Chronic pain and gait analysis in dogs with degenerative hip joint disease treated with repeated intra-articular injections of platelet-rich plasma or allogeneic adipose-derived stem cells

This prospective, comparative, randomized, horizontal, and double-blind clinical study investigated the clinical efficacy of leucocyte-poor platelet-rich plasma (PRP, n=8) or allogeneic adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC, n=8) in dogs with bilateral degenerative hip joint disease (DHJD). Sixteen dogs were treated with two intra-articular injections of PRP or ADSCs, within a 30-day interval. The Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI), the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index (HCPI), and Visual Analogue Scales for pain (VAS-pain) and locomotion (VAS-loc) were assessed by the dog owners. Analysis-of-gait using a force plate, response to palpation (VAS-palp), and the descriptive numerical scale for pain (DNS) were measured by a veterinarian. The assessments were performed before (baseline), 30 and 60 days after the first treatment. Data were analyzed using the unpaired t test, paired Wilcoxon test, Fisher’s exact test, and Mann-Whitney and Friedman tests (P