Pet Portal
Introducing An Exciting New Treatment Option
A new modality...Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP
We are excited to introduce a new treatment option for our patients to add to our rehabilitation/physical therapy services.
PRP is an autologous (from your own body) super concentrate of platelets used to accelerate healing in injured tissues. Platelets play two important functions in addition to helping with blood clotting after injury and they are to: bring white blood cells to the injured area to clean up and to release growth factors that are directly responsible for tissue regeneration.
The platelet rich derivative of blood is obtained after a blood sample is withdrawn from a patient’s vein, spun down in a special centrifuge, and separated from the other blood constituents after centrifugation with a specialized, multi compartmentalized syringe. The red and white blood cells are essentially removed, leaving the platelet rich portion of the plasma. Plasma containing this concentrated level of platelets provides an abundance of growth factors which stimulate the healing process. When PRP is injected into arthritic joints, damaged tissues such as tendons, it is believed that PRP stimulates cells in the tissue – along with new cells circulating in the blood to bring more new cells to the injured site. The patient’s own blood is used to make PRP, so there is no risk of the treatment being rejected, as it might if the blood was from a donor.
PRP is an exciting and readily available addition to the treatment of many common musculoskeletal conditions of companion animals. We would like to direct PRP therapy toward Achilles tendon injuries, complicated fractures or delayed bone healing, degenerative joint disease/arthritis of the elbows, shoulders, hips, stifles and hocks.
For cruciate injuries, it is currently thought that surgical repair to correct the physical derangement within the joint is superior to PRP as a sole option for these ruptured ligaments. It has been found that treatment of partial cruciate tears treated with PRP alone may seem to heal and return dogs to excellent function, but long-term success varies, and lameness invariably returns and surgical correction due to conformational defects is required. It is important to consider the patient’s age, breed and extent of injury on a case by case basis.
For shoulder tendinopathies, biceps and supraspinatus tendon injuries are commonly found in sporting dogs and PRP is a very promising therapy. It is advised that PRP be administered with ultrasound guidance to ensure the injection is given directly in the tissues injured.
If you have any questions about the PRP, please do not hesitate to call us to inquire about how it might beneft your pet.
Dr. Robin
