Treatment of canine osteoarthritis with allogeneic platelet-rich plasma: review of five cases

Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of chronic pain and lameness in dogs. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a concentrate of growth and differentiation factors from the blood, which can be used in regenerative medicine strategies.
 Aim: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of allogeneic PRP on the treatment of canine OA.
 Methods: Five dogs from several breeds, between 6 and 12 years old, and from both genders were studied. Clinical and imageological examinations diagnosed OA in the knee, tibiotarsal, elbow, and intercarpal joints. These dogs were refractory to medical therapy and to physical rehabilitation protocols that included shockwave therapy, laser therapy, electrostimulation, hydrotherapy, and diathermy. Animals were treated with allogeneic PRP obtained from the blood of the five dogs, which was processed in a pool. Echoguided intra-articular PRP injection was administered under sedation and after aseptic field preparation. Lameness at walk and trot (five grades) and pain (five scores) were evaluated before treatment and 30, 60, and 90 days post-treatment.
 Results: All animals presented improvements at 30 and 60 days in both parameters. Four dogs showed a decrease of three grades of lameness after 90 days and there was complete absence of lameness in 2 days. Pain was reduced from severe and moderate to mild in all the dogs after 30 days, and among them, three revealed no pain after 90 days.
 Conclusion: This study sheds light on the applicability and safety of a single administration of allogeneic PRP in osteoarthritic dogs.
 Keywords: Dog, Lameness, Osteoarthritis, Pain, Platelet-rich plasma.

Platelet Lysate for Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Culture in the Canine and Equine Species: Analogous but Not the Same

“…Among the orthobiologic blood products, particularly platelet products are already frequently used in clinical practice. In canine medicine, PRP or platelet concentrates have been used to treat several conditions, including osteoarthritis [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ], lumbosacral stenosis [ 21 ], wounds [ 22 , 23 ], corneal ulcera [ 24 ], and aural hematoma [ 25 ]. While clinical benefits were shown, a major disadvantage of platelet concentrate is its limited long-term storage, as it cannot be frozen [ 26 ].…”

Comparison of the effects of autologous and allogeneic purified platelet-rich plasma on cartilage damage in a rabbit model of knee osteoarthritis

“…Currently, most of the PRP used for clinical treatment is prepared using autologous blood. However, some investigators have found that allogeneic P-PRP for the repair of bone defects can also achieve good efficacy [25][26][27]. In a randomized controlled clinical trial, allogeneic PRP was used in combination with standard care in chronic refractory wounds, and the results showed a significant reduction in inflammatory exudation and a significant reduction in healing time in wounds treated with allogeneic PRP [28].…”

Proposed Canadian Consensus Guidelines on Osteoarthritis Treatment Based on OA-COAST Stages 1–4

“…The final product is then injected meticulously aseptically into the joint to avoid any infection. Duration of pain relief may last from 3 to 12 months and has been reported in OA dogs for PRP alone ( 195 – 199 ) or associated to HA ( 67 ) or physical therapy, showing longer duration of analgesia ( 197 ), APC ( 200 , 201 ), APS ( 187 , 202 , 203 ). Most interestingly, PRP may have the potential to slow the progression of the disease, as suggested by a recent metanalysis including 1,251 animals (19 studies on rodents, 13 on rabbits, 4 on horses, one on goats, and 7 on dogs) ( 204 ).…”