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Frequently Asked Questions

What are stem cells and what is stem cell therapy?

Stem cells are powerful healing cells in the body that can become other types of cells. They are the building blocks of the body tissues.

Stem cells are actually cells that haven’t yet changed into a particular type of cell. These stem cells are known as undifferentiated cells for this reason. Once they become a particular type of cell (for example, bone or cartilage), they are known as differentiated cells.

Stem cell therapy allows us to isolate stem cells from an animal’s own fat tissue, activate them and re-inject them directly into damaged areas.

For example, in the case of a dog who has arthritis, a degenerative condition of the joints, stem cells can become new cartilage cells. This can thus reduce pain and increase mobility.

How does stem cell therapy actually treat arthritis in dogs?

Stem Cell therapy helps to repair and regenerate damaged tissue inside the joints.

Stem cells also:

  • Contribute to generating new tissue
  • Act as a magnet for stem cells circulating in the body
  • Supplement growth factors
  • Make extracellular matrix which supports the joint
  • Contribute to angiogenesis (new blood vessels)
  • Have anti-apoptosis (cell death) properties
  • Are anti-inflammatory
  • Are anti-fibrotic (preventing fibrous deposits in the joints)
  • Participate in the regeneration of injured/diseased tissue via cell differentiation, and in the modulation of signalling pathways via cytokines and resident stem cell activation.

What if I live far away from you?

We understand you may need to travel a distance to have treatment with us. Don’t worry because we cater to pet owners just like you.

We offer evening appointments which gives you ample time to travel to us at your leisure on the day of your dog’s treatment.

We can offer you a reduced rate at a lovely hotel for you and your dog for the evening. Your dog has treatment whilst you enjoy a relaxing evening. Your vet will give you a discharge time, when you can pick up your dog up and head back to your hotel for a good night's sleep.

What is the stem cell therapy process for dogs?

The treatment is a simple minimally invasive 2-stage process. The procedure is carried out in one day as an outpatient. Patients do not need an overnight stay with us.

Stage 1 – stem cell retrieval

We start by taking some blood tests for anaesthetic safety. Once we are happy with these, we administer a short general anaesthetic. Typically this lasts 30 to 60 minutes.

We then harvest 10 grams of fat from a site just inside the tummy.

Your dog is then woken from the anaesthetic. All stitches are dissolvable and do not need to be removed.

Stage 2 – stem cell implantation

The fat that we have retrieved from your dog’s tummy is then processed in our lab to isolate, concentrate, grow and activate the stem cells. This takes 14-30 days.

Once we have the healthy stem cells we organise a second appointment. During this appointment a short anaesthetic is given and we inject the cells directly into the affected joints.

We then have a strict follow up policy so we keep in constant communication with you about your dog’s progress, mobility and happiness.

Initially we may also need to take x-rays of the affected joints and also a chest x-ray. Where recent, good diagnostic quality x-rays are available from your own vet, we will not need to repeat these.

To learn more please visit our treatments page.

How quickly does stem cell therapy work?

Stem cells start to work in the body immediately and we expect to see an improvement within 3 to 12 weeks.

What if I do nothing?

Possible severe outcomes

Sadly arthritis can get to a point where the joints stop working even with effective pain management.

When a dog is at stage five or end stage arthritis it can stop a dog from being able to walk.

That's exactly what we are trying to avoid - to treat our dogs before they get to this end stage. Our mission at Stem Cell Vet is to help give every dog the best quality of life possible.

The good news is that each dog is individual and the course of arthritis varies depending on what treatment and pain management regime we advise and whether or not they have stem cell therapy.

Ongoing costs

It has been calculated by pet insurance companies that the average pet owner who has a dog with arthritis will spend £7,000 over a 3 year period on solutions to manage their dog’s condition.

Most of these solutions require ongoing daily, weekly or monthly administration. The benefits of pain reduction and improved mobility can often last the dog's lifetime.

How long does stem cell therapy last?

