Stem-cell therapy puts local vet on cutting edge

RICHMOND When most people think of stem-cell therapy, they think of cutting-edge medicine human medicine, that is.

What many dont realize is that the technology can be, and is, applied to our four-legged friends as well.

Jim Martin, DVM, a veterinarian who owns and operates four area animal care facilities, including the Waco Animal Hospital, has been using stem-cell therapy to help dogs, mainly with mobility problems, such as arthritis, joint pain and tendon and ligament damage.

The therapy can provide canine patients with renewed energy and freedom of movement.

Martin, associates, and staff members, have been using the procedure on dogs for about a year, with considerable success.

In Kentucky the use of stem-cell therapy has been mainly for horses, Martin explained, but added it works on canines as well.

The procedure doesnt come cheap. Martin said the cost ranges from about $1,800 to $2,200. That includes pre-testing to determine if the dog is a good candidate for the procedure, along with surgical anesthetic and other services necessary to complete the procedure.

Because the stem cells that are injected come from the animals own body, the risk of rejection or reaction is minimal.

The procedures are done in Martins Advanced Animal Care in Richmond, Central Kentuckys only full-service 24-hour-a-day animal hospital. He said a portion of that facility is dedicated to a care center, which treats animals with chronic conditions using not only stem-cell therapy, but also joint injections, laser therapy and even acupuncture.

The facility was the first in the area to offer stem-cell therapy, and Martin said it is the only one he knows of that offers the complete procedure, from the extraction of the stem cells to their implantation.

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Stem-cell therapy puts local vet on cutting edge