Equine Health

Lameness

Joint Injections

If your horse has a lameness that has been attributed to early osteoarthritis, then intra-articular injections, or injections into the joint, may be of benefit. If the osteoarthritis is diagnosed and treated in the early stages, then treatment directly into the affected joint can protect the existing cartilage and help prevent further degeneration of the surface of the bones in the joint. The most common substances to be injected are a combination of a long acting steroid and either a polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (Adequan) or hyaluronic acid (Legend). This decreases the pain and inflammation in the joint while protecting it from further damage.

Performance horses that are at high risk for developing joint disease or any horse that has been diagnosed with very early stage osteoarthritis may benefit from preventative monthly therapy with systemic injections as well. Adequan, given intramuscularly, or Legend, given intravenously, can travel through the horse to each joint in the body, where it serves a chondroprotective (cartilage saving) function and helps against the formation of arthritis.