Equine Health

Lameness

Joint Therapy: Does your horse need relief?

If your horse has a lameness that has been attributed to early osteoarthritis, then intra-articular injections, or injections into the affected 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). Performance horses that are at a high risk for developing joint disease or any horse that has been diagnosed with very early stage arthritis may benefit from preventative monthly therapy. For those horses with more advanced arthritis, joint injections can give them relief from pain and allow greater performance.