Researchers at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine are testing a new treatment for a common problem in aging cats. They’re using stem cells in an effort to better manage chronic kidney disease.
“In our clinical trial, we are seeing if stem cells can improve renal function, decrease inflammation and scarring in the kidney, and improve levels of excess protein in the urine,” says Jessica Quimby, DVM, who’s working with a team of team of veterinarians and researchers at the school.
They’re isolating stem cells from the fat of healthy young cats and injecting them into cats with kidney disease. Preliminary results suggest that the cells may stabilize the disease’s progression.
Dr. Quimby’s research, funded by the Morris Animal Foundation, includes a study of telomeres — protective structures at the ends of chromosomes — in the kidneys of older cats to understand their role in renal disease.