The vast majority of pets we see only require a single treatment.

However, we will invite you for a follow-up assessment at around 24 months.

How long does platelet rich plasma therapy last?

PRP treatment generally lasts for 18 months. Some dogs then will benefit from a repeat treatment, while others only ever need one treatment. Usually we perform this treatment alongside or in addition to joint fluid replacement and stem cell therapy.

Will stem cell therapy stop the progression of arthritis?

Stem cell therapy slows the progression of arthritis to a level that significantly improves comfort, reduces pain and improves the quality of life for the patient. The inflammatory process in the joint that causes arthritis, is also significantly improved. Once arthritis in the joint has started, it is very difficult to stop completely which is why we encourage early treatment with stem cell therapy.

What is the cost of stem cell therapy for dogs?

The cost of regenerative treatments such as stem cell therapy, platelet rich plasma and joint fluid replacement therapy, varies for each patient depending on what the dog needs.

Some dogs need treatments given into multiple joints and some dogs need more than one treatment type in each joint. For this reason the treatment cost may vary. All treatment and cost considerations are discussed thoroughly at the vet consultation.

The average cost of full treatment is £7950. This is covered by most pet insurance companies. For those without pet insurance we have finance packages available.

We have protocols and a candidacy check process that ensures we will only ever give treatment when we are confident treating the dog will achieve positive results. This means we may not recommend regenerative therapy for all dogs.

Please also note that the initial telephone consult is free. The vet consultation fee is £250. This will be fully refunded for clients who proceed with treatment.

Is stem cell therapy covered by pet insurance?

Both PRP and stem cell treatments are covered by most insurance policies. However please do get in contact with your insurance company to find out if this treatment is covered under your specific policy.

What are my payment options?

  1. Insurance: most insurance companies will cover the costs of stem cell therapy.
  2. Finance: we offer interest free and low interest payment options. Learn more here.
  3. Debit/credit cards: we accept Visa and Mastercard debit/credit cards and cash.

How successful is stem cell therapy for dogs?


Stem cells in canine osteoarthritis.
Part 1: sources, effects and modes of action

In humans, research results strongly suggest that stem cell therapy is effective in relieving pain and improving joint function in patients suffering from arthritis, with the effect on knee arthritis having been investigated thoroughly (1,2).

Clinical trials using stem cells in dogs with arthritis have shown significant beneficial outcomes.

A systematic review of six clinical trials of the treatment of hip arthritis in dogs with stem cells (3) found that stem cells given by IA injection led to an improvement in clinical signs associated with OA in dogs and that no adverse effects were reported. All studies reported significantly better clinical outcomes in the stem cell treated group compared to control groups, with improvements in pain and function and decreased evidence of hip arthritis (4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

A study of 203 dogs with OA found significant improvements on subjective veterinary assessments 10 weeks after either intraarticular or intravenous treatment with allogenic stem cells (9).

A retrospective study in 2023 to investigate the efficacy of stem cell therapy in 245 dogs considered unresponsive to conventional treatment by a primary referring vet showed statistically significant improvements in clinical metrics at all time windows (10).

Clinical trials have looked at the effect of stem cells in arthritis of the stifle (knee) and elbow joints (9,11).

In a 2007 randomized, blinded, multicentre, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 18 dogs treated with adipose-derived stem cell therapy had significantly improved scores for lameness, pain, and range of motion compared with control dogs (12).

Literature reviews have been carried out by Voger et al in ‘Stem Cells in Veterinary Medicine—Current State and Treatment Options’(13), Bogers in ‘Cell-Based Therapies for Joint Disease in Veterinary Medicine: What We Have Learned and What We Need to Know’ (14) and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Canine Osteoarthritis Research (15).

Other reviews discuss the effectiveness of stem sells in arthritis treatment and suggest their use for patients resistant to standard treatments (16,17).
Additional resources and studies can be found here (18,19,20, 21) and at the end of this FAQ under ‘further reading’.


