Can you guess which dog has arthritis? 

You may have guessed the Irish wolfhound, and that would be a good guess.  Large breed dogs usually do fall victim to growth problems that can result in pain, limping and ultimately arthritis.  You might have guessed the Labrador retriever, again a good guess.  The Labrador retriever is the most popular breed of dog in the United States.  Their great nature and sporting build also put them at risk for future arthritis due to the high activity level some of them do as a sporting breed.  They are also over-represented on the OFA Dysplasia list.  In a previous blog we discussed how dysplasia, (abnormal joint structure) can lead to pain, limping, swelling and arthritis.   If you guessed the Jack Russell, you might also be right.  Little dogs have a tendency to have a longer life span than the giant or large breeds.  As dogs age, very similar to people they are also plagued with difficulty getting up, stiffness, and pain of arthritis.  Many little dogs do not show their symptoms of pain because they are carried around by their owner.

So which dog is the Stem Cell Dog?
The stem cell dog in this picture is Noah the Black Lab, who is owned by one of the veterinarians at Vet-Stem.  Noah is celebrating his thirteenth birthday next month.  He was treated over two years ago, and stem cells have helped him keep up on 5 mile hill hikes with his housemates, Graham, the 4 year Jack Russell and Aislinn, the 10 month old Irish wolfhound puppy.