
Hosted by Jolle Kirpensteijn & Susan Little · EN

Can Stem Cells Help Cats with Arthritis, Kidney Disease & Stomatitis? with Dr. Rebecca WindsorStem cell therapy is one of the most exciting developments in veterinary medicine, but what diseases could it actually treat? In Part 2 of this special Purr Podcast episode, recorded at the AVMA Convention 2026 and sponsored by an educational grant from Gallant, Dr. Susan Little and Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn continue their discussion with veterinary neurologist Dr. Rebecca Windsor, Vice President of Veterinary Affairs at Gallant, to explore where regenerative medicine is headed and why stem cell therapy may change the future of feline healthcare. How could stem cell therapy transform chronic disease treatment in cats?Is stem cell therapy ready for veterinary practice? After explaining the basics in Part 1, this episode takes a deeper dive into the science behind stem cell therapy, including how donor stem cells are carefully screened and manufactured, why they don't trigger immune rejection, and how they help regulate inflammation throughout the body. We explore several of the most common chronic diseases affecting cats, including osteoarthritis, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), and discusses the promising research that could lead to entirely new treatment options. How do stem cells interact with the immune system? Dr. Rebecca Windsor, DVM, DACVIM, is a board-certified veterinary neurologist with over 20 years of clinical experience. In 2025, she joined Gallant, where she currently serves as the Vice President of Veterinary Affairs. She wants to discover what the future may hold for regenerative medicine in pets!Show Notes90-day study to support reasonable expectation of efficacy for refractory FCGS published in JFMS: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40999564/ Clinical field study evaluating the safety and efficacy of allogeneic uterine-derived mesenchymal stem cells for refractory feline chronic gingivostomatitis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41757710/ Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) Therapy for Feline Osteoarthritis: https://www.gallant.com/science-library/mesenchymal-stromal-cell-msc-therapy-for-feline-osteoarthritis/ RACE Approved CE for Regenerative Medicine Era: https://learn.gallant.com/ Learn more about Gallant: https://www.gallant.com/AThanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

Can stem cell therapy transform the future of feline medicine? In this special Purr Podcast episode, recorded at the AVMA Convention 2026, Dr. Susan Little and Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn sit down with veterinary neurologist Dr. Rebecca Windsor, to examine one of the most exciting developments in veterinary medicine: off-the-shelf stem cell therapies for cats. This episode is sponsored by an educational grant from Gallant.What is the science behind the rapidly growing field of stem cell therapy? Dr. Rebecca Windsor, DVM, DACVIM, is a board-certified veterinary neurologist with over 20 years of clinical experience. In 2025, she joined Gallant, where she currently serves as the Vice President of Veterinary Affairs. She wants to discover what the future may hold for regenerative medicine in pets! Dr. Windsor explains what stem cells actually are, how they can regulate inflammation, tissue repair, and immune function. We discuss feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), one of the most painful and frustrating diseases seen in cats. Learn why some cats don't respond to traditional treatments and why stem cell therapy is generating so much excitement as a potential new treatment option. What is the difference between older stem cell techniques and modern therapies? What are the current FDA regulations of veterinary stem cell therapies?Show Notes90-day study to support reasonable expectation of efficacy for refractory FCGS published in JFMS: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40999564/ Clinical field study evaluating the safety and efficacy of allogeneic uterine-derived mesenchymal stem cells for refractory feline chronic gingivostomatitis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41757710/ Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSC) Therapy for Feline Osteoarthritis: https://www.gallant.com/science-library/mesenchymal-stromal-cell-msc-therapy-for-feline-osteoarthritis/ RACE Approved CE for Regenerative Medicine Era: https://learn.gallant.com/ Learn more about Gallant: https://www.gallant.com/Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

In this episode of the Purr Podcast, Dr. Serge Chalhoub joins Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle to talk about something that is quietly changing how veterinarians work up feline urinary disease: point-of-care ultrasound. Rather than sending a cat off for specialist imaging or guessing at what is happening in the bladder, point-of-care ultrasound puts answers right there in the exam room, in real time, without the wait and without the stress of extra procedures. Dr. Chalhoub, a board-certified internal medicine specialist at the University of Calgary whose clinical interests center on nephrology, urology, and minimally invasive diagnostics, walks through what bedside ultrasound actually shows, when it changes the clinical picture, and why it is becoming an essential skill for practitioners.Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

