Common Injections for Horses | Petmd

Common injections are a common topic for horse owners – especially if your horse ages, in competition or both. Whether LED injections is right for your horse is a decision that deserves careful consideration.

What are horse joints?

Common injections are just like they sound like: an injection in a joint of a trained professional, your veterinarian. A needle is placed in the space between bones that include the joint, also called the intra -articular space, where a treatment is administered.

Some joints are easier to inject, while others may be impractical to inject because of the depth of surrounding muscles. Usually veterinarians inject into the lower extremes of the horses.

Common injections are very common in performance horses of all ages. Some disciplines such as show jumping and barrel racing use common injections more often, but stricter laws have been developed in recent years that limit joint injections for performance for close to a race or show.

Why does a horse need joint injections?

One joint is anywhere on the horse's body where two legs gather. Surrounds that space is a structure called the joint capsule, which contains joint fluid (synovial fluid). Synovial fluid consists of large molecules (hyaluronan) and other proteins. The ends of the legs are also covered in cartilage.

Both the cartilage and the joint fluid give a pillow and prevent the two legs from rubbing against each other. When the cartilage is broken down or the joint fluid can thin, the bone can slip against bones, causing pain and inflammation as well as changes in the bone structure itself.

These changes often result in slippery and reduces the area of ​​movement in the horse's steps.

Each time a horse experiences inflammation of an joint, injections can help relieve pain and inflammation and increase the movement area.

Common conditions that can take advantage of joint injection use include:

Joint injections provide pain relief by reducing inflammation. Corticosteroids block inflammation receptor paths, and reducing inflammation also helps to protect cartilage from further damage.

Types of LED injections for horses

Steroids

Corticosteroids are synthetic steroid drugs that reduce pain and inflammation. They are generally cheap and readily available, but overuse has been shown to cause cartilage damage in horses over time.

Steroids should also be used with caution or not at all in horses that are metabolic or prone to laminitis.

Hydrogels

Hydrogels, such as arthramid and Noltrex, provide pain relief by forming a gallop in the joint that acts as a liquid pillow between the legs.

Hyaluronic acid

Large molecules such as hyaluronic acid help improve the quality of the joint fluid by helping to make the liquid more viscous. When a horse ages, the joint fluid can become thinner and less viscous, which gives less pillow in the joint.

Ortobiology

Thrombocyt-rich plasma (PRP) and interleukin-1-receptor antagonist protein (IRAP) originate from the horse's own blood and are made in a lab before injected into the joint. These treatments help reduce inflammation and slow degenerative changes.

How often does LED injections have to be done?

Common injections can have a wide range of flexibility when it comes to how often they are repeated. It depends on how the individual horse responds to the first injection. But in general, the joints can be injected as often as with a few weeks or as little as once a year.

Keep in mind that the frequency of injections can play a role in how well the horse responds to the injections. Over time, the injections will become less beneficial.

Cost of LED injections for horses

The cost of joint injections can vary from $ 200 to $ 1,000 per visit.

Since injections are often made in pairs (eg both hocks or both chips), the total cost may vary depending on several factors, including:

In some areas of the country, prices may be significantly higher. The cost can also increase depending on the type of injection – hydroge, for example, tends to be much more expensive than steroids.

Logs that require special equipment, such as ultrasound direction, will also increase the cost.

Preparation for horse joint injections

Before your veterinarian arrives, brush off you dirt, clay or dust from your horse. You can also hose and clean your legs, but make sure they are dry when your veterinarian gets there.

The horse should be placed in a clean stable or on a cement mat or walking, avoiding shavings or dusty areas.

If your horse has any daily medication, especially NSAID, let your veterinarian know.

Prepare an area or stable without food where your horse can wake up safely after the procedure has been done. Most veterinarians recommend 24 hours of stable support after injections, so make sure the space is available.

How are horse joint injections performed?

Joint injections are usually administered during sedation or any form or restraint to prevent movement.

The injection site is prepared and cleaned carefully to reduce the risk of infection – a process that usually takes seven to 10 minutes.

When the area is prepared, your veterinarian will work out the product, insert the needle into the joint and then attach the syringe to deliver the injection. The actual injection is generally a rapid process.

Once the needle has been removed and all joints are injected, your veterinarian can apply a silver spray, such as silver honey, or cover the area with a light bandage.

Care after joint injection for horses

Your veterinarian will provide specific aftercare instructions based on the joint injected and the type of product used.

Often you may be asked to administer a NSAID for a few days after the procedure.

In general, most horses are given 24 hours of stable support, followed by two to three days of light work, then a gradual return to regular work.

Side effects of joint injections

There is always a small risk of infection with joint injections, which is why your veterinarian carefully cleans the injection site in advance.

In some cases, horses may experience joints a few days after the injection. This is an inflammatory response – not an infection – but it can still cause swelling and heat in the joint.

Alternative to horse joint injections

If LED injections are not the right choice for your horse, there are other ways to support joint health and reduce inflammation.

Systemic (whole bodies) injectable, such as Adquan, Zycosan and Polyglycan, can be administered deeply in muscle tissue or intravenously on a schedule to improve joint quality.

Oral anti -inflammers, such as phenylbutazone, banamine or equioxx, can be given alone or with Adequan. But long-term NSAID use has potential side effects, so talk to your veterinarian before starting these medications.

Joint supplements containing hyaluronic acid (ha) or glucosamine can be added to your horse feed, but these are better for maintenance, as you will not see such a dramatic effect as you would do with injectable.