Advances in medicine over the years have not just benefitted humans. Many therapies, including those using stem cells and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have been helping pets and other animals, such as horses, live longer, happier lives for more than a decade.
“We’ve been using them for about 10 years with our pet patients,” says veterinarian Dr. Adam Bush, the owner of Beauchamp Animal Hospital in Franklin since 2019. “With stem cell therapy, the main issue we use it for is chronic osteoarthritis, plus other musculoskeletal problems in dogs and cats.”
Stem cells are taken right from the animals’ own bodies and then injected into the site that has the inflammation or the injury. The repair cells are harbored in the animal's fat tissue, explains Dr. Bush, and to retrieve them, the animal is put under anesthesia for a short period of time. “It's using the pet’s own body and body cells to help heal and regenerate itself. To me, that's the greatest part.” This process is done on the same day.
Because the stem cells have to regenerate, the results are usually not immediately seen. “It can take three months before you start seeing some improvement, but I've also seen some of the best responses within a month,” he says.
Results usually last between 12 and 18 months, and if or when the pet needs to be reinjected, there’s no need to undergo the collection procedure all over again. “We are able to send extra cells to Ardent Animal Care, and they freeze and store them for future use.”
One dog, a 5-year-old yellow lab named Prue, was a dock diver and very athletic, and she ended up tearing both of her cruciate ACL ligaments in her knees. “It crippled the dog; she couldn't dive anymore,” says Dr. Bush. “The owner, who lived in East Tennessee, so quite far from us, was hesitant to do surgery, so she reached out to us about this therapy, and we did it.” That was about two years ago, and Prue is now back to running around and dock diving.
PRP therapy, he says, is generally better for more acute injuries, such as pulled muscles or wounds. It works pretty quickly, usually within a day or two.
To utilize this treatment, the procedure is much easier. “We just draw blood from the pet, and then we’re able to process it down to the concentrated platelets. This concentrate has many bioactive proteins that assist in tissue repair and healing.”
Another yellow lab named Bump, came in with a bad spider bite and was treated with PRP. The bite healed remarkably well, and both owner and dog were happy with the results.
These therapies are continuing to evolve, says Dr. Bush, and they’re now being used for chronic renal failure, some liver diseases, and other medical issues that aren't joint or arthritis related. “There's a lot of promise with these, and a lot of research is being done by companies around the country who are doing good work with them. So, hopefully, we'll be able to expand their use and get a better quality of life for our pets.”
He and the other veterinarians at Beauchamp Animal Hospital still use other modalities, such as medication, supplements, laser therapy, and acupuncture, which have also shown good results.
Dr. Bush, who has been practicing for 19 years and loves what he does, bought the practice from Dr. Charly Beauchamp, who founded it in 1977. It still retains the same warm and welcoming atmosphere.
“The thing I enjoy the most about being a vet is the relationships I’ve developed with my clients and their pets,” he says. “I’ve seen many of these pets from the first time they come in as little puppies or kittens to when they pass 15 or 16 years later, so I’ve developed real relationships with them.”
Growing up in a small rural community in south Georgia, he says his family’s vet was an integral part of the community. “I think we’re losing that in today’s world with these corporations buying vet clinics. It just changes the whole atmosphere. We’re growing a lot in Franklin, but it's very important to try to maintain those personal relationships with our clients and for me and our vets to get to know a dog or cat over the years.”
BeauchampAnimalHospital.com.
“This concentrate has a lot of anti-inflammatory properties.”
“We’ve been using them for about 10 years.”