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Aching arthritis

Dr James Ramsden
Monday, February 1, 2010
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Our dog, Lucy, suffers from arthritis in her hips. It’s been really upsetting for the family, especially when she can’t get up the steps to the back door as she used to.

Our vet has tried various medications, but with only a small improvement. We don’t want her to be on tablets for the rest of her life. Are there any other options?
Margaret, Seven Hills, NSW.

Answer: A new process involving the use of a dog’s own stem cells is producing impressive results. Stem cell therapy has been talked about a lot in the media, but until now, there have been few applications for pets.

Stem cell therapy involves using cells that can divide and produce many different types of cells to help heal diseased parts of the body. In this case, the stem cells are found in the dog’s fat tissues. These are then injected into the arthritic joints to help them heal.

Your say: Does this affect your dog? How do you deal with it? Share with us below...

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