Ten veterinarians have combined to perform more than 1,000 stem cell procedures using the technology of VetStem Biopharma, the company reported Friday. The practitioners conducted at least 100 procedures each, the company noted in announcing the achievement. Veterinary stem cell therapy has come into greater use as the science advances and pet owners learn about its availability. Altogether, more than 12,000 patients—6,000 dogs and 6,000 horses—have received VetStem therapy since 2003. The treatment involves collecting a fatty tissue sample from a patient, processing it at the VetStem laboratory in Poway, Calif., and injecting regenerative stem cells into the same patient to alleviate arthritis in dogs and repair diseased joints and tendon and ligament injuries in horses. Overnight shipping allows the therapy to be completed within 48 hours. VetStem identified the top 10 veterinarian users as: Kimberly Carlson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, of VCA Bay Area Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Hospital in San Leandro, Calif. Keith Clement, DVM, of Burnt Hills Veterinary Hospital in Burnt Hills, N.Y. Martin Gardner, DVM, of Western Performance Equine in Ione, Calif. Adam Gassel, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, of Southern California Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Irvine, Calif. James Gaynor, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVAA, of Peak Performance Veterinary Group in Frisco, CO. Bill Hay, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, of Tryon Equine Hospital in Columbus, N.C. John McCarroll, DVM, of Equine Medical Associates in Pilot Point, Texas. Tim McCarthy, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVS, of Cascade Veterinary Referral Center in Tigard, Ore. Scott Reiners, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, Dipl. ACVSMR, of Mountain View Equine Hospital in Tavern, Va. Ross Rich, DVM, owner of Regenerative Medicine Consulting in San Diego. More than 4,400 veterinarians have been trained to perform VetStem therapy, according to the company.
