Cutting Horse Returns to Work and Retains Soundness Years After VetStem Cell Therapy for Bilateral Suspensory Injuries

Junior, a skilled cutting horse, returned to work following treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy by Dr. Martin Gardner of Western Performance Equine.

POWAY, CA, UNITED STATES, July 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- At just four years old, Junior, a talented cutting horse, suffered injuries to the suspensory ligaments in both of his hind legs, an issue that can be career-ending for many performance horses. Fortunately, with the expert guidance of his veterinarian and the use of VetStem Cell Therapy, Junior not only returned to work but went on to enjoy a long and successful career and he remains sound nearly 15 years later.

To address Junior’s injuries, his veterinarian, Dr. Martin Gardner of Western Performance Equine, recommended VetStem Cell Therapy, a cutting-edge regenerative treatment that uses the horse’s own stem cells to reduce inflammation, promote healing, and encourage the regeneration of damaged tissue. Stem cells have been shown to improve outcomes in soft tissue injuries, with many treated horses returning to their previous level of performance.

Junior’s treatment began with the collection of a small sample of fat from his tailhead. The tissue was shipped to VetStem’s laboratory in Poway, California, where laboratory technicians carefully processed it to extract and concentrate the stem and regenerative cells contained therein. Two doses of Junior’s own stem cells were shipped back to Dr. Gardner to be injected directly into the affected ligaments.

Following the procedure, Junior underwent a 90-day rehabilitation period before beginning a gradual return to work. His owner shared, “After stem cell therapy, we rehabbed the horse for 90 days and then started soft work, building back up to a normal routine. We continued to show him until he was 16 years old. We retired him from the show pen only because he deserved it. He is now coming up on 19 years old and is still sound and enjoying life as a help horse and partner in stock dog trials. Best money ever spent on a horse.”

VetStem has been a leader in veterinary regenerative medicine since 2004 and was the first company to bring adipose-derived stem cell therapy to animals in the U.S. Nearly 7,000 horses have been treated with VetStem Cell Therapy for various conditions, with high rates of return to performance. According to survey results from horse owners, 76% of horses returned to full work at their prior level after treatment for suspensory ligament injuries, 77% after treatment for tendon injuries, and 57% following treatment for joint disease.

About VetStem, Inc.
VetStem is a veterinarian-led Company that was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the profession. This privately held biopharmaceutical enterprise, based near San Diego, California, currently offers veterinarians an autologous stem cell processing service (from patients’ own fat tissue) among other regenerative modalities. With a unique expertise acquired over the past 15 years and thousands of treatments by veterinarians for joint, tendon and ligament issues, VetStem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality. The VetStem team is focused on developing new clinically practical and affordable veterinary solutions that leverage the natural restorative abilities present in all living creatures. In addition to its own portfolio of patents, VetStem holds exclusive global veterinary licenses to a large portfolio of issued patents in the field of regenerative medicine.

Kristi Hauta, Director of Commercial Operations
VetStem, Inc.
+1 858-748-2004
email us here

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