Watching our 13 year old pug – Mackenzie – hobble out into the yard for his daily outdoor exercise has often made me wonder if there was a cure for some of his ailments. Stem cell research for humans represents a promising new field of “regenerative medicine” but how about for animals? According to ABC news and their article A Dog’s Stem Cell Life “stem cell therapy for animals is ahead of treatment for humans because it is not so strictly regulated. It’s not experimental — it’s here!” In addition to embryonic stem cell research, doctors can now use adult stem cells recovered from body fat. The advantage here is that there are no side effects and rejection issues are non-existent as the patient is also the cell donor. Ailments such as hip dysplasia are now being treated by taking body fat from anywhere on the body, separating its stem cells and then re-injecting them into the hip in greater concentrations than normal. Since the stem cells come from the host there is little controversy over how they are harvested and subsequently no red tape hindering its growth potential. “Stem cells show great promise for healing animal joints, hearts, livers and kidneys and also have the potential to regenerate damaged spinal cords within hours of injury”. This is exciting news as there is now hope for dogs like Mackenzie whose age related injuries can now be relieved.

This is a story that reminded me that when one door closes another one opens. Paddling Paws Pool is an indoor heated swimming facility in the U.S. that is designed to restore a quality of life to dogs that suffer from mobility issues. Here you can take your crippled companion and enjoy the benefits of warm water activities. These can include increased circulation, balance, and the loosening of tight muscles for increased range of motion. I think the biggest benefit though is the happiness that the dog (and dog owner) enjoys from discovering another opportunity to be active and have fun. Companies like Canada’sDogQuality.com and U.S. based Paddling Paws are the hidden doors that are sure to add years to your loved one’s life.

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