Clifford and Stem Cell Treatments - Part 2

Clifford knew something was up this morning, and was not exactly cooperative. Usually not one to shirk an adventure, today he was coy and difficult to catch. I tried coaxing him with grain and treats, but when he saw the halter coming at him he'd turn and bolt. One time he stepped on my foot. I finally stood next to his Dutch door and said, "Get in there!" and he walked in. I swung the door shut behind him. Once he was locked in the stall, he stood in resignation as I entered and put his halter on.

He loaded into the trailer with no problem, and we were off, driving through the cold mist up to Lansing.

MSU's equine teaching hospitals has wide hallways and big, roomy stalls, but to Clifford's chagrin, no shavings to roll in. Still, my friend Rose appeared and then soon other techies gathered when they found out Clifford was fetching a cone in his stall. As soon as he had an audience, he visibly cheered up.

Dr. Caron is a tall, thin fellow with a somber demeanor, thinly disguising a sharp wit. As Rose and her gaggle of techies stood giggling and whispering around Clifford, he looked at me and said, "Do you want me to call security to come and get these guys out of here?"

We watched as he led Clifford out of the stall and trotted him up and down the generous hallways. Clifford was obliging enough.

"It looks like he's got a little muscle atrophy in that leg," Rose murmered. "It's thinner than the other."

"Really?" I squinted at Clifford but couldn't see the difference. The way he was moving seemed all right, but then the tech who led him did the flexion test, pulling his foot high so that his leg was bent sharply at the knee. She let go, and then when she asked Clifford to trot with her, he limped.

"We'll get some pictures of this and see how he looks," Dr. Caron offered. He turned and left the room.

Clifford went in for x rays and Rose and I hung out, drank coke, and talked about horses.

When Clifford's pictures were finally up on the lighted screen, I could see not one bone fragment but what looked like other chips floating in the same area. Dr. Caron looked on while Dr. Kimberly Roberts gave me the rundown. "His body is compensating for the arthritis, but I took a picture of his right leg so you can see how it's supposed to look."

Sure enough, the left knee by comarison was rough around the edges, all the way from front to back.

"He's not moving too badly," Dr. Caron said. "Are you riding him?"

"Not very much. I took him for a three hour ride last fall and it was too much for him."

They went on to explain that, while they were not opposed to trying the stem cell treatments, and it might help him, they would suggest first attempting more conventional methods - - Steroid injections and bute.

"Well, I want to do things the right way," I said. I've never been a huge Bute fan because I've heard it's a temporary solution that can lead to overworking the horse and greater problems down the road. But, there is no cure for arthritis.

Had I been really adament about it, they would have gone ahead with the stem cell treatments.

The stem cells would be removed from a spot near Clifford's tail, shipped to California where the cells would be isolated, then sent back and injected into his knee. The process would take a few days. They might help, or they might not make a difference.

"Would they do any harm?" I asked.

"No, other than you run the risk of infection in the injection areas," Dr. Caron said. "I'd like to see what stem cells would do for him, but I hate to use your horse as a guinea pig just to satisfy my scientific curiosity."

"Actually the guinea pig thing doesn't bother me, as long as it does him no harm... And especially if it benefits someone else."

I also was thinking, of course, that it would make a great chapter in the next Clifford book, Part 3.

I learned a couple more things about stem cells that I never knew: One, the injections would have to be repeated -- one would not provide permanent relief. The second thing was, in race horse Be A Bono's case, his injury was pretty fresh. Clifford's knee was fractured years ago. Stem cells may be more effective in a more recent injury.

There has been so little done with stem cells -- thanks to the expense -- that there is no way to predict how they would affect the patient.

So, in the interest of doing things the right way, I will follow their suggestion and try a less expensive and more conventional method -- steroids -- before I do any trail riding with Clifford this summer. Meanwhile I'll continue to view stem cells as an alternative. I definitely haven't ruled it out and in fact, am viewing this as a hoop I have to jump through to get there.