24 Jun 2026
The hospital is also recruiting paralysed dogs to participate in its ongoing research.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
A Bristol vet practice has become the only centre in the UK to offer a pioneering transplantation treatment that can aid dogs with severe spinal cord injuries.
Bristol Vet Specialists is offering olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation, which transplants cells from a dog’s own olfactory system – said to have a unique natural ability to support nerve repair – directly into the spinal cord.
While it is said the treatment is not a cure for paralysed dogs, it has been shown to help a proportion of severely affected dogs make notable improvements in their ability to walk.
The cells used are taken from the dog and grown in a laboratory before being transplanted into the damaged area of the spinal cord, guided by advanced imaging.
The treatment aims to encourage reconnection between the brain and the nerves below the level of the injury, which allows some dogs to regain voluntary movement.
Nicolas Granger, Bristol’s head of neurology and neurosurgery and an RCVS and European specialist in the field, said: “This treatment is about creating opportunities where, historically, there was very little hope.
“For the right dogs, OEC transplantation can mean improved mobility, greater independence and a better quality of life.
“For many families, this relaunch is a reminder that even in the most serious cases, veterinary science is continuing to push boundaries in the fight to help dogs walk again.”
The hospital is said to have recently refined its techniques before relaunching the service.
It is also recruiting dogs with severe, long‑term (thoraco-lumbar) spinal cord injuries to be considered for cell transplantation as part of an MRI study looking at the distribution of cells within the spinal cord.
Owners of dogs who remain paralysed three months or more after spinal injury are encouraged to speak to their vet about referral; referring vets can contact [email protected]