Equine Joint Injections - Good or Bad?
By Brittany T Factor, DVM | Submitted On November 21, 2015
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Expert Author Brittany T Factor, DVM
"You want to do what to my horse? Oh, I don't believe in joint injections. My grand prix jumper competed until he was 23-years-old and never needed his joints injected."
I'll go ahead and say it. Although I shouldn't judge, my mind starts going in all directions at such a bold statement. …show more content…
I am an equine veterinarian that focuses in sports medicine. This controversial topic is not an easy nor a simple discussion with my clients.
So, are they good or bad?
If you are an equine competitor, no doubt you have had a horse injected or know another that has. Most would agree that joint injections among the equestrian horse show community have become somewhat "trendy." They've also received a bad reputation. Some would consider the use of this treatment last minute or at the event as a gain in advantage over another competitor with a less "souped up" horse. And in this case, I would agree, joint injections... very bad.
More commonly, you hear the story of the horse that had a joint injected with corticosteroids every 2 months just so it could continue showing... yes, very bad.
The use of this modality to mask pain when a more severe underlying pathology exists forces the horse to use itself harder when otherwise the horse might guard this area and thereby protect itself from further injury.
Comparatively, a competitor that schedules routine veterinary visits to evaluate soundness, rule out injury versus inflammation, and utilizes joint injections prior to an event in this manner... very …show more content…
As with any invasive veterinary service, this is a risk an owner must take. Competent preparation, care in sterility, and proper handling decrease this risk significantly. Many practitioners, including myself, include antibiotics with the other medications used.
In my professional opinion, I do not believe that the incidence of risk is so unacceptable to completely dismiss treatment by joint injection completely from a list of options. Although there are a multitude of alternative ways to treat joint inflammation, frankly, for some horses, joint injection has been the only treatment that has made a significant change in comfort.
In summary, I believe that the benefits of joint injections, used in good judgement, outweigh their bad reputation and low incidence of harmful effects. In conjunction with frequent routine veterinary assessment, proper conditioning, and training, they may help reduce injuries, enhance performance, and essentially create more sustainable equine
By Brittany T Factor, DVM | Submitted On November 21, 2015
Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest
Expert Author Brittany T Factor, DVM
"You want to do what to my horse? Oh, I don't believe in joint injections. My grand prix jumper competed until he was 23-years-old and never needed his joints injected."
I'll go ahead and say it. Although I shouldn't judge, my mind starts going in all directions at such a bold statement. …show more content…
I am an equine veterinarian that focuses in sports medicine. This controversial topic is not an easy nor a simple discussion with my clients.
So, are they good or bad?
If you are an equine competitor, no doubt you have had a horse injected or know another that has. Most would agree that joint injections among the equestrian horse show community have become somewhat "trendy." They've also received a bad reputation. Some would consider the use of this treatment last minute or at the event as a gain in advantage over another competitor with a less "souped up" horse. And in this case, I would agree, joint injections... very bad.
More commonly, you hear the story of the horse that had a joint injected with corticosteroids every 2 months just so it could continue showing... yes, very bad.
The use of this modality to mask pain when a more severe underlying pathology exists forces the horse to use itself harder when otherwise the horse might guard this area and thereby protect itself from further injury.
Comparatively, a competitor that schedules routine veterinary visits to evaluate soundness, rule out injury versus inflammation, and utilizes joint injections prior to an event in this manner... very …show more content…
As with any invasive veterinary service, this is a risk an owner must take. Competent preparation, care in sterility, and proper handling decrease this risk significantly. Many practitioners, including myself, include antibiotics with the other medications used.
In my professional opinion, I do not believe that the incidence of risk is so unacceptable to completely dismiss treatment by joint injection completely from a list of options. Although there are a multitude of alternative ways to treat joint inflammation, frankly, for some horses, joint injection has been the only treatment that has made a significant change in comfort.
In summary, I believe that the benefits of joint injections, used in good judgement, outweigh their bad reputation and low incidence of harmful effects. In conjunction with frequent routine veterinary assessment, proper conditioning, and training, they may help reduce injuries, enhance performance, and essentially create more sustainable equine