Potential Uses for Canine Stem Cell Therapy
Degenerative Myelopathy and Joint Problem Treatment Being Researched
Jan 6, 2009
Canine stem cell therapy is being developed using adult stem cells derived from fat or bone marrow. Because the cells are harvested from the animal to be treated there are fewer ethical issues than have surrounded the use of fetal stem cells in human medicine.
There are also fewer concerns about reactions to the cells being injected as they come from the dog’s own body. But researchers caution that canine stem cell therapy is still in the early stages of development and problems may arise as the therapy is studied further.
How Canine Stem Cell Therapy May Help
Stem cells and regenerative cells are harvested from a fat or bone marrow sample taken while the animal is under anesthesia. Those cells are injected back into the animal.
The stems cells may:
- Develop into specific cells needed to repair an injury
- Strengthen weakened cells
- Have anti-inflammatory properties
- Support the immune system
Areas of Canine Stem Cell Therapy Being Studied
Much of the present work in canine stem cell therapy is focused on orthopedic soft tissue injuries such as tendon, ligament or joint damage and osteoarthritis. But there are other areas of potential use under investigation.
At UCDavis, Dr Richard Vulliet is studying the value of stem cells in treating canine degenerative myelopathy, a neurological disorder. His research is being conducted using bone marrow stem cells rather than those derived from fat. Immune mediated anemia, diabetes, canine dilated cardiomyopathy and other diseases are also being considered for stem cell therapy research.
Canine Stem Cell Research
The American Kennel Club is funding some of the research through their Canine Health Foundation but it will be some time before there is enough data to determine which diseases respond to stem cell therapy.
Vet-Stem, a company which processes canine stem cells for use in osteoarthritis and orthopedic soft tissue injuries has published two papers on the use of stem cells in canine osteoarthritis of the hip and elbow. But both studies have very small sample sizes and were funded by the company.
Small sample sizes make statistical analysis more difficult, so the results must be viewed with some skepticism. By funding the work Vet-Stem has also left itself open to criticism of possible bias in the study results.
Until there is a study done by an independent researcher with a larger sample size, the use of stem cells needs to be viewed as a potentially valuable treatment for some very serious canine health issues. But for now it remains one requiring more research before its true value is properly understood.
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