Equine Joint Injections

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Equine Joint Injections

• By Shane Smith

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Why Choose to Inject?

• Used to improve flexion
• Stop or slow degenerative joint disease
• Reduce inflammation and swelling in joint
• Primarily used in competitive animals

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Why Choose to Inject?

• You may have noticed a change in performance of
  horse
• Example A calf roping horse isnt stopping as
  hard as normal
• Lameness or soreness of horse
• Decline in ability to perform duties correctly

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Internal Structure of Joint

• Intraarticular ligament
• Connects bones, holds joint together
• Joint capsule
• Surrounds joint, protects from outer environment
• Synovial membrane
• Membrane surounding synovial fluid
• Articular cartilage
• Cartilage contained within the joint
• Synovial cavity with fluid
• Fluid that reduces friction between joints,
  composed of hyaluronic acid and lubricin (both
  aid in lubricaiton)
• Perearticular ligament
• Surrounds entire joint capsule, connects bone to
  bone

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Healthy Joint

• Synovial Membrane
• Permeable membrane that filters blood, excludes
  protein, and adds hyaluronic acid to form
  synovial fluid
• Cartilage
• Repair cells under normal wear and repair
• Synovial Fluid
• Boundary lubricant of the joint capsule, removes
  waste and nourishes cartilage

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Diseased Joint

• Destructive enzymes in joint break down the
  barrier and lubricant function
• Damaged or eroded cartilage causing pain and lose
  of ability to absorb shock
• Inflamed synovial cells allow unwanted cells into
  the synovial membrane
• Inflammation causes pain and discomfort for the
  horse

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Where Can You Inject?

• Hock
• Stifle
• Coffin Bone
• Ankle (Pastern/Fetlock)
• Knee
• SI (Lower back above pelvis)

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Application of Injection

• Area surrounding injection site is sterilized
  using alcohol and betadine solution
• Needle is inserted through the synovial membrane
  into the joint capsule
• Solution is injected into joint capsule

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Types of Medicines Used

• Adequan (Intramuscular Injection)
• Legend (Intra-articular Injection)
• Hyaluronic acid (Intra-acticular)
• Corticosteroids

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Risks

• Joint infections
• Small amount of antibiotic is often injected
• Flare
• Painful inflammation at injection site, sometimes
  accompanied by lameness
• Usually temporary

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Types of Horses Injected
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Maintenance

• Injections not only used to correct lameness and
  soreness but also to maintain proper joint
  function
• Trainers start horses on injections early to
  promote good joint function

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Ideal Treatment

• Stimulate cartilage repair
• Health of cartilage determines health of joint
• Restore synovial lubrication to facilitate joint
  movement
• Stops the disease cycle by inhibiting harmful
  enzymes attacking synovial fluid
• Relieve pain cause by inflammation and swelling
• Restore the natural wear and repair cycle

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Follow Up Care

• After injecting, rest horse 3-5 days
• Compete
• Routine check ups with veterinarian to monitor
  joint status
• Re-inject after several months to continue
  treatment

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Sources

• "Equine Therapy." Adequan.Com. Oct. 2007.
  Luitpold Pharmaceuticals. 3 Mar. 2008
  lthttp//www.luitpoldanimalhealth.com/gt.
• Scott, Michael. "Sore Hocks to Inject or Not to
  Inject?" Horse-Pages. 2002. Avera Systems. 4
  Mar. 2008 lthttp//www.horse- pages.com/eh_2702200
  2.asp?SKEYgt.
• Wenholz, Sushil D. "Joint Injection FAQs." Equine
  Performance. 2003. Northwest Equine Performance.
  3 Mar. 2008 lthttp//www.equinepi.com/faq/ji.ht
  mlji1gt.
• Wenholz, Sushil D. "Joint Injections a Good
  Idea?" Thehorse.Com. 2008. Blood-Horse
  Publications. 4 Mar. 2008 lthttp//www.thehorse.co
  m/ViewArticle.aspx?ID5160gt.