Stem cells play a hugely important role in helping pets heal. If need be, we can actually use your pet’s own stem cells to treat acute and chronic injuries and relieve pain. What makes stem cells so remarkable is their ability to change into any kind of cell that is needed to repair or regenerate bone or tissue that has sustained damage.
How Stem Cell Therapy Works for Dogs and Cats
We can extract stem cells from the bone marrow or fat. The stem cells can then be strategically injected into the affected area. No drugs or surgery required!
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
PRP therapy is an emerging form of treatment that can also prove valuable in helping dogs manage chronic pain due to arthritis, and recover from orthopedic injuries and/or surgeries. Plasma is the fluid in which your pet’s platelets and red blood cells are suspended. It contains important proteins and growth factors which can increase the healing process and help mend ligaments and tendons, and even aid in the regeneration of bone and cartilage.
How Does PRP Therapy Work?
Platelet-rich plasma needs to be extracted from your pet’s blood. This plasma then needs to be processed to raise the concentration of platelets. The processed platelet-rich plasma is then carefully injected into the joint or other affected area. Treatment may take up to 30 minutes, and often, only one treatment is necessary. Further treatments may be necessary depending on the condition.
Spinal Manipulation Therapy
At Kenosha Animal Hospital, we offer Veterinary Spinal Manipulation Therapy (VSMT) for pets 2 days per week. VSMT involves the application of low-impact, high-velocity force to one or more joints to improve alignment and restore mobility that was previously limited. It is somewhat similar to a chiropractic adjustment that a person might receive. VSMT also helps to reduce inflammation and pain caused by disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
Some of the conditions that can be improved with VSMT include:
- Arthritis
- Urinary incontinence
- Neck/back pain
- Lameness