1. Jiang P, Mao L, Qiao L, Lei X, Zheng Q, Li D. Efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cell injections for patients with osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis and review of RCTs. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. (2021). doi: 10.1007/s00402-020-03703-0.

2. Ma W, Liu C, Wang S, Xu H, Sun H, Fan X. Efficacy and safety of intra-articular injection of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine. (2020) 99:49. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000023343.

3. Olsson DC, Teixeira BL, Jeremias TDS, Réus JC, De Luca Canto G, Porporatti AL, Trentin AG. Administration of mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue at the hip joint of dogs with osteoarthritis: A systematic review. Res Vet Sci. 2021 Mar;135:495-503. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.11.014. Epub 2020 Nov 24. PMID: 33280823.

4. Vilar JM, Batista M, Morales M, Santana A, Cuervo B, Rubio M, Cugat R, Sopena J, Carrillo JM. Assessment of the effect of intraarticular injection of autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in osteoarthritic dogs using a double blinded force platform analysis. BMC Vet Res. 2014 Jul 1;10:143. doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-10-143. PMID: 24984756; PMCID: PMC4085658.

5. Vilar, J. M., Cuervo, B., Rubio, M., et al. (2016) Effect of intraarticular inoculation of mesenchymal stem cells in dogs with hip osteoarthritis by means of objective force platform gait analysis: concordance with numeric subjective.

6. Marx, C., Silveira, M. D., Selbach, I., et al. (2014) Acupoint injection of autologous stromal vascular fraction and allogeneic adipose-derived stem cells to treat hip dysplasia in dogs. Stem Cells International 2014, 391274.

7. Cuervo, B., Rubio, M., Sopena, J., et al. (2014) Hip osteoarthritis in dogs: a randomized study using mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue and plasma rich in growth factors. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 15, 13437-13460.

8. Srzentić Dražilov, S., Mrkovački, J., Spasovski, V., et al. (2018) The use of canine mesenchymal stem cells for the autologous treatment of osteoarthritis. Acta Veterinaria.

9. Mohoric, L., Zorko, B., Ceh, K., et al. (2016) Blinded placebo study of bilateral osteoarthritis treatment using adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells. Slovenian Veterinary Research 53(3), 167-174.

10. Armitage AJ, Miller JM, Sparks TH, Georgiou AE, Reid J. 2023. Efficacy of autologous mesenchymal stromal cell treatment for chronic degenerative musculoskeletal conditions in dogs: A retrospective study. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 9. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.1014687.

11. Kriston-Pál, É., Czibula, Á., Gyuris, Z., et al. (2017) Characterization and therapeutic application of canine adipose mesenchymal stem cells to treat elbow osteoarthritis. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 81, 73-78.

12. L. Black et al. Effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem and regenerative cells on lameness in dogs with chronic osteoarthritis of the coxofemoral joints: a randomized, double-blinded, multicenter, controlled trial Vet. Therap.(2007).

13. Voga, M., Adamic, N., Vengust, M., et al. (2020) Stem cells in veterinary medicine-current state and treatment options. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 278-278.

14. Bogers Sophie Helen, Cell-Based Therapies for Joint Disease in Veterinary Medicine: What We Have Learned and What We Need to Know. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 5. 2018.

15. Brondeel Carlien , Pauwelyn Glenn , de Bakker Evelien , Saunders Jimmy , Samoy Yves , Spaas Jan H. Review: Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Canine Osteoarthritis Research: “Experientia Docet” (Experience Will Teach Us), Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8 2021.

16. E. de Bakker et al. Canine mesenchymal stem cells: state of the art, perspectives as therapy for dogs and as a model for man Vet. Q. (2013).

17. Shah K, Drury T, Roic I, Hansen P, Malin M, Boyd R, Sumer H, Ferguson R. Outcome of Allogeneic Adult Stem Cell Therapy in Dogs Suffering from Osteoarthritis and Other Joint Defects. Stem Cells Int. 2018 Jun 28;2018:7309201. doi: 10.1155/2018/7309201. PMID: 30050578; PMCID: PMC6046133.

