Maggie Risley

Maggie Risley is a five year old black Labrador Retriever. Maggie was first presented to us in the summer of 2010 with lameness of her left rear leg. She was radiographed and we were suspicious of a partial cranial cruciate ligament tear, but a swollen liver was noted. Her blood tests were mildly elevated for liver disease. Her left rear leg continued to be lame but subsequent liver tests continued to be elevated. In late summer an additional ultrasound was done and the liver appeared normal. Maggie’s lameness was treated symptomatically.

By the summer of 2011 Maggie’s lameness was mild, but her liver enzyme continued to increase. Dr. Krotje-Wall performed an ultrasound guided liver biopsy. An uncommon copper storage disease was diagnosed and treatment started. At this time the x-rays showed arthritis in both knees and therapeutic laser treatment was started. By the fall her liver tests improved, but her legs became more lame and painful and more ligament damage was suspected along with the arthritis. A cruciate surgery was scheduled for the late fall, but some caution was given to put Maggie thru anesthesia and knee surgery because of her history of liver problems. Because both knees were only moderately unstable at the time, Stem Cell Treatment was recommended and then performed. Fat cells, containing stem cells were harvested and processed and injected into Maggie’s knees and vein. This was done in Nov 2011. By Dec. Maggie was walking better, jumping up on her bed, taking one and a half mile walks and had her old pep and normal activity back. Maggie has made a dramatic improvement in her leg pain and lameness and is back to her old activity and is peppy again. Stem Cell Treatment has given Maggie, who had difficult problems to treat conventionally, has her old life back. Maggie’s owners are very satisfied with her outcome.