Regenerative Medicine

Britt Carr Benson, DVM
Regenerative medicine therapy has become increasingly common in both humans and animals and has been used to treat osteoarthritis and soft tissue injury. Osteoarthritis and soft tissue injuries are common causes of discomfort in the canine. According to a recent study, approximately 20% of middle-aged dogs and up to 90% of older aged dogs are affected by osteoarthritis. Multiple regenerative medicine therapies have become available recently to help manage OA and either compliment or replace traditional medical therapies. Soft tissue injuries also commonly afflict active dogs due to the repetitive forces placed on tendons and ligaments while partaking in these activities. A recent survey of agility dogs found that thirty-two percent of the population had orthopedic lameness during training, and that fifty-three percent of those evaluated by a veterinarian were due to soft tissue injury. Tendons and ligaments are especially susceptible to major stress during intense activity, and if injured, they typically heal slowly due to poor blood supply compared with other soft tissues. Many of these injuries are treated with regenerative medicine therapy to help optimize the healing response and minimize scar tissue formation.