Arthritis in dogs could be a thing of the past thanks to a stem cell treatment which has been tested in trials held in Melbourne, Australia, Heraldsun.com reports.
According to the publication, just a single injection of stem cells has transformed the lives of the majority of the 100 dogs which were involved in the treatment.
Professor Richard Boyd of Monash University, who oversaw the trials, said: "The trial is extremely important for an individual animal's health but through the use of large animal models [we] are also showing enormous potential for human use."
He went on to describe the results of the trial as "fantastic [and] very exciting".
Scientists involved in the trial take stem cells from young, healthy dogs, multiply them and then inject them into the joints of older animals which have become inflamed as a result of arthritis.
The treatment has helped dogs like four-year-old Molly, a cavalier king Charles who was unable to walk more than 400 metres, Couriermail.com.au reports.
Following stem cell injections, Molly no longer has to take pet medication and can walk four kilometres.
