Arthritis is one of the most common causes of lameness in horses, resulting in poor performance, loss of athletic function and frequently early retirement.
Arthritis can affect horses of any age - the key to successful treatment is early diagnosis and effective control to extend the active life of your horse.
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Careful clinical examination may pinpoint the area of pain or discomfort and stressing the joint by active flexion (flexion test) may highlight the lameness.
Arthritis is believed to be responsible for
of all lameness cases in the UK
In most cases, OA is a slowly progressive condition and cannot be cured, but it can be well managed allowing continued athletic function in many horses. Anti-inflammatory drugs are the mainstay of most treatments for OA. They act by reducing inflammation and provide pain relief. Most of their action is in blocking some of the inflammatory mediators produced in affected joints.
Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) is a collection of proteins derived from a blood sample taken from the horse being treated.
Glucocorticoids have ant-inflammatory activity by inhibiting inflammatory mediator and destructive enzyme production.
IRAP is one of the new biological treatments utilising the patient’s own biochemical proteins to suppress the inflammatory reaction in osteoarthritic joints.
Bisposhonates are medications which suppresses the action of the bone reabsorbing cells (Osteoclasts) and subdues the mediators in joint inflammation and destruction.
If you are concerned that your horse may be experiencing any of the issues described on this page, we would encourage you to talk through these concerns with your vet.
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