30-12-2011 14:47 Best friend breakthrough: Stem-cell therapy Candice Williams / The Detroit News Michigan's 1st In-Clinic Pet Stem Cell Therapist, John SimonRoyal Oak— Reuben, a 9-year-old English springer spaniel, entered the Woodside Animal Clinic on Wednesday suffering from hip dysplasia and arthritis that limited his mobility. A few hours later, the dog walked out on his own, ready to recuperate at home, thanks to a cutting-edge treatment that involves harvesting and reinjecting the dog's own stem cells. Dr. John Simon said Woodside is the first clinic in Michigan to perform the in-house adult stem cell therapy, which involves harvesting and injecting an animal's stem cells the same day. There are veterinarians in the state who provide a similar service but send the cells to an outside lab for harvesting. "I've been practicing for 40 years, and I've never seen any breakthrough of this size before," Simon said of in-house cell harvesting. "What it will be allowing veterinarians to do is rehabilitate damage to the joints, joints that have been degenerative because of age and because of trauma. It allows older animals to actually live longer because they'll be able to get up and move around." Reuben's therapy began with light anesthesia, followed by a small incision in his back, where Simon took a tablespoon of fat. Simon then put the fat through a laser, which allowed him to harvest the stem cells he injected into Reuben's joints. The dog also received the cells intravenously to help ...
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Reuben Before and after Stem Cell Therapy - Video