Half Moon Bay Veterinary Hospital

STEM CELL REGENERATIVE THERAPY

Half Moon Bay Veterinary Hospital is excited to be among the very first veterinary facilities in the U.S. to offer this promising therapy to our patients. Despite its infancy, regenerative medicine has already been successfully applied in numerous animal models of disease and has had emerging success in human clinical trials.

Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy is not to be confused with other more popular but controversial human stem cell applications. HMB Vet, working with California-based Vet-Stem, avoids medical ethics issues by using the patient's very own stem cells. These cells, obtained from a very small sample of your pet's fat tissue, are capable of differentiating into a variety of tissue types, including: tendon, ligament, bone and cartilage.

HOW IT WORKS

The two-part Vet-Stem process starts with a small amount of the animal's fat, the equivalent of two or three tablespoons, which is surgically removed and shipped overnight to Vet-Stem's labs in Southern California where the stem cells are isolated. The cells are returned to the veterinarian two days later in the form of concentrated regenerative stem cells.  Because the cells come from the patient's own body, there's no danger of rejection.

The stem cells are injected back into the animal, where they home in on the injury and stimulate "resident" cells to become more active in making repairs. Stem cells are derived from building-block cells and are able to develop into many different types of specialized cells, serving as a sort of repair system for the body. Theoretically, they divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is alive.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a pet that has not responded to traditional treatments to relieve pain due to chronic osteoarthritis (like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), pain relievers, nutritional supplements (like glucosamine and chondroitin or adequan).

After collection, your pet's fat sample is sent to a Vet-Stem laboratory where the regenerative cells are isolated. Within 48 hours of collection, your pet's own regenerative stem cells are returned to HMB Veterinary Hospital for immediate use for your pet. Your pet's stem cells may also be banked for future therapies.

Visit Vet-Stem Regenerative Veterinary Medicine