BURKE, VA -- A seven-year-old dog is walking apparently pain-free once again, thanks to a revolutionary stem cell treatment.
Bradley, a Labradoodle, started limping about five months ago. That limp can be a sign of hip dysplasia, a common and sometimes crippling degenerative condition in dogs and cats.
Total hip replacement can cure the condition, but it's expensive and recovery can take up to six months.
"I knew I needed to do something," said Veterinarian John Herrity, Bradley's owner.
Instead of surgery, Dr. Herrity decided to try a revolutionary new in-house stem cell therapy treatment.
"What we did was we took fat from up over his shoulder blade, we processed it in here, took the stem cells out of that and then injected them back into his joints," Herrity said.
Two months after the treatment, Bradley's limp is now gone.
"I am tickled pink with how things have worked out. He's back to his old self," Herrity said.
Since Bradley's procedure, Dr. Herrity has performed the therapy on nine other dogs. Bad Girl is one of them.
Video of Bad Girl before her treatment shows a dog limping badly and in obvious discomfort.
"She didn't move around a lot. She was very sick and she didn't play," said Bad Girl's owner.
One month later, Bad Girl moves much more freely and appears more relaxed.
"It's a miracle. She's like a different dog. She plays now. She takes the toys away from the others, which is why she's bad."
Stem cell treatment for dogs is expensive. It can run several thousand dollars, but in general, it can be significantly less expensive than total hip replacement.
WKYC-TV