Oakhill Veterinary Practice in Windermere employs groundbreaking technology

Oakhill Veterinary Practice is attracting interest from pet owners and professionals across Cumbria with its innovative approach to maximising animal welfare.

The practice, based in Windermere, has just taken delivery of its latest high-tech equipment including a Stance Analyser and Regenerative Medicine kit, allowing the practice to now offer platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapy to be used in a variety of conditions.

Regenerative Medicine is an established treatment option in the equine world but is gaining more traction with canine companions.

Principally the anti-inflammatory, regenerative and healing capacity of the animal’s own cells are harnessed and then employed to treat the dogs orthopaedic or neurological condition.

The equipment can separate stem cells from harvested bone marrow or can be used to concentrate platelets which are then injected into parts of the animal’s body requiring treatment, such as arthritic joints, tendon and ligament injuries, muscle sprains, acute and chronic soft tissue injuries and certain spinal conditions.

Because the cells come from the animal’s own body there is minimal risk of rejection or side-effects, according to the practice.

And by using regeneration to heal the tissue, the use of drug therapy can be minimised.

“Stem cells are immature cells that don’t know what their job as an adult cell will be,” said practice partner Alex Kirby.

“As they mature, their destiny is dictated by neighbouring tissues in the body, whether that is cartilage, skin, nerve or tendon, essentially allowing those damaged tissues to heal, repair and regrow.”

The practice is one of only a handful in the country using these techniques which have been pioneered and refined for use in dogs in America.

The equipment is also used to prepare platelet-rich plasma, which is ‘hugely’ anti-inflammatory and again stimulates healing. Depending on the condition of an arthritic joint, the beneficial effects can last up to 24 months and means some dogs can live life off most, if not all, medication.

The practice has also invested in a specialised stance analyser which measures the distribution of weight carried through each leg, expressed as a percentage of bodyweight. This allows the vets to pinpoint problem areas at an earlier stage than waiting for the dog to show overt signs of pain.

Vet Marcelle Cassar, clinical director of the Animal Rehabilitation Centre (ARC), said: “There are many potential yet subtle orthopaedic issues with dogs; this equipment will help to highlight them for us.”

Additionally, it will be instrumental in tracking the progress of the dog as it goes through its rehabilitation programme in the Animal Rehabilitation Centre, for example after orthopaedic surgery.

“The idea behind investing in this piece of equipment is to help us measure how well we are progressing with our treatment in a quantifiable way,” she said. “It gives us hard data and will be used alongside other pain-scoring measures, such as questionnaires, which are more subjective. Our aim is always to improve a dog’s comfort and mobility and this will help us to do that.”

The new equipment is the latest phase of development in a practice, run by Alex and partner Matthew Stables, that offers end-to-end care, from initial consultation and diagnosis, to surgery, regenerative medicine and rehabilitation including hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, laser treatment, acupuncture and massage therapy.

Oakhill Vet Group also shares its expertise with other vet practices taking referral work in soft-tissue and orthopaedic surgery, rehabilitation and behaviour cases.

Alex, who also sits on the Lakeland Veterinary Association Committee, said: “We are trying to get as close to perfect as possible with the management and treatment of a host of degenerative conditions in our pets. This technology is the next bit of the jigsaw and now that it is available to us we can use it to learn what we need to do together to maximise animal care.”