Aging is a natural part of life’s process. And with aging, the body slows down, resulting in the possible occurrence of a number of negative health conditions for both humans and their canine companions. But as you may know, your dog ages about seven times faster than you—and that means his senior years may approach more rapidly than you’d like. At East Valley Animal Hospital in Gilbert, AZ, we specialize in care for each stage of your four-legged friend’s life, from birth, all the way through his senior years. And we’re excited about a new technology that we’ve recently implemented, called platelet-rich plasma therapy, which could have positive benefits for your pup in his later years of life.
What is Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy?
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) is an FDA approved medical treatment that utilizes the body’s own cells to heal and regenerate damaged tissues in your dog’s acute and chronic conditions. Essentially, it’s a concentrate of platelet-rich plasma protein derived from whole blood, which is centrifuged to remove red blood cells. As a result, it has a greater concentration of growth factors than whole blood and has effectively been used to encourage a brisk healing response for a number of physical ailments and conditions. Simple and effective, another benefit is that the application can also be completed as a one-day procedure.
PRP Therapy and Your Senior Dog
As your dog ages, he may develop a very common condition called osteoarthritis—a degenerative joint disease. More severe and painful than arthritis, osteoarthritis refers to chronic joint inflammation caused by the deterioration of cartilage that protects the joints and bones. If your dog suffers from this disease, PRP can offer relief in just one-to-two brief, minimally invasive sessions. How can it do this? Because the growth factors previously mentioned are proteins that stimulate cells to start the healing process in your dog’s tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. For a more in-depth description on how PRP works, visit this site.
Another common ailment found in senior dogs that can be treated with PRP injections is hip dysplasia, a condition where the ball and socket joint that connects the leg to the hip fails to function properly and causes deterioration over time. In addition, if your dog is too old or fragile to undergo certain surgeries, PRP therapy can be an excellent alternative route for healing.
At East Valley Animal Hospital, we are passionate about offering our senior canine clients the best care with the latest in technology. So if you live in Gilbert, Mesa, or Chandler, and your furry friend is suffering from osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, or any other condition, contact us today to see if they would be a good candidate for platelet-rich plasma therapy. We care about you, and we care about your four-legged best friend and companion!
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (9/14/2018) Bernt Sonvisen (flickr)