Veterinarians Agree: Current Treatments Manage Symptoms; Anticipate Regenerative Options – Gallant Study
Half of veterinarians surveyed expressed a strong intent to use regenerative therapies in their clinical practice.
Gallant has published a new study examining how small animal veterinarians view current treatment approaches for common diseases, as well as their current use of and future expectations for regenerative medicine in clinical care. Conducted by Trone Research + Consulting (TRC), the study surveyed over 800 veterinarians across the United States, focusing on four common chronic conditions: canine and feline osteoarthritis (OA), feline chronic kidney disease (CKD), and feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS).
Veterinary Perceptions: Symptom Relief vs. Disease Modification
Across all conditions studied, veterinarians largely agree that current therapies primarily manage symptoms rather than address the underlying disease. For example, 69% of respondents indicated that treatments for canine OA mainly address clinical signs, while only 14% believed they treat the disease itself. This pattern was consistent across feline OA, CKD, and FCGS.
Survey findings suggest that many chronic diseases remain challenging to manage, particularly in cats. Treatment satisfaction across conditions was highest for canine OA at 56%, and significantly lower for feline conditions, dropping to just 8% for FCGS.
High Intent to Use Regenerative Therapies in the Future
Although regenerative medicine is an area of growing interest, current clinical experience remains relatively limited. Fewer than 10% of veterinarians reported having used platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or autologous stem cell therapy in their practice.
Looking ahead, roughly half of veterinarians surveyed expressed high intent to adopt regenerative therapies in their practice across all four disease areas. Only a small minority (11-13%) reported low or no intent.
Disease Modification Strongly Influences Prescribing Behavior
Respondents indicated that regenerative therapies would be more appealing if they addressed root causes. When asked if a product that modifies disease would increase their likelihood to prescribe, the vast majority of veterinarians said yes – ranging from 73% for canine OA to 86% for FCGS. This suggests that product attributes aligned with long-term impact, rather than short-term symptom relief, may carry greater clinical value in the eyes of practitioners.
A Field Ready for Innovation
“Veterinarians clearly recognize the limitations of existing treatments and are signaling interest in therapies that can restore health at the source. While experience with regenerative medicine is still emerging, the strong intent to prescribe disease-modifying options suggests a growing openness to innovation, especially when it’s grounded in long-term value and outcomes,” said Doug Barton, CEO of Trone Research + Consulting.
“Nearly 80% of senior dogs and cats suffer from chronic osteoarthritis, and veterinarians overwhelmingly agree that current treatments only manage the symptoms,” according to Dr. Linda Black, CEO of Gallant. “The tools we have today simply aren’t enough, but that’s changing. With off-the-shelf stem cell therapies on the horizon, we’re delivering a new category in pet care – one that promises not just symptom relief, but true disease modification. We’re excited to see that veterinarians are not only ready for this shift, but eager to bring regenerative medicine into their everyday practice.”
About the Survey
Conducted by Trone Research + Consulting for Gallant, the study surveyed a total of 806 U.S.-based general practice veterinarians: 406 focused on feline chronic kidney disease (CKD) and feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), and 400 focused on canine and feline osteoarthritis (OA). All participants had been in practice for at least one year, treated patient populations composed of ≥50% companion animals, and served as primary decision-makers for treatment protocols and product selection. Data was collected in multiple waves between 2023 and 2024.
