PONTIAC, Mich. – For many, pets are considered members of the family and when they're sick or in pain, most people will do anything to find a cure.
Pet pain is a big problem. It can be hard to diagnose and treat -- and those treatments can occasionally cost big money. Dr. Mike Petty, a local veterinarian, said he has a possible solution that could work when other therapies have failed.
It's called platelet-rich plasma injections.
"It's a way to use our own body's healing powers in a new way," Petty said.
Petty said he noticed an issue with Kiki, his own dog. For an athletic dog, Kiki was having trouble moving. Rather than put her under for surgery, Petty turned to injections for help.
Blood is drawn from the pet and is filtered to capture the platelets, which promote healing. Platelets are a component of blood whose function is to stop bleeding to repair damage.
The blood is spun and injected back into the pet's area of pain. The injections can decrease pain and help tendons or ligaments heal.
Local 4 watched Kiki receive her platelet-rich plasma injections. Petty said her pain level decreased by about half within a day.
Platelet-rich plasma therapies have been used to treat dogs too old to undergo surgery and has been known to promote recovery after surgeries.
Platelet-rich plasma injections aren't a cure-all, but can be used as a last resort if nothing else has worked.
Local 4 checked back on Kiki a few weeks later and saw her running and jumping -- like a young puppy.
Reach out to your vet to see if platelet-rich plasma injections could be the solution to your pet's pain issues.
You can find more information on Petty's work and how to identify the signs of pet pain on his official website here.