$4500 to make this dog's life easier

Christine Smithies with Eric. Photo / Janna Dixon

Pie-eating rottweiler Eric is about to undergo ground-breaking stem cell treatment to breathe new life into his ageing front legs.

The 8-year-old from Silverdale, Auckland, faces an operation tomorrow in a bid to beat the arthritis in his front leg joints, his feet and shoulder.

The treatment, which is still relatively rare in New Zealand, costs $4500.

But his owners Christine and Brett Smithies say it is worth every cent to make his remaining years enjoyable and free from pain.

Rottweilers have a life expectancy of about 10.

"He's not at the point where we would put him down," said Christine. "He's not crippled to the point of being immobile. We want to deal with it before he is crippled. He's a dearly loved pet and we want him to be happy and active."

Eric, who is 45kg, has had to make some sacrifices before he undergoes surgery.

The "three to four" mince and cheese pies he eats each week have gone as the Smithies try to get him to shed some weight.

"He's a little on the plump side so he's on a serious diet," said Christine.

But Christine has been making a casserole a week for Eric and their other rottweiler to compensate.

Veterinarian David McCormick, who will operate on Eric, said the procedure has been in New Zealand for two to three months and in Australia for three years.

Eric will be put under a general anaesthetic and a small amount of fat will be taken from his belly. The fat tissue, called adipose tissue, is given to a specialist to separate the cells.

The cells are mixed with a solution which is centrifuged, purifying the stem cells from the fat. The cells are then injected into the damaged joint. The entire process takes less than two hours.

Because the stem cells come from the same dog, there is no chance of rejection, said McCormick. "From a technical point of view, it's not that hard," he said. "It's a pretty safe and straightforward procedure."

The couple have tried traditional drugs, which aren't ideal because they affect the animal's delicate constitution.

The Smithies heard the stem cell treatment had been making waves in Australia, and were keen to give it a go.

But, at around $4500, some owners would put their pet down.