A seven-year-old black Newfoundland dog has become the first canine in Canada to receive a stem cell operation performed entirely in a veterinary office.

Dr. Erik Sjonnesen and vet assistant Sarah Barger perform a stem cell operation on Lexi, a seven-year-old Newfoundland dog, at Malton Veterinary Services in Mississauga, Ont., Friday morning. (Kimberly Styles)The procedure was performed Friday morning by veterinarians Dr. Mike Hutchinson and Dr. Erik Sjonnesen at the Malton Veterinary Services clinic in Mississauga, Ont. Hutchison is trainer from MediVet Canada, which pioneered the procedure

The patient, Lexi, suffers from hip dysplasia, a severe form of arthritis in dogs, and degenerative joint disease in her left and right hips. It made it difficult for the dog to get around.

The veterinarians removed about a tablespoon of fat from Lexi's shoulder, which contains dormant stem cells. Those cells were then mixed with platelet rich plasma taken from the dog's blood to activate the stem cells.

A portion was injected into Lexi's joints and the rest was given intravenously.

'We're using the body's fat to repair itself. How cool is that?'—Dr. Michael Hutchinson, MediVet

"We're using the body's fat to repair itself," Hutchinson said in a radio interview, "How cool is that?"

While the procedure on its own isn't new, what makes this operation a Canadian first is that the stem cells were cultured within the vet's office, rather than being sent to a laboratory in the United States.

According to MediVet stem cell therapy uses an animal's own regenerative healing power and can help dogs, cats and horses suffering from osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, and tendon and cartilage injuries.

The procedure takes about four hours and costs about $1,800. The recovery period is 20 to 30 days.

Hutchinson said tens of thousands of stem cell procedures have now been done on animals worldwide, with a high rate of success.