Twain Harte, CA (PRWEB) May 12, 2015

Northern California top ten ranked West Coast Bird Dog Championship Springer Spaniel, Blue Smoke Bodacious (lovingly nicknamed Bodie), won the US Bird Dog Association Western States National Flushing Championship in Carson City, Nevada. Bodie was first treated with the VetStem therapy in February of 2013 after suffering from arthritis from severe hip dysplasia. Bodie came back to competition in late 2013 to secure a 3rd place after a rare shell malfunction denied him anything higher in the BDC High River Classic. Bodie achieved the third highest qualifying score overall, coming in just under his brother, Trapper, who is older by one year.

Bodie, now five years old, was diagnosed at only eight months with canine hip dysplasia. His owner began to notice he had difficulty getting up from a lying position, and would often ‘bunny hop’ or resort to using both legs together while running. His veterinarian recommended a medication that would help reduce pain so that he could be worked to build muscle structure early on, but arthritis eventually set in, slowing Bodie’s hunting and competition training. Even through the discomfort he continued to achieve a number of first places, a few second places, and only one 3rd place score in the West Coast Division of BDC before his stem cell therapy.

Bodie was first treated in February of 2013 at Twain Harte Veterinary Hospital with the VetStem therapy for his hips. Twain Harte Veterinary Hospital’s Dr Marvin Ordway has completed the VetStem course on the use of Stem Cells. Although Dr Ordway was not the original veterinarian who treated Bodie, he has now taken over his care. Dr Ordway is one of the only veterinarians in the area to be credentialed in the VetStem Therapy. These injections helped decrease the pain and inflammation in Bodies hips allowing him to return to training. Bodie’s owner, Charlie Speight, explains some of the activities that Bodie enjoys doing now that his pain kept him from doing before, “Lays on his back and stretches his legs out, lifts his leg to go (he used to squat), swims freely, runs with a normal gate and does not bunny hop, sits straight up as opposed to side-saddle, and he is off his medication.”

Bodie received follow up injection in July of 2014, also at Twain Harte Veterinary Hospital, for arthritis in both elbows and his left shoulder. He then received one more treatment in March of 2015 for his right hip just before he went to his championship competition. The last treatment on his hip came after he had a slip and injured his hip during a club hunt. Charlie called this last treatment more of a ‘tune up” to get him ready for this competition.

Why has stem cell therapy had such a positive impact on Bodie’s condition? In contrast to widely used drug therapies for pain management, cell-based therapies can promote healing, reduce inflammation, and decrease pain. In a study using VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy on dogs with osteoarthritis of the hip joint it was found that regenerative cell therapy (adipose-derived stem cells) decreases patient discomfort and increases patient functional ability.

Charlie said “Bodie is a dynamo. I don’t think he realizes his condition. He is one of a kind”

Charlie goes on to say that it is a bit of a mystery how Bodie ended up with hip dysplasia considering his brother shows no signs, “Having his brother is a real benefit in judging the effectiveness of Bodie’s stem cell therapy. He can run as quickly as his brother now. The boy is driven,” exclaims Charlie.

About VetStem Biopharma.

VetStem Biopharma is a veterinarian led company that was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the profession. This privately held biopharmaceutical enterprise, based near San Diego (California), currently offers veterinarians an autologous stem cell processing service (from patients’ own fat tissue) among other regenerative modalities. With a unique expertise acquired over the past 12 years and 10,000 patients treated by veterinarians for joint, tendon or ligament issues, VetStem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality beyond the realm of research. The VetStem team is focused on developing new clinically practical and affordable veterinary solutions that leverage the natural restorative abilities present in all living creatures. The company’s stated mission being “to extend and enhance the lives of animals by improving the quality of recovery in acute conditions, but also by unlocking ways to slow, stop and ultimately revert the course of chronic diseases”. In addition to its’ own portfolio of patents, VetStem holds exclusive global veterinary licenses to a portfolio of over 55 issued patents in the field of regenerative medicine.