StemCell Therapy

By Dr. Becker

Sadly, studies show that about half of all pet cats over the age of 10 suffer from chronic kidney disease. Once the condition is full-blown, it is irreversible and can be difficult to manage. Treatment is strictly supportive and typically involves trying to slow the progression of the disease through dietary changes, fluid injections, and other therapies.

In recent years, researchers at Colorado State University have been investigating a novel therapy for its potential to help cats with kidney failure.

Veterinarians at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University have been studying stem-cell therapy as a potential treatment option for kitties with chronic kidney disease, and have recently embarked on their fifth clinical trial.

After a pilot study conducted last year, the team concluded that stem-cell therapy did show promise as a treatment option. And according to the researchers, additional studies have shown that stem-cell therapy can reduce inflammation, support regeneration of damaged cells, slow the loss of protein through urine, and improve kidney function.

According to Dr. Jessica Quimby, a veterinarian who is leading the research project:

"In our pilot study last year, in which stem cells were injected intravenously, we found stem-cell therapy to be safe, and we saw evidence of improvement among some of the cats enrolled in the trial. In this [fifth] study, we will further explore stem-cell therapy with the new approach of injecting the cells close to the damaged organs. We hope this proximity could yield even better results."

Currently CSU researchers are conducting their fifth clinical trial to further evaluate whether stem cells are able to repair damaged kidneys. They are seeking cats with the disease to participate in the study. They are looking specifically for cats local to the CSU area, and kitties with concurrent diseases arent eligible.

This fifth trial involves injecting stem cells grown from the fat tissue of young, healthy cats (who are not harmed, according to CSU researchers) into the study cats in the area around the kidney called the retroperitoneal space. The kitties receiving the stem cells are given a mild, fast-acting sedative that is reversed after the procedure.

Diagnostic tests including a complete blood count, blood biochemistry, urinalysis, and urine protein-creatinine ratio will be performed immediately before the injection, two weeks post-injection, and again a month after injection. A test called a glomerular filtration rate will also be performed on each kitty at the beginning and end of the study to evaluate kidney function. This test also requires use of a mild sedative.

Read the original:
Can Stem-Cell Therapy Treat Chronic Kidney Disease in Cats?

This entry was posted on May 19, 2015 at 6:51 pm and is filed under Stem Cell kidney Failure. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |