There's still Time to Instill Healthy Family Habits
The kids are still out of school. The weather's great. (Ok - maybe after 5 pm!). There's no shortage of activities to do together. Why not make some memories and start instilling healthy family practices at the same time?

We're big fans of evening family walks. Cool evening air combined with wonderful paseo paths or SCV public parks make for an enjoyable family outing. Add a Frisbee for fun! Just don't forget to stay hydrated. Even in the cooler mornings, the weather is still warm and dry. Handheld water bottles or waist belts with water bottles are a must.

So is quality footwear. Happy walkers need happy feet! If shoes are more than a year old, it's time to replace them. And don't let your kids (Or you!) do damage to their tootsies, legs, hips and back. Long walks in flip flops are never a good idea. Supportive footwear for the entire family - and a collection of the most friendly, knowledgeable "shoe people" you'll find anywhere - can be found at Runners Lane. 260-3368

More than a Dozen Stem Cell Cases
Where we are Now
by Michael Campbell
It's amazing how news travels about stem cell therapy availability in both the Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valleys. We performed our first stem cell procedure nearly seven weeks ago, combined with a TPLO procedure. Since that time, we've performed over 10 Stem Cell and three PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) procedures.

We've obtained significant, valuable experience in identifying treatable conditions that will benefit from stem cell therapy. Treatable cases can include arthritis, orthopedic conditions such as cartilage and joint degeneration and ligament or tendon damage like those requiring TPLO or Tight Rope procedures. It's important to note that if you pet requires significant restructuring of the joint, such as what is performed during a TPLO, stem cell therapy is not a replacement for that procedure. We still highly recommend Stem Cell Therapy in combination with the surgical procedure because it is a fantastic adjunctive therapy. Research shows that combined with stem cell therapy, surgical procedures heal much more quickly and the duration of pain is significantly shortened.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a non-surgical procedure that uses cells from your own pet to treat conditions such as chronic wounds and surgical incision sites. These cells dramatically decrease healing time at the site of application.

Recently we've ventured into treating spinal conditions with stem cells. There is a lot of research in this area right now and early results are extremely promising. Patients who have received treatment suffered from partial paralysis of the hind limbs, narrowing disk space and diagnoses of IVDD.

We are privileged to have advanced imaging available at our hospitals, so following these cases with regular CT scans is part of the treatment plan. Our documentation will be used to help research the effects of stem cells on spinal therapy cases.

Community education is a cornerstone to our practice. If you have a group or organization that is interested in having a stem cell therapy representative speak, we would love to make arrangements.

All Creatures Veterinary Center 291-1121; Canyon Country Veterinary Hospital 424-9900

Please Help to End Alzheimer's!
Can you help make the inaugural Santa Clarita "Walk to End Alzheimer's" a success? Consider forming a team to participate in this fun, inspiring event scheduled for September 21 at Bridgeport Park in Valencia.

A team can be a family or a group of friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates... any group of any age or ability can participate, raise funds and make a difference for people dealing with Alzheimer's Disease.

Just go online to www.alz.org/socal to register your team. Or call the Santa Clarita Walk to End Alzheimer's Teams Committee. They would be happy to sign you up and share news about the next Teams Rally event. Geneva Knoles and Kathy Tucker, both of Visiting Angels, are ready to help you help the Alzheimer's Association! Reach them at gknoles@visitingangels.com or ktucker@visitingangels.com.