Dr. Mike is back with a bonus episode nobody scheduled, because the screwworm did not check our calendar. The New World screwworm has arrived in the United States for the first time in sixty years, confirmed in Texas and New Mexico, with a quarantine zone now covering fourteen Texas counties. While livestock take the hardest hit, cats are absolutely at risk, because the fly lays her eggs in any open wound, and even a small scratch or post-surgical incision is enough of an invitation. The saving grace is that a year of preparation preceded this moment, with FDA emergency use authorizations now covering cats, including Credelio Cat and NexGard COMBO, and most recently a generic over-the-counter nitenpyram option that kills larvae within hours. Dr. Mike explains what living in the affected zone actually means for your cat, and whether the screwworm’s steady northward march through Central America and Mexico is likely to continue up the map. We also cover the other infection keeping feline medicine on its toes: H5N1 in cats. More than 130 feline cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 have been confirmed across the United States, from barn cats to strictly indoor pets, and cats appear to be exquisitely sensitive to the virus. The mortality rate sits somewhere between fifty and seventy percent, and whether infected cats can pass the virus to other cats remains an open and uncomfortable question. Two infections, one episode, and a very compelling argument for keeping your cat’s wounds clean and your raw milk off the menu. Do not miss this one.miss.Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

Are we prescribing medications for FIC that lack meaningful evidence? Dr. Serge Chalhoub, a board-certified small animal internal medicine specialist and Professor at the University of Calgary's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, joins the Purr Podcast to discuss best practices in feline urinary disease management. His clinical and research interests focus on nephrology, urology, point-of-care ultrasound, and minimally invasive procedures. What should be first-line therapy for cats with lower urinary tract disease?Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

What does pain look like in cats? A new Purr Podcast with Dr. Tamara Grubb. Tammy is back for our second episode, and this time we do a deep dive into pain management in cats. Some of the signs are clear enough that even the most casual observer would notice, but cats are masters of concealment, and most of the time they hide their discomfort so well that even devoted owners and experienced clinicians can miss what is right in front of them. We talk about what to look for, how to think about pain assessment across different situations and life stages, and what we can do about it once we actually find it.Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

Let’s talk about fear-free feline anesthesia! Feline anesthesia has changed dramatically, and so has our understanding of pain in cats. Our next Purr Podcast guest, Dr. Tamara Grubb, is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia and an internationally recognized expert in pain management. She shared the biggest mistakes that veterinarians make in feline anesthesia!Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

If you've been listening to the Purr Podcast for a while, you already know that Dr. Susan has a special place in her heart for anything that crawls, multiplies, and causes trouble at the cellular level. So when the opportunity came to welcome back the one and only Dr. Jane Sykes for a second conversation, it's safe to say the excitement level in the room was measurable. Dr. Sykes is a Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and one of the most respected voices in veterinary infectious disease anywhere in the world. She has spent her career untangling the complex, the sneaky, and the sometimes downright dramatic world of infections in our companion animals, and lucky for us, she's as generous with her knowledge as she is sharp with her insights. Your hosts, Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn, are back together to guide the conversation, Dr. Susan barely containing her enthusiasm, and Dr. Jolle making sure the rest of us keep up. Whether you're a cat owner wondering what's lurking in your backyard or a veterinary professional looking to sharpen your clinical thinking, this episode has something for you. This is the second time Dr. Sykes has graced the Purr Podcast, and honestly? It still doesn't feel like enough.Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

Are indoor cats really safe? Rabies and disease risks are revealed in this episode of the Purr Podcast! We sit down with Dr. Jane Sykes, a global leader in veterinary infectious diseases. We talk about why vaccine hesitancy is rising and what it means for cats, the latest research on declawing and its long-term effects, and how infectious diseases are changing due to environmental factors.Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️

Feline diabetes management is evolving fast, and SGLT2 inhibitors are at the center of that conversation. In this deep-dive episode, Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle are joined by Dr. Renee Rucinsky — board-certified feline specialist, owner of Mid Atlantic Cat Hospital and Mid Atlantic Feline Thyroid Center, and a key contributor to the AAHA diabetes management guidelines, including the upcoming updated edition. Dr. Rucinsky walks through the mechanism of action of oral SGLT2 inhibitors, their emerging role in feline diabetes management, patient selection criteria, and what the latest evidence is telling us about when and how to use them in practice. If you've been fielding questions from clients about these drugs — or wondering where they fit in your own protocols — this episode gives you the clinical clarity to move forward with confidence.Thanks for tuning in to the Purr Podcast with Dr. Susan and Dr. Jolle!If you enjoyed today’s episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review—it really helps other cat lovers and vet nerds find the show. Follow us on social media for behind-the-scenes stories, cat trivia, and the occasional bad pun. And remember: every day is better with cats, curiosity, and maybe just a little purring in the background. Until next time—stay curious, stay kind, and give your cats an extra chin scratch from us. The Purr Podcast – where feline medicine meets feline fun. 🐾🎙️