Canine stem cell therapy is being developed using adult stem cells derived from fat or bone marrow. Because the cells are harvested from the animal to be treated there are fewer ethical issues than have surrounded the use of fetal stem cells in human medicine.

There are also fewer concerns about reactions to the cells being injected as they come from the dog’s own body. But researchers caution that canine stem cell therapy is still in the early stages of development and problems may arise as the therapy is studied further.

How Canine Stem Cell Therapy May Help

Stem cells and regenerative cells are harvested from a fat or bone marrow sample taken while the animal is under anesthesia. Those cells are injected back into the animal.