Survey highlights veterinary consensus on stem cell efficacy for inflammatory conditions

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and Gallant, an animal health biotechnology company, recently released the results of their survey, “Regenerative Medicine in Veterinary Practice: Perceptions, Experience, and Outlook,” to examine the industry’s perspective on inflammatory disease management and the role regenerative medicine has in the clinic.

“The survey found strong agreement among veterinary professionals, with nearly 90% of respondents agreeing that current therapies primarily manage symptoms, not the root cause, and 95% saying stem cell therapy will become part of the spectrum of care within the next decade. Nearly 93% report they would likely administer regenerative therapy in their clinic if it were off-the-shelf, delivered through a simple IV [intravenous] protocol,” Gallant disclosed in its organizational release.¹

According to Gallant, the survey gathered insights from 1095 small-animal professionals across the US, and nearly half reported having clients who had already started asking them about regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy.^1,2 Based on the results, Gallant believes the survey is pointing to the profession preparing for integration, seeking standardized, off-the-shelf options that are accessible in everyday practice and supported by clear clinical protocols and ongoing education to guide decisions in the clinic.

"These findings reflect what we hear every day from veterinarians," Linda Black, DVM, PhD, CEO of Gallant, said in the release.¹ "Clinicians want more tools to help pets living with inflammatory diseases. They are looking to expand the spectrum of care with options that may address disease at a deeper level."

Some key findings from the survey include the following¹:

• 43% of pet owners are asking about regenerative medicine options.
• 79% of respondents said they are likely to use or recommend stem cell therapy in the future.
• 87% of respondents agree that current treatments for inflammatory diseases primarily manage symptoms rather than the root cause.
• 93% of respondents said they would be more likely to offer clients regenerative therapy in their clinic if it were off-the-shelf, ready to use, and administered through a simple IV protocol.

Stem cell advancements

Gallant published a study in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery last year involving 46 cats. The study found that 75% of treated cats showed a clinically relevant improvement in their quality of life by day 1, almost half experienced a measurable improvement in oral lesions, and none experienced serious treatment-related adverse events.³

In November 2025, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine issued a technical section complete letter for target animal safety, indicating that Gallant’s data support the 365-day safety requirement for stem cell therapy for its lead therapy targeting refractory feline chronic gingivostomatitis. This letter was a massive advancement in the FDA conditional approval process.⁴

"There's growing recognition that regenerative medicine can offer more than symptom management, and veterinary professionals want to feel confident discussing these new options," said Rebecca Windsor, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology), director of veterinary affairs at Gallant.¹ "As Gallant moves toward conditional FDA approval of the first off-the-shelf stem cell therapy for cats, we are focused on exactly that: providing the right tools through educational platforms and peer-reviewed clinical research to enable mainstream adoption of this exciting new category in veterinary medicine."

References

1. National survey: veterinary professionals see stem cell therapy as a powerful new tool for inflammatory diseases in pets. News release. Gallant. March 2, 2026. Accessed March 11, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-survey-veterinary-professionals-see-stem-cell-therapy-as-a-powerful-new-tool-for-inflammatory-diseases-in-pets-302701103.html
2. Regenerative medicine in veterinary practice: perceptions, experience, and outlook. Gallant. March 2, 2026. Accessed March 11, 2026. https://www.gallant.com/blog/regenerative-medicine-in-veterinary-practice-perceptions-experience-and-outlook/
3. Williams VS, Schneider JL, Parrish RS, et al. Clinical field study evaluating the safety and efficacy of allogeneic uterine-derived mesenchymal stem cells for refractory feline chronic gingivostomatitis. J Feline Med Surg. 2025;27(11):1098612X251385852. doi:10.1177/1098612X251385852
4. McCafferty C. Gallant achieves drug approval milestone. dvm360. November 12, 2025. Accessed March 11, 2026. https://www.dvm360.com/view/gallant-achieves-drug-approval-milestone