18. Effect of a dog’s age on stem cell culture times and efficacy outcomes in dogs with osteoarthritis treated with intra-articular injections of autologous mesenchymal stem cells. Joanna Miller, Christine Standen and Lucy Frost, BSAVA Congress Proceedings 2018 Item: pp 485 - DOI: 10.22233/9781910443590.76.5 © 2018 British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Publication Date: April 2018.

19. Sanghani-Kerai A, Black C, Cheng SO, Collins L, Schneider N, Blunn G, et al. Clinical outcomes following intra-articular injection of autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of osteoarthritis in dogs characterized by weight-bearing asymmetry. Bone Joint Res. (2021) 10:650–8. doi: 10.1302/2046-3758.1010.BJR-2020-0540.R1.

20. MOLONEY, M. In dogs with osteoarthritis, is intra-articular allogenic mesenchymal stem cell therapy more effective than placebo effect?. Veterinary Evidence, [S. l.], v. 7, n. 3, 2022. DOI: 10.18849/ve.v7i3.473. Disponível em: https://veterinaryevidence.org/index.php/ve/article/view/473. Acesso em: 29 sep. 2024.

21. García-Bernal D, García-Arranz M, Yáñez RM, Hervás-Salcedo R, Cortés A, Fernández-García M, et al. The current status of mesenchymal stromal cells: controversies, unresolved issues and some promising solutions to improve their therapeutic efficacy. Front Cell Dev Biol. (2021) 9:650664. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.650664.

Further Reading

Riordan; Stem cell therapy, a rising tide, 2017.

Guercio A, Marco P, Casella S, Cannella V, Russotto L, Purpari G, et al. Production of canine mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue and their application in dogs with chronic osteoarthritis of the humeroradial joints. Cell Biol Int (2012) 36(2):189–94. doi:10.1042/CBI20110304.

Maki CB, Beck A, Wallis CB, Choo J, Ramos T, Tong R, Borjesson DL, Izadyar F. Intra-articular administration of allogeneic adipose derived MSCs reduces pain and lameness in dogs with hip osteoarthritis: a double blinded, randomized, placebo controlled pilot study. Front Vet Sci. (2020) 2020:570. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00570.

Sasaki A, Mizuno M, Mochizuki M, Sekiya I. Mesenchymal stem cells for cartilage regeneration in dogs. World J Stem Cells. (2019) 11:254. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v11.i5.254.

Sheykhhasan M, Wong JK, Seifalian AM. Human adipose-derived stem cells with great therapeutic potential. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther. (2019) 14:532–48. doi: 10.2174/1574888X14666190411121528.

Kiefer K M, O'Brien T D, Pluhar E G, Conzemius M (2015) Canine adipose-derived stromal cell viability following exposure to synovial fluid from osteoarthritic joints. Vet Rec Open 2(1), e000063 PubMed.

A comparison of autologous and allogenic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in canine spinal cord injury. Jung DI1 et al J Neurol Sci. 2009 Oct 15;285(1-2):67-77. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2009.05.027. Epub 2009 Jun 24.

Use of Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Bone Marrow for the Treatment of Naturally Injured Spinal Cord in Dogs Euler Moraes Penha et al Volume 2014, Article ID 437521 Stem Cells International.

Vilar J M, Rubio M, Spinella G et al (2016) Serum Collagen Type II Cleavage Epitope and Serum Hyaluronic Acid as Biomarker for Treatment Monitoring of Dogs with Hip Osteoarthritis. PLoS One 11(2), e0149472 PubMed.

Review Article Current Perspectives in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapies for Osteoarthritis Baldur Kristjánsson1 and Sittisak Honsawek Volume 2014, Article ID 194318, Stem Cells International.

Zuk, Patricia, Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in Tissue Regeneration: A Review, International Scholarly Research Notices, 2013, 713959, 35 pages, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/713959.

