|
|
Discussion on Why do you think we see so many joint problems?
|
| Author |
Message |
Member:
juliem
|
Posted on Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008 - 8:00 pm:
I posted this earlier, but don't see it, so if it shows up twice, sorry. I've wondered for years why we see so many joint problems--especially in young horses. I know some reining trainers feel the need to inject the hocks of every horse in training as a maintenance thing. Any opinions on whether it's training, nutrition, breeding, etc.? It seems to me that as an industry, we must be doing something wrong for this to be so common and widespread. I would love to find any research into this area. I know most opinions are speculative, but what do you think? Hope Dr. O will opine!
|
Member:
scooter
|
Posted on Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 - 6:27 am:
Julie, I wonder if it's just because we are more educated and notice things more? Many moons ago when I owned quite a few horses I didn't pay half as much attention to their feet or the way they moved. Now I can pick out a very slight offness.
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 - 7:29 am:
Hello Julie,
My personal experience is that trainers often inject horses when there is no clear indication there is a joint problem other than the horse is not performing at the level they want. I often have horse owners call me out to inject their horse's hocks on the direction of their trainers. After doing a thorough lameness examine I will not find any evidence of lameness. Long ago I learned if I send the horse back to some trainers with no injection, they will have their own vet out to inject the horse usually at great expense to my client. So I instruct the client to tell these guys they were injected. Invariable we get back favorable reports from the treatment regimen not performed.
I know this sounds a bit underhanded but it is a very different thing to go in and treat a unhealthy joint from introducing a needle and foreign substance into a healthy joint. We know that simply introducing the needle causes a inflammatory reaction in the joint and all of the IA products, including the strongly antiinflammatory ones, can cause a inflammatory "flare". This can be severe enough to cause a prolonged problem, possibly being the start up of chronic osteoarthritis. Worse of all is the chance of causing infection and chronic arthritis. Yes the chances of serious deleterious effects from properly done IA injections is very small: but why take the chance when there is no indication for it. And how many small inflammatory events does it take before we introduce chronic inflammation in the joint leading to permanent osteoarthritis.
Julie I do not want to give the impression arthritis is uncommon in performance horses. These are horses that work their joints very hard so a high incidence or both acute synovitis and chronic osteoarthritis should not be surprising. Looking at human athletes, heck looking at my own self, I have osteoarthritis in several joints myself. However with the information available at this time we strongly recommend you resist the maintenance intra-articular injection of any substance and to only treat a joint following a complete lameness exam that indicates the joint is likely to be a problem. For more on what we consider proper preventive measures see Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Joint, Bone, Ligament Diseases » Overview of Arthritis.
DrO
|
Member:
cgby1
|
Posted on Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 - 9:29 pm:
Dr. O
Do you think that the joint supplements with 100mg of sodium Hyaluronate (HA) work if you have a horse that is sore in one of their hocks?
Cynthia
|
Member:
paul303
|
Posted on Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008 - 11:10 pm:
The competition has gotten so cutthroat these days, that everyone is looking for that teeny tiny advantage. I don't believe it's anything in particular, like training, nutrition or breeding per se, but the constant crusade for that one tiny elusive advantage that may or may not exist. It's a driving need to cover all bases - and, heaven knows, "all bases" is a HUGE store of knowledge these days. 30 to 40 years ago, the knowledge was so unsophisticated. The advantage was sought, through very crude measures, like rubber banded tails in reiners, sored hooves in gaited horses, and drugs that were one step ahead of what could be tested for. As the testing and checking advanced and general equine research progressed by leaps and bounds, the show world had to adjust. They have to look at any advantage they can. The study of joints and hooves has risen to a fine art of treadmills and computer models. It's a tough world to compete in today. ANY tiny possibility is grasped at. Is it any better than it was years and years ago? Yeah.....I think so. It seems a lot better to me. It doesn't mean it's perfect, but many of the crudest most inhumane practices of many years ago are gone, and as the detection sciences improve, the more modern "cheat" methods are more and more difficult to sustain. I see injecting joints- in what appears to be a sound horse, as a modern quest for that "elusive" advantage. Dr.O, has a perfect solution for "over enthusiastic" trainers.
As for joint problems, we have forever despaired over them. Years ago, we blistered them with a counter irritant like Savoss. Racing horses, especially trotters, were pinfired as a common practice...afraid, back in those days, to invade the joint capsule. Bog spavin, bone spavin, "joint ill", ringbone, sidebone, navicular, etc., etc....so much of that has been clarified by modern research and the diagnostic tools which today are astounding. I don't know where it will all end up, but I know that I'll continue to be blown away by the advances and our horses will benefit.
|
Member:
gwen
|
Posted on Thursday, Mar 20, 2008 - 6:23 am:
I am frequently perplexed about why my Jack has such advanced arthritis when he really has not been worked hard at all throughout his years. He is put together pretty poorly though, which probably contributes to it.
I wonder though, if the popularity of treating arthritis is because of more knowledge/awareness, more intense competition, and horses being used until later in their lives. I think my entire list has already been mentioned.
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Thursday, Mar 20, 2008 - 6:45 am:
Hello Cynthia, our thoughts on this and other joint supplements can be found at, Treatments and Medications for Horses » Anti-inflammatories (NSAID's, Steroids, Arthritis Rx) » Glucosamine, ChonDrOitin Sulfate, and their use in Arthritis.
DrO
|
|
|
