Newer therapy for Joint Inflammation in Dogs

In many of our canine friends, injuries, congenital orthopedic problems, and chronic osteoarthritis conditions lead to a life of chronic pain and can dramatically affect our pet’s quality of life. Many times, these injuries are best handled with surgery, however many of these problems are not amenable to surgery, are cost prohibitive to treat, or the patient has other problems that would prevent surgery as being an option. Other modalities that are currently used to manage pain and support the joints are non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), other pain relievers, cold laser treatments, adequan injections, physical therapy, shockwave therapy, acupuncture, joint supplements, dietary management, & omega 3 fatty acids.

A newer therapy that has been used with great success in humans, is now available for use in dogs. This new therapy Is called platelet rich plasma (PRP) which Is injected into the affected joints of dogs and helps target inflammation and pain. This platelet-rich derivative of blood is obtained after a blood sample is withdrawn from a patient’s vein, spun down in a special centrifuge, and separated via centrifugation with a specialized, multicompartmentalized syringe. The red blood cells and WBCs are essentially removed, leaving the plateletrich portion of the plasma. Plasma containing this concentrated level of platelets provides an abundance of growth factors, which can help stimulate the healing process. When PRP is injected into joints, or damaged tendons or ligaments, it is believed that the PRP stimulates cells in the tissue, along with new cells circulating in the blood to bring even more new cells to the injured site. These growth factors derived from platelets most likely:

☑ Initiate connective tissue healing and bone regeneration/repair

☑ Promote development of new blood vessels

☑ Generally stimulate the wound healing process by accelerating epithelial and epidermal regeneration.

Because the patient’s own blood is used to make PRP, this is known as an autologous process and there is no risk of the treatment being rejected, as it might be if the blood had been provided by a donor. The process does have a few requirements:

☑ Identification of the exact location of the pain with an exam and tests that can determine if the dog is a good candidate with x-rays and/ or MRI/CT scan.

☑ The dog must be anesthetized for the procedure since the joint has to be sterilely prepped and injected.

While PRP will start working immediately upon administration, it typically takes one to two weeks before dog parents see a difference. Early signs of success include improvement in walking, comfort, and overall attitude.

A repeat injection can be done as early as 2 weeks if needed, but the results of the injection can last for up to 1 year in some cases.

The great news is that this is a low risk procedure that offers a natural method for helping treat pain and inflammation associated with many orthopedic conditions in dogs. For many of our larger dogs, this is a procedure that very well may extend their life since mobility plays such a huge role in their quality of life. This process does require specialized equipment and training so if you have interest in this procedure for your pet, you should ask your veterinarian if they do this type of treatment and if not , you can ask for a referral.