Arthritis in Horses
Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes symptoms like stiffness, inflammation, and pain. Just like humans, horses can develop and suffer from arthritis. Arthritis is almost unavoidable as horses age, but early diagnosis and conscientious care can slow its advance and minimize pain. A vet can run many tests and a thorough body examination to determine whether or not your horse has arthritis.
What Is Arthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease (DJD) involving the breakdown and loss of the cushioning cartilage that lines the end of bones within a joint.1 With this breakdown, there is also a loss of lubricating joint fluid, and the joint as a whole loses its ability to cushion impact and provide a gliding surface during motion. This then results in joint pain and leads to lameness in horses. Arthritis in specific locations in horses goes by common colloquial names such as ringbone and bone spavin.
Symptoms of Arthritis in Horses
The symptoms of arthritis in horses are painful and largely inhibiting motion. If your horse is experiencing any discomfort or you suspect that your horse has arthritis, pay a visit to the vet right away.
Symptoms
- Stiffness
- Pain
- Heat in affected joints
- Lameness
- Bony growths
- Joint inflammation
In its early stages, arthritis may appear as a slight stiffness that the horse overcomes once they are warmed up. In the joint, the cartilage material is breaking down but not repairing itself efficiently. Eventually, as the cartilage becomes more damaged, the bone beneath the cartilage pad becomes damaged too. The horse will experience more discomfort and even heat in the joint as inflammation occurs. As the disease progresses, the horse may experience more pain and lameness. In more advanced cases, small bony growths called osteophytes may be seen under X-ray and may be felt around the affected joint.1
