New to Norsask Veterinary Group is Companion Animal Health Platelet Rich Plasma therapy!

New to Norsask Veterinary Group is Companion Animal Health Platelet Rich Plasma therapy!

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a very concentrated blood sample that contains 2 components: isolated cells called platelets and plasma which is the fluid portion of blood.

Platelets are blood cells that have a variety of jobs in the body. One role is to clot blood to stop your pet from bleeding but the other one, that we don’t think of as often, is that it has proteins that can help the body heal.

Advantages of PRP:

  • brings new cells to the injury site to remove dead or injured cells
  • proteins are released called “growth factors” which contribute to tissue regeneration
  • reduces inflammation/relieves pain
  • decreases the cost used to pay for other short-acting medications
  • non-pharmaceutical treatment option
  • simple and safe procedure for your pet

What does the procedure look like to perform PRP?

  1. A sample of blood is collected from your pet based on their
  2. It then goes through a series of steps to separate the platelets from the whole blood sample using a device called a
  3. Once the only products left in the final syringe are platelets and plasma, it is ready to be The joints chosen are the ones causing the most discomfort and pain related to a prior injury or underlying disease.
  4. Your pet will be under a light sedation during the The entire procedure from start to finish will only take about 30-45 minutes.

Which conditions can PRP be used for?

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Tendon injuries
  • Ligament injuries
  • Specific spinal injuries

After the procedure, activity should be decreased for 2-3 days to allow them to recover from sedation and to minimize stress on joints that were injected. Owners have noticed an improvement within 2 weeks after the injection. For dogs with mild-moderate osteoarthritis, therapeutic effects can last for 6- 12 months. Response to therapy can vary between patients. For some dogs this is a one-time treatment but for more severe cases the injection may need to be repeated.