With the advent of the internet the amount of information both accurate and interesting is absolutely amazing. As a veterinarian I am constantly challenged to keep current with all the latest advancements, and with stem cells this can really be a challenge. A common search engine for medical literature is PubMed (use www.pubmed.gov if link does not work). Over the past few years the number of reviewed papers on fat derived stem cells has seen incredible growth. There are advances in what stem cells are being used for and in the knowledge of how stem cells do what they do.

How do stem cells help dogs, horses and cats with arthritis? They are like a general in the army coordinating the healing. Stem cells provide growth factors and other cells that help stimulate local tissue to aid needed repair. They also have anti-inflammatory properties. They go where there is damage, called homing and sometimes they just have to do the job themselves by turning into cartilage or other tissue that has been damaged.

Here is a link to a controlled blinded study on the use of stem cells in dogs with arthritis of the hips.