Diagnosis and Treatment of Equine Joint Disease

is estimated that a staggering 60 percent of all equine lameness is due to arthritis and joint disease. One of the biggest challenges is that some arthritic horses might not show signs of lameness when there is damage and inflammation in the joint therefore proper prevention and early diagnosis is key to managing the progression of joint disease.
There are many potential causes of equine arthritis.
The everyday wearandtear of repetitive and excessive force on a joint may wear down the supporting tissues. Weightbearing joints including the knee hock fetlock pastern and coffin joints are more prone to be arthritic since they endure the majority of the concussive forces. Poor conformation may exacerbate this placing additional strain on joints.

A physical injury can trigger inflammation and other types of injuries such as a bacterial infection septic arthritis or a joint fracture will stimulate an inflammatory response.
Look for pain swelling heat and loss of function. Signs of pain such as lameness or soreness upon palpation of the joint may indicate inflammation in a joint.
Swelling Acute swelling sudden onset occurs as a result of blood vessel dilation and the movement of fluid into the joint to help repair damaged tissues. This type of swelling is often soft to touch and the horse may be sore upon palpation. Chronic swelling or long term swelling of an inflamed joint may feel harder due to the production of new bone as a result of the chronic inflammatory process.
Heat When a joint becomes inflamed the temperature might rise as much as one degree Celsius above resting body temperature which can be useful as a diagnostic tool given the appropriate equipment our hands are likely not sensitive enough to notice this small change in temperature.
Visual Exam Inflammation in the joint might be visible from the outside due to swelling. Noticing