| Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is a | | | | particularly rosy with treatment often being limited to |
| progressive loss of joint cartilage. It represents the last | | | | reducing joint pain and stiffness. Drug therapy is often |
| stage of many arthritic conditions in horses. Examples | | | | used for pain relief. The most widely used pain relief |
| of other arthritic conditions where osteoarthritis is the | | | | drugs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications |
| last phase are traumatic arthritis (which involves the | | | | such as ketoprofen, firocoxib, and phenylbutazone. A |
| synovial membrane and joint capsule), fractures of the | | | | physical therapist specializing in horses may be helpful |
| joint, damage to the cartilage caused by trauma, | | | | in specific cases to improve joint mobility. When |
| osteochondritis dissecans, cysts beneath the cartilage, | | | | osteoarthritis has advanced to a certain point surgery |
| and infective arthritis. Lameness is one of the | | | | may be performed on the affected joints. Some |
| heartbreaking consequences of osteoarthritis in horses. | | | | horses return to athletic soundness after surgical fusion |
| There may be varying degrees of excess fluid in the | | | | of the pastern or tarsal joints. For very valuable |
| joint, an abnormal thickening and scarring of the | | | | animals, the fetlocks may be surgically fused, making |
| membranes, as well as limited/restricted motion in the | | | | he horse comfortable and capable of breeding. |
| affected joints. When viewing the involved joints | | | | In summary, the joints of horses are amazingly durable |
| through an x-ray or bone scan a decreased joint | | | | but over time they simply wear out. While there are a |
| space is seen as well as bony outgrowth, inflammation | | | | few good options for treating osteoarthritis in horses |
| of the muscles or tendons, and a hardening and | | | | some horse owners are opting for natural alternatives |
| thickening of the tissue below the cartilage.When | | | | containing vitamins and minerals. These supplemental |
| osteoarthritis in horses is less severe, a viewing device | | | | treatments work with your horse's body to help rebuild |
| (endoscope) is used to determine the severity of joint | | | | joint cartilage and restore joint health naturally and may |
| damage. | | | | be a treatment option worth considering. |
| The prognosis for osteoarthritis in horses is not | | | | |