Horse Joint Supplement Injections

Equine athletes have an enormous amount of stress put on their joints. Whether they are jumping a course, sliding to a stop, penning cows or performing a complicated dressage test, performance horses' joints are under a large amount of strain. This strain can often result in painful conditions caused by damage to the joint. Fortunately, horse owners have many options when it comes to treating these conditions, one of them being intra-articular injections of joint supplements.

  1. Explanation

    • Horse joints are highly susceptible to injury, arthritis and the breakdown of the delicate structures within the joint. Once the joint is compromised, it will often cause lameness and/or pain. Once a vet determines the cause of the problem, he can treat the joint with an injection of a variety of supplements including steroids, hyaluronic acid and polysulfated glycosaminoglycan.

    Types

    • Vets may recommend cold-hosing for an inflamed joint.

      Intra-articular injections are commonly administered in a horse's hock, pastern, coffin joint, fetlock, knee and stifle joints. Many of these joints, such as the hock and knee, are comprised of a number of smaller structures within the joint. A vet will determine which of these structures should be injected to improve the overall health of the joint.

    Effects

    • Horses are often back to 100 percent after joint injections.

      Joint injections, when administered correctly, will reduce inflammation and pain while improving joint mobility. After a short rest period, most horses will show marked improvement.

    Warning

    • Carefully monitor your horse's joints for signs of heat and swelling.

      It is imperative that your vet determine the specific cause of your horse's soundness issues prior to administering injections. Otherwise, problems can arise. For example, if your horse has a bone chip or a fracture and the injection relieves the associated pain, the injury could progress rapidly.The horse owner has the responsibility of carefully monitoring her horse's health, especially for signs of joint swelling, heat, lameness or pain. These are all signs of joint disease.

    Considerations

    • Joint injections are often used as part of a health maintenance program, especially for older horses. This course of action is most successful when used in conjunction with proper nutrition, weight management and anti-inflammatory medication. Often times, joint injections will contain a small amount of antibiotic to prevent infection. This treatment can be quite expensive and may not result in the desired outcome. Be sure to discuss all of your concerns with your vet before proceeding with treatment.

    Expert Insight

    • According to Craig T. Roberts, DVM, "Starting down the pathway of 'joint maintenance' and semi-routine injections DOES NOT mean the horse will desire or require continued injections for the remainder of their life (not even their performance life for that matter...). In fact, many horses once on the decline of their careers will move to lesser levels of performance where these types of conditions may not affect their comfort."