SEBASTIAN Toby, a 6-year-old golden retriever, loves to run and play catch. And Oreo, a 12-year-old border collie mix, also is a bundle of energy.

Movement for both dogs got easier about a month ago when they received a revolutionary stem cell treatment at the Highlands Animal Hospital.

Veterinarian Marcus Kramer performed the successful transplant procedures, which were developed by Kentucky-based MediVet-America.

Both dogs had been in significant pain with a restricted range of motion, as shown on X-rays.

"It's made a big difference," said Kramer. "The really amazing thing is that they both healed so quickly. Both dogs had problems with their hips and were suffering from osteoarthritis. Just 30-days later, they are able to walk and run again."

Adult animal stem cell technology uses the pet's own regenerative healing power to treat dogs, cats and horses suffering from arthritis, hip dysplasia and tendon, ligament and cartilage injuries. Under anesthesia, Kramer removed about 40 grams of fat from each dog and separated the stem cells from the fat. He then activated the stem cells under an LED light, and injected them back into the dogs.

Stem cell therapy allows an animal to get off pain and anti-inflammatory drugs, Kramer said. MediVet-America's therapy is done entirely at the animal hospital in about three hours, and costs about $1,800 for dogs and $2,400 for horses. That compares to thousands of dollars that pet owners could expect to pay for medication over a pet's lifetime.

Erica Kent, a spokesman for MediVet-America, said using the LED light is integral to the patented-process, because the light helps to awaken stem cells and makes them more active. The three-color light stimulates millions of dormant cells to initiate repair from the moment the cells are injected into the animal's body, according to the MediVet-America website.

The company is also offering a program that allows pet owners to bank stem cells when animals are younger to use if their pet develops illnesses like arthritis in old age.

STEM CELL THERAPY

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Sebastian veterinarian performs stem cell treatment for pets