What would you do if you knew a controversial treatment could use your cat's own body to heal itself? Would you take on the risk and expense, or would you opt for more traditional methods?

Some cat owners have taken the former road with the development of stem cell therapy. This newly popular technique puts aside traditional surgery and medication in favor of small injections of your pet's own cells. Used to treat conditions such as arthritis and ligament injuries, stem cell treatment (also known as regenerative medicine) is filled with potential as well as contention.

Regenerative medicine works around the principle that the bodies of organisms produce cells called stem cells. These cells are able to differentiate, or mature into a wide variety of other body cells depending on which tissues surround them. A stem cell can develop into muscle, nerves, bone, and other body tissues.

When a cat suffers from an injury, the stem cells surrounding the injury differentiate and begin healing the body. For example, stem cells might mature into ligament cells to repair an injury from running.

Living things contain two types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells, which are present in early-stage embryos and develop into organisms; and adult stem cells, which are present in the tissues of mature organisms. Adult stem cells do not harm the organism when removed and do not prevent further development in any way. It is these cells which are used in regenerative veterinary medicine.

During stem cell treatment, a trained veterinarian uses a small syringe to remove fatty tissue from an animal's abdomen or back. This tissue is then sent to a lab, where it is centrifuged (or spun) to isolate and extract the stem cells. The cells are returned and then injected back into the animal's body in the affected area. As the cells interact with damaged tissue, they mature into healthy cells which can repair damage or injury.

Because it requires no extensive surgery, regenerative therapy is accompanied by a much shorter recovery period and less pain for the animal. Some owners report seeing improvement in their pet's condition less than 36 hours after treatment. Surplus stem cells can be frozen for future injections, eliminating the need for repeat extractions. Veterinary stem cell treatment has been approved by the FDA for orthopedic problems in tendons and ligaments, as well as bone fractures and arthritis.

The ease and comfort of regenerative medicine doesn't come cheaply, however. A single cycle of treatment can cost between $2000 and $4000, and requires a knowledgeable veterinarian to perform the procedure. (Many veterinarians consider regenerative medicine to be an offshoot of alternative medicine, limiting the number of doctors certified to practice it.) According to Vet-Stem, the California-based leader in veterinary stem cell therapy, around 20% of owners see no improvement in their pet after treatment. That other 80%, however, have seen their beloved pets heal with a minimum of trauma and pain in exchange for taking a chance.

In just a few years, stem cell therapy has gone from a hot topic on news channels to an eagerly embraced therapy for canine illness. With the current trend in treatment comes the hope that some day soon a similar course of therapy will be approved for use in humans. Thousands of animals are living a happier and healthier life due to regenerative medicine, and the full possibilities of the technology still remain to be seen.

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Stem Cell Therapy in Cats: What You Need to Know - Page 1

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News: Vet-Stem Cell Therapy

If your dog or cat has arthritis then you should consider Vet-Stem Cell Therapy.

What Results Have Dog Owners Reported? Greater than 80% of dogs with arthritis have improvedQuality of Life Here are survey results for Older Dogs Here are survey results for Younger Dogs

Is Your Dog on Pain Medication? See survey results for Dogs on Pain Medication.

Pet owners should discuss appropriateness of treatment for their pet and associated costs with a Vet-Stem credentialed veterinarian. A checklist of points to consider with your veterinarian is found here.

For a letter to take to your veterinarian describing how they can become trained in Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell Therapy Click here.

StemInsure Store Stem Cells Now, Use Stem Cells in the Future. Click here.

Stem Cell Therapy in Development Vet-Stem is currently evaluating the use of stem cells for treatment of: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Kidney disease - cats Liver disease Immune mediated diseases Heart diseases

Vet-Stem believes there are certain applications where stem cells may not be appropriate. These include: Cancer Systemic infection

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Is your dog on pain medication? Vet-Stem Cell Therapy for ...

Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cells simply explained are your animal's own repair cells. There are many adult stem cells in fat tissue, however they are dormant. MediVet's patented stem cell procedure allows your vet to isolate stem cells from your animal's own fat tissue, activate them, and re-inject them directly into the damaged areas all in one visit. The goal of this revolutionary procedure is to provide a potent anti-inflammatory effect promoting cartilage and other tissue regeneration ultimately creating a healthier joint environment. Most importantly, it's an all natural approach to healing without the adverse side effects and complications of drugs or surgery.

The advantages of using Medivet's technology is not only the affordability, but it's safe, non invasive, and drug free. There is no comparison, as MediVet stem cell therapy is the most logical cell therapy choice for treating osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, hip dysplasia, tendon, ligament, and bone injuries. MediVet's goal is to improve the quality of your pet's life, as we have done for the 1000's of animals we've treated.

The Procedure

On procedure day, your vet will make a small incision and collect a small amount of fat (either in the belly or behind the shoulder blade). The sample is then carefully processed by a highly trained Veterinary Technician. After the cells have been isolated, then activated, they are ready for injection into the areas that need repair and administered intravenously.

After the procedure you will be able to take home your beloved pet later that same day. While your pet may feel better quite rapidly this is due to the natural potent anti-inflammatory ef fect these cells have.

That being said, we recommend that you leash restrict your pet for the first 30 days after the procedure, allowing these regenerative cells to promote the desired repair. Typically, significant improvement starts after only 3 weeks but impr ovement can continue long after the first procedure date. Although every case is different on average MediVet Veterinarians report 1-3 years of relief from a single injection when treating general mobility issues.

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MediVet America Stem Cell Therapy

Deltona retiree Paul Jaynes was heartbroken when his 9-year-old Labrador, Cookie, suddenly stopped walking last year. The once-athletic dog struggled to stand and, if she moved at all, collapsed after a few steps.

He carried his 90-pound companion to his truck, drove her to the vet and braced himself for the bad news. Surely she couldn't live like this.

Instead, his veterinarian told him about a newly available procedure involving stem cells. In a single day, the vet said, they could remove the cells from Cookie's fatty tissues, process them and re-inject them into her joints. She could go home immediately.

"It was very dramatic," Jaynes says. "The day after surgery, she was standing. She was hesitant, but she was standing and walking a little. I thought: 'Are you kidding me?' Within a week, she was almost back to her old self."

That was last September, and six months later Cookie is still going strong, Jaynes says. While he has no doubts about the treatment, though, some veterinarians worry that marketing of stem-cell therapy for animals has gotten ahead of the scientific research needed to validate its use.

The results, while sometimes promising, are not universal.

"Most of what you hear is anecdotal 'Oh, I tried this, and it helped my dog,'" says Dr. Jeffrey Peck, a veterinary surgeon at Affiliated Veterinary Specialists, based in Maitland. "This has grown in its marketing exponentially greater than it has grown in evidence."

Much of his practice is in orthopedics typically, dogs with hip dysplasia or arthritis. He tried using stem-cell therapy with his patients in 2008 but dropped it after a dozen cases in which he saw no improvement.

"I don't refuse to do it if a client really wants to try, but I give them my disclaimer," he says. "I tell them: 'I don't think I'm going to hurt anything. But I doubt I'm going to help anything either.'"

At $1,400 to $3,000 for the procedure, most pet owners opt out, he says.

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Stem-cell therapy for dogs draws support, detractors

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Newswise Almost five years ago, a seven-year old Labrador Retriever was operated on, using a technique eventually patented by Virginia Tech biomedical engineering faculty member Rafael Davalos. The beloved family pet was suffering from a cancerous mass in the brain, and all other forms of medical treatment had been exhausted. The operation completely eradicated the malignant tumor, and follow up examinations of the canine proved the procedures success.

The teams findings were reported in the February 14, 2011 issue of the Journal of Technology Cancer Research and Treatment and, since this surgery, the investigators have continued experiments and mathematical modeling techniques that are leading towards effective treatments for humans affected with glioblastoma, the most common and deadly malignant brain tumor.

Today, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded one of Davalos colleagues, Scott Verbridge, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering and mechanics at Virginia Tech, a $386,149 research grant to take a related medical procedure a step closer to using on humans. Verbridge will lead a team that includes Davalos and focus on targeting and destroying the most therapy-resistant infiltrative cells in malignant glioma.

Glioblastoma is the most common and deadly malignant primary brain tumor, and it is almost universally fatal, with a five year survival rate of less than five percent, Verbridge said. This statistic has not improved significantly in decades, and there is still no treatment option to preferentially target the glioma stem cells or diffuse infiltrative cells that lead to tumor recurrence after surgery, chemo, or radiotherapy.

