VetStem Cell Therapy Helped Hex, a Skilled Agility Corgi with Soft Tissue Injuries, Return to Competition

Hex

Hex, a Corgi skilled at agility, was able to return to competition after treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy for soft tissue injuries.

POWAY, CA, UNITED STATES, September 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- At just one and half years old, Hex, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi, was showing great promise as an agility competitor. According to her owner, “In a few short months, she'd progressed from the Novice level of AKC agility through all of the beginner titles (Open and Excellent) and was just about ready to start competing against more experienced dogs at the Master level of competition.” Unfortunately, just one week before her first Master-level competition, Hex came in from the yard limping.

Though she initially responded to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Hex continued to have reduced range of motion in her left front leg. Seeking answers, her owner brought her to Dr. Sherman Canapp of Canapp Sports Medicine, a board-certified veterinary surgeon internationally recognized for diagnosing and treating complex soft tissue and orthopedic injuries in canine athletes.

Dr. Canapp diagnosed Hex with numerous injuries in her left shoulder including a traumatic grade 2 medial glenohumeral ligament tear, a focal capsular tear with cartilage damage, and a grade 2 strain with partial avulsion of the supraspinatus tendon. He also noted abnormalities in her elbow joints. To address these issues, he recommended arthroscopy of both elbows and her left shoulder, followed by treatment with VetStem Cell Therapy to reduce pain and inflammation, promote healing, and help minimize scar tissue formation.

To begin the VetStem process, Dr. Canapp collected fat tissue from Hex’s abdomen during her arthroscopic procedure. The tissue was aseptically packaged and shipped overnight to the VetStem laboratory in Poway, California, where lab technicians processed it to extract and concentrate Hex’s stem and regenerative cells. While VetStem typically returns injectable stem cell doses within 48 hours, Dr. Canapp prefers to culture expand his patients’ cells. This process, which takes a few weeks, increases the total number of stem cell doses available for both immediate use and future treatment.

Once the culture expansion was complete, three doses of Hex’s stem cells were shipped to Dr. Canapp for injection into the injured areas. Following her treatment, Hex began a structured rehabilitation program under the guidance of a veterinary physical therapist. Approximately three months later, she was cleared to resume agility training.

Her owner reported, “I am grateful and excited to report that Hex is back running agility at the highest levels! One year after her injury, we returned to agility competition. We took things slowly, but she has never looked back – running better than before with a visible improvement in her jumping form and in her performance of the obstacles. Agility is a tough sport and can be even harder for dogs (like Corgis) that aren't really built for lots of jumping or running up and down A-frames at high speed, but with careful strength and fitness training and stem cells from VetStem, Hex is holding her own competitively, trialing almost every weekend. Hex completed her Master Agility Champion title (MACH) and she will be competing in the AKC Agility Invitational. Most importantly, though, Hex is happy and sound. I know that VetStem Cell Therapy has been a critical part of Hex's return to sport and I sleep better at night knowing that Hex's stem cells are banked and ready should we need to use them in the future.”

Stem cells are regenerative cells that can differentiate into many tissue types and release growth factors and proteins that help reduce inflammation, stimulate tissue repair, and promote healing. VetStem Cell Therapy has been used in the treatment of orthopedic injuries, arthritis, and tendon and ligament damage in dogs, cats, and horses. By helping injured animals heal, stem cells can improve quality of life and, in many cases, allow canine athletes like Hex to return to work and competition. Learn more at www.VetStem.com.

About VetStem, Inc.
VetStem is a veterinarian-led Company that was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the profession. This privately held biopharmaceutical enterprise, based near San Diego, California, currently offers veterinarians an autologous stem cell processing service (from patients’ own fat tissue) among other regenerative modalities. With a unique expertise acquired over the past 15+ years and thousands of treatments by veterinarians for joint, tendon and ligament issues, VetStem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality. The VetStem team is focused on developing new clinically practical and affordable veterinary solutions that leverage the natural restorative abilities present in all living creatures. In addition to its own portfolio of patents, VetStem holds exclusive global veterinary licenses to a large portfolio of issued patents in the field of regenerative medicine.

Kristi Hauta, Director of Commercial Operations
VetStem, Inc.
+1 858-748-2004
email us here

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