{"id":393117,"date":"2022-08-23T14:03:31","date_gmt":"2022-08-23T18:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.catster.com\/?p=393117"},"modified":"2024-07-31T14:24:14","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T18:24:14","slug":"must-try-cutting-edge-therapies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catster.com\/ask-the-vet\/must-try-cutting-edge-therapies\/","title":{"rendered":"Stem Cell Cat Therapy: Our Vet Explains How It Works, Side Effects & FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n <\/span>\n \nStem Cell Therapy in Cats<\/a>
\nPotential Side Effects<\/a>
\nFrequently Asked Questions<\/a>
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Medical advancements in the veterinary field tend to mirror those in the human world, albeit a few years later. One advancement that\u2019s breaking through for our cats is stem cell therapy. This modality offers a great deal of promise, but as of now, you may have a hard time finding a veterinarian to do it. In fact, the AVMA recommends using caution when implementing stem cell therapy, but it does support further research in the area.1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s the big deal with stem cell therapy in cats and how can it benefit your feline friend? Read on to find out!<\/p>\n

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What Is Stem Cell Therapy in Cats?<\/h2>\n

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that when placed in the right situations, can grow into specific tissues. You can think of these cells as skeins of yarn in a knitter\u2019s hands. Each strand of yarn can become anything that the knitter wants to make it into, just like stem cells can form into any type of tissue that they are grouped with.<\/p>\n

Stem cell therapy is the use of stem cells to regenerate diseased or injured tissues, such as tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones, and even nerves. As you can imagine, stem cells can become incredibly useful, as they\u2019re sort of like the body\u2019s way of making its own replacement parts that are more suited for it than synthetics or transplants from other animals.<\/p>\n

As you can imagine, the sky\u2019s the limit when it comes to using stem cells in cats\u2014theoretically. Right now, their most common use is to help rebuild joints riddled with osteoarthritis, with some treatments showing promise to also help cats suffering from kidney and respiratory diseases.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: megaflopp Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How Is Stem Cell Therapy Done in Cats?<\/h2>\n

Stem cell therapy in cats is quite a process:<\/div>
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