Arthritis Symptoms in Horses

Arthritis or degenerative joint disease (DJD) consists of the bony remodeling of the normally smooth surfaces of joints at the location of a joint. It is a secondary symptom to the breakdown of cartilage. In horses, arthritis can be treated or even prevented.

  1. Signs and Symptoms

    • Horses with arthritis develop a variety of signs and symptoms, including swelling around joints, dragging hind toes, lameness, misbehaving including bucking and crowhopping (jumping off all four feet at the same time), refusing jumps, and unwillingness to work.

    Diagnosis

    • Arthritis is diagnosed through the clinical signs noted above and radiographs (x-rays) that show the bony remodeling of the joint and loss of cartilage. A flexion test can also be performed that involves compressing a joint for a given amount of time (for instance one minute) and then having the horse trot If a horse is arthritic in that joint, you will notice lameness in that leg. Different horses react differently to a range of levels of this bony buildup in their joints. Only a licensed veterinarian should diagnose and treat arthritis in a horse.

    Causes

    • The incidence of arthritis in a horse increases over the life of the animal and the amount of work the animal does. For instance, race horses who have been worked hard in training and on the track develop arthritis at younger ages than pleasure horses. Poor conformation can also lead to premature wear on the joints, resulting in arthritis at a younger age.

    Treatment

    • Once arthritis has been diagnosed in your horse, there are a number of treatment options. Adequan is a drug that helps to protect and rebuild cartilage that is lost to arthritis. Legend is a drug made up of hyloronic acid that is a normal component of joint fluid. This also helps bring nutrition to and lubricates the joint. Adequan and Legend can be used independently or together to treat arthritis in horses. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as Bute or Equioxx can help ease the pain and inflammation of arthritis as well but has side effects. Bute can cause ulcer in the large colon and extended use at high does can lead to kidney failure. Equioxx is a Cox-2 inhibitor resulting in fewer side effects than Bute. Accupuncture is a treatment that can be used as an alternative or in addition to medication.

    Prevention

    • Talk with your vet. Oral supplements, such as glucosamine &chondroitin, are the first line of defense. However, these supplements are not FDA approved and have no oversight, and so may contain varying levels of active ingredients. The treatment drugs Adequan and Legend are also used as a preventative measure.