b'HELPING HORSES SELF-HEALability to differentiate into other cellLab, in College Station. She says thatmusculoskeletal conditions can limit atypes, stem cells have powerful anti-in some horses stem cells appear to behorsesfunctionality. inflammatory properties and play ahighly effective. In others, its as if weTake, for example, a superficial digital central role in coordinating healing in allhad done nothing in addition to routineflexor tendon (that runs down the back of types of tissues through cell-to-cell signal- therapy and care, she adds. We thinkthe leg from just above the knee or hock ing, Ortved says. this is because some of the methods usedto the pastern) core lesion presumably Which of these three modality typesto prepare stem cells was rendering themcaused by overloading the tissue. This is will provide the most benefit to yourineffective in most horses. the most common cause of tendon and horse depends on a variety of factors thatLisa Fortier, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS,ligament injuries in athletic horses, and you and your veterinarian will consider.James Law professor of equine surgery atno one treatment approach has resulted Cornell University and a clinician at Cor- in fast and durable repairs. These injuries Choosing an Implement nell Ruffian Equine Specialists, in Ithaca,typically require months of rest, rehab, In a study published in June 2018, sur- New York, concurs: The variability inand careful return to worka frustrating veyed horse owners listed PRP and IRAPthe product we are deliveringpresentlyand economically draining process that as two of the 10 most popular equineapplies to all regenerative therapies: PRP,often fails due to the high rate of reinjury. rehabilitation modalities available. SomeIRAP, APS, and stem cell products alike. Because, again, regenerative medicine said they also used stem cell therapy, butPutting aside the conundrum of prod- involves products that mitigate inflam-not as frequently as PRP and IRAP. uct optimization for the moment, letsmation and stimulate normal, healthy I think the main reason that stemlook at when and how practitioners aretissue production instead of laying down cell use has been dipping in the U.S. isusing these therapies in horses. weak scar tissue prone to future injury, because consistent efficacy has yet to beour sources often reach for them when achieved, says Ashlee Watts, DVM, Dipl.Musculoskeletal Injuries managing soft tissue and joint injuries. ACVS, equine orthopedic surgeon and di- Tendon, ligament, and joint injuriesFor tendons, I start with PRP while rector of Texas A&M Universitys Equineare among regenerative medicines mostculturing the horses own stem cells, Orthopedics and Regenerative Medicinefrequent targets. This is partly becausewhich can take several weeks, Fortier 14May 2020The Horse|TheHorse.com'