Platelet Rich Plasma

Platelet Rich Plasmain Mandeville, LA

Does your pet have mobility issues or are they less active than they once were? Are traditional therapies such as NSAIDs and joint supplements just not providing enough relief to get your pet moving again? At Lakeshore Veterinary Hospital we are proud to offer Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and epidurals to help get your pet moving by reducing pain and inflammation within the joints and spine.

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What are platelets?

Platelets are blood cells that have multiple purposes in the body. One of their main functions is to produce a clot so that wounds will stop bleeding. Platelets also contain proteins that can help the body heal.

What is platelet rich plasma?

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is derived from removing the red blood cells from whole blood and isolating platelets. A sample of blood is taken from a patient and then spun down in a centrifuge. The red blood cells are removed with a pipette and discarded.

The left-over concentrate is called PRP which contains platelets and proteins that can then be used to promote healing and treat areas of inflammation in the body.

In addition to cells, PRP contains other growth factors and substances that are normally in the plasma, such as insulin-like growth factor.

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When would PRP therapy be indicated?

PRP is a form of regenerative medicine that has been proposed to treat inflammatory conditions that affect ligaments, muscles, and tendons, such as osteoarthritis. It may also help with bone regeneration after a bone fracture. PRP has also been proposed as an aid to promote the healing of skin wounds and dental disease. By using PRP at a wound site or dental extraction site, the growth factors can trigger cell reproduction and stimulate tissue regeneration and healing. Platelet rich plasma can be injected at a site of injury, or it can be made into a platelet-rich fibrin clot (PFRC) to use as a scaffold and source for sustained release of growth factors.

How does it work?

Platelets contain alpha granules which carry substances called cytokines or growth factors. This includes growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-B). These growth factors are the basis of PRP therapy. They help attract other cells to the wounded area such as macrophages which engulf pathogens. These growth factors can also activate cells called fibroblasts and endothelial cells to repair wounded and inflamed tissues.

What are the side effects and risks of PRP therapy?

Since PRP therapy requires using a patient's own blood to harvest the sample (autologous), side effects appear to be minimal, but they may include pain, irritation, or bleeding at the site of the injection. However, side effects are not well established or studied at this time in veterinary medicine. Patients often require sedation or general anesthesia when receiving PRP therapy, as it is injected directly into the affected joint or site. Talk to your veterinarian about the risks of sedation and anesthesia. Patients often require multiple injections for the treatment to be effective.

Is PRP therapy effective in treating inflammatory diseases?

Although the theoretical basis of PRP appears to be a promising therapy for inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis, further research is required before it can be recommended with certainty as a mainstream therapy. Harvesting PRP from blood samples requires special training and equipment and should only be administered by a veterinary professional that is familiar with this procedure. It may also be effective for the treatment of certain dental conditions, but again, more research is needed.

Case Studies

Prior Patient Profile

Patient Bear received treatment with PRP for cranial cruciate ligament rupture on both knees.

PRP is used to address ruptures of both the stifle (knee) joints in a 12 year old neutered male dog.

4 Weeks Post
8 Weeks Post
12 Weeks Post
16& 20 Weeks Post

Owner assess lameness to have improved two points from a 1, prior to Rebound PRP, to a 3 out of 10
Owner reports lameness to have improved to an 8 out of 10, 10 being no lameness at all.
Ownerreports lameness to have improved to a 9 out of 10
Ownerreports lameness to have improved to a 10

Bear now walks a mile a day with his owner and wants to, which is something he hasn’t done in years.

Prior Patient Profile

Katie May received treatment with PRP for hip dysplasia.

PRP is used to treat one sided hip dysplasia and stifle joint instability in a 1.5 year old female dog.

4 Weeks Post
8 Weeks Post
12 Weeks Post
16& 20 Weeks Post
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Owner assess lameness to have improved two points from a 1, prior to Rebound PRP, to a 3 out of 10
Owner reports lameness to have improved to a 6 out of 10, 10 being no lameness at all.
Owner reports lameness to have improved to a 9 out of 10
Owner reports lameness to have improved to a 9, almost 10 Katie May has received no more therapies for pain, has had no mobility issues.

Clinically Katie May is now normal.