Vet Tips 2025: How Dental Pulp Stem Cells May Help Horses With Arthritis or Tendon Injuries 🐴🦷🧬

By Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

Arthritis, tendon strain, and ligament injuries are unfortunately common in performance horses—but regenerative medicine is revolutionizing how we treat these conditions. One of the most promising developments? Using stem cells harvested from dental pulp tissue in newborn foals. 🦷🔬

What Is Regenerative Medicine? 🧠💉

Regenerative therapies aim to heal tissues from the inside out using the horse’s own biology—or donor cells that stimulate repair. These include:

• 💊 Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
• 💉 Bone marrow or fat-derived stem cells
• 🧪 Umbilical cord blood stem cells
• 🦷 Dental pulp stem cells from newborn foals

Stem cells are prized because they can turn into different tissue types—bone, tendon, ligament, blood vessels, and more—depending on where they're placed. 🧬

New Discovery: Dental Pulp From Newborn Foals 🍼🦷

Dr. Alicia Bertone from Ohio State University highlights a breakthrough: dental pulp stem cells from foals who died at birth due to delivery complications. These foals were otherwise healthy, making their tissue a valuable and respectful donor source. 🙏

Why Dental Pulp?

• 🧪 Most primitive and versatile form of equine stem cells
• 🧠 Excellent potential for developing into musculoskeletal tissues
• 🩺 Easier to collect and process than bone marrow or fat

Study Results: 20 Horses Treated, 20 as Controls 📊🐴

In a small-scale clinical trial:

• 💉 20 lame horses with tendon/ligament injuries or arthritis were treated with dental pulp stem cells
• 📍 Stem cells were injected directly into the affected joint or soft tissue
• 🧪 20 untreated horses served as controls

Results after two years:

• 🎯 Horses with tendon and ligament injuries responded extremely well—several returned to full soundness
• 🐎 83% of treated horses were still being ridden two years after the procedure
• 🧱 Horses with arthritis also improved, though not as dramatically

How Does It Compare to Other Stem Cell Sources? 🔍

Bone Marrow & Fat-Derived Stem Cells:

• 🛠️ Harvested from the horse’s own body
• ⚠️ Invasive procedures
• 📉 Stem cell yield and quality can vary
• 💥 Risk of complications, including arrhythmia

Umbilical Cord Stem Cells:

• 🧬 Collected at foaling
• 🧊 Stored for future use (may incur costs)
• 📉 Cell viability decreases over time in storage

Dental Pulp Stem Cells:

• 🦷 Collected from deceased, otherwise healthy foals
• 🧬 Extremely primitive and potent
• ⚙️ High regenerative potential for orthopedic tissue

This approach offers strong advantages in both ethical sourcing and therapeutic performance. 🧠

Which Conditions May Benefit? 🧩

• 🔩 Suspensory ligament injuries
• 🔬 Tendon tears and strains
• 🧱 Mild to moderate joint arthritis
• 🦴 Bone cysts or early degenerative joint disease

Is This Widely Available? ⚕️📍

As of 2025, dental pulp stem cell therapy is becoming more accessible in advanced equine clinics. It may still be considered specialized therapy and often requires:

• 🩺 Consultation with a sports medicine or regenerative specialist
• 📊 Baseline diagnostics—ultrasound, x-ray, or MRI
• 💉 Intra-articular or soft tissue injection by a skilled vet

How Long Do Effects Last? 📅🧠

Follow-up surveys show promising durability:

• 🧬 83% of treated horses were still in work or being ridden two years later

Ongoing clinical trials will help confirm long-term effectiveness and repeatability. 📊

Is It Safe? 🚫🐴

No adverse events were noted in the initial study. Horses tolerated the injection procedure well and showed steady improvement in soundness without complications. 🔒

Need Advice on Advanced Therapies? Ask A Vet 📱🐎

Want to know if stem cell therapy is right for your horse? Curious about cost, recovery, or alternative regenerative options? Connect with a sports medicine vet now through Ask A Vet.

Download the Ask A Vet app for 24/7 support on stem cell therapies, orthopedic care, and lameness management for horses. 🐎🧠

Final Thoughts: Future-Focused Healing for Horses 💡🩺

Dental pulp stem cells are giving horses with chronic orthopedic injuries a second chance at movement, soundness, and comfort. As regenerative therapy continues to evolve, these advanced techniques offer new hope for equine athletes and companions alike. 🐴❤️

Have questions about stem cells or orthopedic care? Visit Ask A Vet to speak with a regenerative medicine expert today. 🐴💬