Osteoarthritis in Horses

Osteoarthritis is an illness of the joints. It causes deterioration of the bones and joint cartilages. It is a disease that mostly affects creatures of middle age and above. The illness is not only found in human beings but can also be found in animals such as horses. The disease results in a lot of pain in the thumb joints, knees and also in the hip bone. This article has information about the disease in horses, symptoms and the methods of treating it.

Horses Affected by Osteoarthritis

We had earlier said that Osteoarthritis is an illness that mostly affects horses of middle age and above but in some cases, you will find even a young horse with the disease. Old horses are more prone to the disease compared to the young ones. Most reviews show that all lameness found in horses is caused by Osteoarthritis. Racing horses are more prone to osteoarthritis of the knee joints because of their intense use that causes wear and tear.

Is Horse Osteoarthritis Curable?

The bone and joint disease in horses is currently incurable though there is some continuing research about the disease to find possible treatment. A veterinary doctor could prescribe some medications. The disease will impair the horse’s legs once it is infected. Once the treatment for horse Osteoarthritis has been discovered, horse keepers will be quite happy to know there is no reason worry in case the horse is infected. Still, it is unlikely that horses can return to competition even if they were to be cured of osteoarthritis.

Risk Factors

The biggest risk that comes about with Osteoarthritis is lameness. When a horse has the disease, then it will have little or no movements since the legs and the joints become generally weak. The disease is a part of aging and it affects even horses that work less or do light work.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis in Horses

There are certain characteristics that will show you whether your horse has a joint disease or not. You should always be keen on the symptoms so that you can know the problem. Some of the symptoms include lameness, joint swelling, reluctance to lie down, changes in performance and behaviours, work avoidance, and general stiffness among others. Once you notice some if not all of these symptoms, know that the horse has the disease and you can think of possible treatment methods available. You can consult a veterinary doctor to help you treat the horse.

Treatment of Horse Osteoarthritis

With the help of a veterinarian, you can treat the affected horse by giving it supplements. There is also a treatment and management program for the horse. Medications such as intramuscular, intravenous and intra-articular injections could help your horse.