Vetstream Ltd & Stewart Halperin (online) Stem cell therapy: clinical application. In: Vetlexicon Canis. ISSN 2398-2942. Vetstream Ltd, UK.

Vetstream Ltd & Stewart Halperin (online) Stem cell therapy: overview. In: Vetlexicon Canis. ISSN 2398-2942. Vetstream Ltd, UK.

El-Husseiny HM, Mady EA, Helal MAY, Tanaka R. The Pivotal Role of Stem Cells in Veterinary Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering. Vet Sci. 2022 Nov 21;9(11):648. doi: 10.3390/vetsci9110648. PMID: 36423096; PMCID: PMC9698002.

Is stem cell therapy for dogs safe?

Yes, all our treatments are minimally invasive and very safe. Treatments are low risk because they use the animal’s own stem cells.

Your dog will be required to undergo a general anaesthetic to remove fat tissue (from which we isolate the stem cells).

We always carry out a full pre-anesthetic blood test and use the safest available anaesthetics.

We have never had an anaesthetic issue at our clinic.

Does my dog need to undergo anaesthesia for stem cell therapy?

Yes, your dog will need to undergo anaesthesia. Some people often worry that their dog may be too old for an anaesthetic. This isn’t true, anaesthesia is safe for older dogs.

  1. Physiology and health status are more important than chronological age.
  2. We carry out extensive monitoring before, during and after anaesthesia.
  3. Anaesthesia dosing is carefully selected.
  4. We monitor your dog's anaesthetic constantly.
  5. We have never experienced any anaesthetic issue at our clinic

Please see our article on anaesthesia for older dogs here.

What treatments do you offer?

  1. Stem cell therapy
  2. Platelet rich plasma
  3. Joint fluid replacement therapy

We take a multi-modal approach to each individual patient in order to achieve the best possible outcome. Our single goal is to significantly improve the lives of the patients under our care. This may mean we advise additional treatments to complement stem cell therapy, including but not limited to:

  • Non steroidals
  • Nutritional supplements
  • Dietary change
  • Laser therapy
  • Hydrotherapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Physiotherapy
  • Librela

To learn more please visit our treatments page.

Which conditions do you treat?

  1. For Dogs

    For Cats

When is the best time to start stem cell treatment?

Ideally we would treat all our patients as soon as they are diagnosed, rather than waiting for the arthritis to progress.

Stem cell therapy slows the progression of arthritis to a level that significantly improves comfort, reduces pain and improves the quality of life for the patient.

The inflammatory process in the joint that causes arthritis is also significantly improved. Once arthritis in the joint has started it is very difficult to stop completely which is why we encourage early treatment with stem cell therapy.

What is the difference between Librela and stem cell therapy?

Stem cell therapy harnesses the body's own ability to self repair. Stem cells treat the source of the problem by generating new healthy tissue to heal the joint from within. This has a long term regenerative effect.

Librela is a monthly injection given to dogs to help with pain. Librela temporarily reduces pain but it doesn't treat the source of the problem, it manages symptoms and requires ongoing administration.

Will stem cell therapy help treat Spondylosis?

Spondylosis is a radiographic change where bone spurs or bridges are seen on a spinal x-ray. They are rarely a source of pain but do indicate micro-instability between the vertebrae of the spine.

Stem cell therapy will not treat spondylosis directly, but because it is not considered to be the source of discomfort we usually find that a good orthopaedic exam reveals the source of pain or poor mobility is coming from joints such as the hips. Generally treatment of these joints alleviates pain, improves mobility and greatly improves quality of life.

What is the oldest dog you have treated?

17 years old.

How does stem cell therapy work with cats with gingivitis/stomatitis?

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis is an immune-mediated oral mucosal disease potentially triggered by virus such as feline calicivirus.

Stem cells work in this condition by modulating or dampening down the body’s immune response to the gums, thereby reducing inflammation and promoting oral comfort.