Davalos technique used on the canine patient is called irreversible electroporation. The investigators propose in the current project that these pulses can be tuned to target the unique physical properties of malignant cells, Verbridge said.

By contrast, chemotherapy and radiation used to reduce or eliminate cancerous cells are not discriminatory and also affect healthy cells.

Clinical trials using the irreversible electroporation procedure have occurred in the treatment of liver, kidney, pancreatic and lung cancer.

"The procedure is essentially done with two minimally invasive electrodes placed into the targeted region, delivering approximately 80 pulses to the site in about one minute. The pulses are high voltage, but low energy, so no significant heating occurs as a result of the procedure," Davalos said.

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A Dog Lives On; Now the Stage Is Being Set for Treating Humans

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Precious is just that precious for Connie and Sparky Sparks. The 9-year-old pit bull is the baby of the family and their best friend. Shes my life, said Mrs. Sparks, fighting back tears. For the Sparks no amount of money spent on Precious care is enough. Shes our best friend! You would take your kids to a doctor, you would take your kids to surgery, I would take my dog to do anything, she said, fighting tears.

And Precious has had her fair share of doctors visit. In 2011, Precious underwent a stem cell treatment for a sliding knee cap. She could not get up and down the furniture, said Mr. Sparks. She was uncomfortable.

The couple sought a breakthrough treatment at Park Cities Animal Hospital. Dr. David Hille recommended stem cell therapy for her knees. Probably within two weeks after the surgery, you couldnt even tell she had any problem, recalled Mrs. Sparks. She was jumping and running like a regular dog.

Four years later, shes fighting another battle soft tissue cancer.

This time the Sparks took her to Dr. Glen King at the Veterinary Specialists of North Texas. Doctors removed the tumor but it wasnt enough. There were some fingers left and were treating those fingers with radiation, said Dr. King.

Chances for a cure are 85 percent to 90 percent. Thats all the Sparks wanted to hear.

The technological advances in veterinary sciences has expanded in size and scope of the medical field. Twenty to 25 years ago, it would have been like, the pets not going to get through this. Crude drugs, crude procedures, poor outcomes, said Dr. Audrey Cook, a veterinarian at the Texas A & M University, Dept. of Veterinary Sciences. These days the technology is stunning. So our chance at getting a positive outcome is also stunning. she said.

Breakthroughs in technology have also seen stunning crossovers. Once upon a time most procedures and drugs were tested on animals first, now veterinarians are drawing inspiration from human sciences and using that technology to treat their four legged patients.

Were lucky in the sense that the difficult heavy lifting in figuring these things out have been done in humans and now wonderfully is being translated backwards to pets, said Dr. Cook.

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Specialized Veterinary Care Worth The Price For Pet Owners

Poway, California (PRWEB) January 16, 2015

January 16th, 2015 Leading Regenerative Veterinary Medicine company, Vet-Stem, Inc., CEO announced the hiring of President and Chief Commercial Officer, Alexis Nahama, DVM.

After ten years of market presence, serving early adopter and progressive veterinarians, we are ready to take our company to the next level. We are heavy on science, and have engaged in the development of our next generation of therapeutic solutions, including working with the FDA towards obtaining approval for the first veterinary cellular therapy product to be used in helping dogs affected by osteoarthritis. In addition to its aim of reducing the pain of osteoarthritis, this therapy has the potential to impact the progression of the disease, and to promote tissue regeneration. Given the complexities of such developments, I have decided to focus most of my time to our research programs. I needed a great partner to take on the current operations and focus our commercial approach, said Dr Bob Harman (CEO).

Dr. Harman and the board of directors announced the appointment of Dr. Alexis Nahama as the new Vet-Stem, Inc.s President and Chief Commercial Officer.

Dr. Nahama, former head of marketing for VCA Inc. (Nasdaq: Woof), brings two decades of global veterinary industry experience with him, ranging from clinical development to managing some of the most influential brands in animal health.

Our current technology has helped over 10,000 dogs, horses and cats through processing of their own fat tissue to extract stem cells that are then injected in painful joints, tendons or ligaments, but many owners are still unaware we have a possible solution for their animals need. Although not inexpensive, (great breakthrough technologies seldom are) this therapeutic approach is already available through many veterinarians today! said Dr Nahama.

