A Closer Look at Equine Joint Inflammation

well with radiographs that can be involved. Clinically an increase in synovial fluid effusion will often be seen and the synovial fluid itself becomes less viscous it is thinner and more watery.
In order for your veterinarian to best be able to treat your horse an accurate and specific diagnosis is important. Arriving at this diagnosis may involve a lameness exam that includes diagnostic nerve blocks or joint blocks in which a local anesthetic is used to remove sensation from a region of the limb in order to gauge improvement and thereby localize the source of pain. Once the painful joint is determined radiographs may be taken to determine the extent of change to the bones. The goals of treating osteoarthritis are to decrease pain and lameness and minimize the progression of the deterioration of the joint. Although osteoarthritis is not curable it can be managed. Treatment is possible to manage pain and discomfort control swelling prolong athletic function whether it be racing jumping or simply trail riding and maximize the horses lifespan.
One of the mainstays of the medical treatment of osteoarthritis for many years has been nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs NSAIDs such as phenylbutazone Bute. These medications inhibit the production of prostaglandins leading to pain relief and decreased inflammation. If these medications are used intermittently for example if the horse is ridden only occasionally the more traditional nonspecific medications such as phenylbutazone are used quite frequently. If more chronic use is desired newer medications such as firocoxib are available that are more specific and therefore less likely to cause side effects such as stomach ulcers kidney damage and colitis that are of concern with more prolonged NSAID use.
The specific joint that is affected with osteoarthritis can also be injected with various medications. Corticosteroids are potent antiinflammatory medications and are the most traditional component of joint injections. They have been used for many years to effectively treat osteoarthritis in horses. There has been some concern over their use due to several research studies showing potentially detrimental effects on cartilage through the use of corticosteroids. However this research was performed using normal cartilage and more current research studies suggest that joints inflamed with osteoarthritis do not exhibit these detrimental effects. The most commonly used corticosteroids are triamcinolone and methylprednisolone. Horses are typically rested for three to five days after these injections and then return to work.