dog breeds genetically predisposed to Arthritis are the German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, Mastiff, Old English Sheepdog, Rottweiler and Saint Bernard.
Anti-inflammatory medications are usually prescribed for pain control, along with cold laser, heat and possibly acupuncture treatments. Maintaining a healthy weight is also very important in managing your pet’s arthritis pain. Essential fatty acids (such as fish oil or flax seed oi) are used as a natural anti-inflammatory. Additional natural supplements being used today are glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, and are believed to have health benefits as well.
Note: It is important to mention that these common treatments may slow down progression of the disease and manage symptoms to some degree, but they do not correct structural damage to the pet’s joints.
As mentioned, other treatments can only slow down progression of the disease and mask symptoms. However, stem cells can actually regenerate cartilage in the joints, just as it was when the animal was an infant. Your pet can be treated with stem cells intravenously, or by directly injecting the stem cells into the bad joints via. our C-Arm fluoroscope. Simply put, your pet can be alleviated of their arthritis pain and have their function restored with stem cell therapy!
Acupuncture and cold laser can help reduce your pet’s pain, and treatment protocols will be tailored to their specific needs.
For cats, there are few pain medications licensed for long term use; limiting treatment options.
For dogs, anti-inflammatories can be prescribed for pain control; cost is dependent on the dog’s weight.
There are a number of things that you can do now to alleviate your pet’s pain, add comfort to their life and help them get around better. Here are just a few suggestions:
Bottom line, your pet can be alleviated of their arthritis pain and have their function restored with stem cell therapy!