Vet-Stem Inc., despite its relatively small size has the potential to dramatically change the way veterinarians address difficult diseases in the not so distant future. In a world of giant corporations, this company will be truly disruptive and benefit countless patients worldwide. It is with great pride and excitement that I take on these responsibilities and join this amazingly smart and dedicated group of people,added Dr. Nahama.

Alexis passion for helping pet owners and veterinarians, coupled with his extensive knowledge of the veterinary industry and his marketing expertise, is exactly what we need to succeed, stated Dr. Harman. I am happy to welcome him to be part of our leadership team.

About Vet-Stem, Inc. Vet-Stem, Inc. was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the veterinary profession. This privately held biotechnology enterprise, based near San Diego (California), currently offers veterinarians access to stem-cell therapy (extracted from the patients own fat tissue), among other regenerative treatment modalities. With over 10,000 patients treated by veterinarians for joint, tendons and ligament issues, Vet-Stem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality beyond the realm of research. Development programs focused on products and services that utilize the natural tissue healing properties inherent in all living creatures, have the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life for our animals Vet-Stems progress in bringing practical and affordable medical solutions to market might change animal lives by improving the quality of recovery in acute conditions, but also by unlocking ways to slow, stop and ultimately revert the course of chronic diseases.. Vet-Stem currently holds the exclusive licenses to over 55 patents including worldwide veterinary rights for use of adipose derived stem cells, with over 75 patents pending.

12860 Danielson Court, Suite B Poway, CA 92064 858-748-2004

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Stem Cells Therapy

Poway, California (PRWEB) January 16, 2015

January 16th, 2015 Leading Regenerative Veterinary Medicine company, Vet-Stem, Inc., CEO announced the hiring of President and Chief Commercial Officer, Alexis Nahama, DVM.

After ten years of market presence, serving early adopter and progressive veterinarians, we are ready to take our company to the next level. We are heavy on science, and have engaged in the development of our next generation of therapeutic solutions, including working with the FDA towards obtaining approval for the first veterinary cellular therapy product to be used in helping dogs affected by osteoarthritis. In addition to its aim of reducing the pain of osteoarthritis, this therapy has the potential to impact the progression of the disease, and to promote tissue regeneration. Given the complexities of such developments, I have decided to focus most of my time to our research programs. I needed a great partner to take on the current operations and focus our commercial approach, said Dr Bob Harman (CEO).

Dr. Harman and the board of directors announced the appointment of Dr. Alexis Nahama as the new Vet-Stem, Inc.s President and Chief Commercial Officer.

Dr. Nahama, former head of marketing for VCA Inc. (Nasdaq: Woof), brings two decades of global veterinary industry experience with him, ranging from clinical development to managing some of the most influential brands in animal health.

Our current technology has helped over 10,000 dogs, horses and cats through processing of their own fat tissue to extract stem cells that are then injected in painful joints, tendons or ligaments, but many owners are still unaware we have a possible solution for their animals need. Although not inexpensive, (great breakthrough technologies seldom are) this therapeutic approach is already available through many veterinarians today! said Dr Nahama.

Vet-Stem Inc., despite its relatively small size has the potential to dramatically change the way veterinarians address difficult diseases in the not so distant future. In a world of giant corporations, this company will be truly disruptive and benefit countless patients worldwide. It is with great pride and excitement that I take on these responsibilities and join this amazingly smart and dedicated group of people,added Dr. Nahama.

Alexis passion for helping pet owners and veterinarians, coupled with his extensive knowledge of the veterinary industry and his marketing expertise, is exactly what we need to succeed, stated Dr. Harman. I am happy to welcome him to be part of our leadership team.

About Vet-Stem, Inc. Vet-Stem, Inc. was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the veterinary profession. This privately held biotechnology enterprise, based near San Diego (California), currently offers veterinarians access to stem-cell therapy (extracted from the patients own fat tissue), among other regenerative treatment modalities. With over 10,000 patients treated by veterinarians for joint, tendons and ligament issues, Vet-Stem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality beyond the realm of research. Development programs focused on products and services that utilize the natural tissue healing properties inherent in all living creatures, have the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life for our animals Vet-Stems progress in bringing practical and affordable medical solutions to market might change animal lives by improving the quality of recovery in acute conditions, but also by unlocking ways to slow, stop and ultimately revert the course of chronic diseases.. Vet-Stem currently holds the exclusive licenses to over 55 patents including worldwide veterinary rights for use of adipose derived stem cells, with over 75 patents pending.

12860 Danielson Court, Suite B Poway, CA 92064 858-748-2004

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Vet-Stem, Inc. CEO announces hiring of President and Chief Commercial Officer (Dr. Alexis Nahama).

Nicholasville, Kentucky (PRWEB) January 16, 2015

MediVet Biologics a company known for their focus on companion animal health with world-class lab facilities was selected by the University of Kentuckys researchers to investigate the potential of a canine cancer treatment. The team of researchers in charge of developing the K-9 ACV veterinary cancer vaccine service have dedicated decades of research toward a better understanding of how the immune system responds to cancer cells with the goal of improving cancer treatment. Leading researcher John Yanelli, Ph.D has spent over 20 years conducting successful NIH-funded clinical trials in humans with lung cancer. Dr. Yannelli has published nearly 100 articles and book chapters on the immunotherapy of human cancer and continues research to improve immunotherapeutic approaches to treat cancer. With this strong knowledge base, this outstanding team now extends their efforts toward developing an effective and affordable personalized cancer vaccine service for veterinary medicine. MediVet Biologics has successfully implemented other cutting edge human medical grade technologies in the Veterinary space such as regenerative medicine in Veterinarian clinics across the world.

Nearly 6 million dogs are diagnosed with cancer every year and greater than fifty percent of dogs over the age of ten will eventually develop cancer, making cancer the leading cause of disease-related death in dogs. Many of the dogs diagnosed have no mode of viable treatment. Cancer screening for early detection in dogs lags far behind human medicine. Consequently, canine cancers are usually diagnosed in later stages of disease, making them more difficult to treat effectively and increasing the likelihood of recurrence. Therapeutic options for treatable tumors include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The side effects associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy can seriously affect quality of life, making it difficult for pet owners to justify current cancer treatments for their dogs. The average cancer treatment expense is over $5,000 and could be well over $35,000.

MediVet Biologics approach is to use the entire tumor cell as the basis for the vaccine. When combined with surgical resection of primary tumors, this activates the immune system, leading to better clinical outcomes for canine cancers. This form of immunotherapy, developed at the NCI by researchers, including Dr. John Yannelli, has been used at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center to treat humans with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (J. Clin Oncol., 22:2808, 2004). Read more about K9-ACV in the February issue of VPN (Veterinary Practice News).

MediVet Biologics reputation and success with in-clinic stem cell therapy adaptation and development make them an excellent fit for an autologous canine tumor vaccine service. The service in which resected tumor tissue will be processed at The University of Kentucky and MediVets lab into a therapeutic vaccine to be administered to dogs with cancer is a personalized medicine approach. MediVet Labs is set-up for state of the art maneuverability with animal biologics as well as superior high-end quality controls, SOPs and protocols.

According to the CEO, Jeremy Delk, MediVet Biologics is excited to make this announcement and offer an additional service to our existing customers as well as future customers. Most of all we look forward to offering an affordable treatment alternative to the animals and owners that need it. This initiative is part of a broader research and development program with MediVet Biologics. Along with the further development and marketing of our veterinary and stem cell business in the United States, more announcements of novel products will come throughout the year.

Veterinarians and patients are being sought in vaccine efficacy studies. To inquire about enrolling a patient please contact MediVet Biologics.

About MediVet Biologics

MediVet Biologics headquartered just outside Lexington, KY and Sydney Australia is a subsidiary of Medical Australia (MLA: ASX). MediVet Biologics has global reach including established partners in 26 countries around the world as well as strong market positioning in North America. The company provides novel treatment options based in science to the Veterinary market and provides unique customer specific service plans to ensure implementation and growth of its progressive products and services.

Medivet Biologics' mission is to set standards of excellence providing biologic solutions to the veterinary market. Our companys success, which is characterized by responsiveness and clinical excellence, has been founded on our dedication and quality innovative technologies. Veterinarians and pet owners trust MediVet Biologics to provide the quality care they expect and deserve. By providing services as though each pet were a member of our family, MediVet Biologics strives to be the preferred provider of Veterinary Regenerative Medicine products, equipment and services.

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Medivet Biologics launches newest service, K9-ACV a personalized medicine approach to canine cancer.