How to relieve a horse with osteoarthritis?

You notice that your horse is less efficient at work, or even boxing?

It is possible that his joints make him suffer and that you should therefore relieve osteoarthritis horse. Despite what many riders may think, osteoarthritis does not affect only older horses and it is therefore very important to protect the horse's joints well. On the other hand, although it is quite common, osteoarthritis is not a fatality either....

It does not heal, but it is possible to relieve your horse with herbal supplements, such as the harpagophytum or the boswellia, in addition to the medicinal treatments prescribed by the veterinarians.

Zoom in this article on ways to detect and naturally relieve horse osteoarthritis.

What is horse osteoarthritis and how does it affect its cartilage?

Arthritis (or osteoarthritis), also called "articular degenerative disease", is a disease that affects the joints.

This phenomenon is common in humans, but also in horses whose joints (depending on the disciplines, such as obstacle jumping or running) can be tested. More precisely, the osteoarthritis in the horse will manifest itself in the form of a progressive cartilage and bone degeneration a joint (which act as a shock absorber). It will result in lameness, stiffness, difficulty moving and sometimes even eating.

While often associated with older horses, younger horses (especially working horses) may also be affected. Indeed, beyond age, many other factors can be at the origin of thedo not Early osteoarthritis in horses.

How do I check my horse for osteoarthritis?

The osteoarthritis is quite complex to detect, because the simple fact of limping does not mean that your horse has this complex disease. However, there is several symptoms that can put you on the track osteoarthritis in your horse:

• He suffers or seems to suffer from the manipulation of a joint:
• Your horse has stiffness on an area of its body or you hear cracks when it moves a limb;
• It can be cold;
• One joint is warm and/or swollen.

The members are logically the most affected.

But your horse may also suffer from osteoarthritis in its back or cervical vertebrae. If you suspect osteoarthritis in your horse, it is very important to consult your veterinarian.

He will make a definitive diagnosis after an x-ray.

What are the main causes of osteoarthritis in horses?

Osteoarthritis often not one cause, but several.

It is then called primary or secondary osteoarthritis.

Primary osteoarthritis is a degeneration of the joint while in secondary osteoarthritis it is abnormal stresses that are responsible. The main factors causing osteoarthritis in horses are those related to work, and in particular the overstretch of the joint.

The latter may also be inflamed as a result of trauma (such as sprain).

Other many risk factors for osteoarthritis, related to the conformation of the horse are :

• Poor elevations (abnormal deviations from limbs) due to lack of maintenance or malformation;
• Growth: Some growth pathologies such as osteochondrose can also cause osteoarthritis.
• Age: with age cartilage becomes fragile, which increases the risk of osteoarthritis;
• Infections: The penetration of a germ into a joint can degrade cartilage;
• Chemical agents: Irritation by certain medicines (injections into the joint with certain types of cortisone, for example) may also cause osteoarthritis in horses;
• Overweight: Overweight is an additional constraint for cartilage

How to relieve an osteoarthritis crisis naturally: veterinary advice

Osteoarthritis does not cure itself because we cannot reverse. Fortunately, there are many solutions to relieve a natural osteoarthritis crisis.

Drug treatments

If your horse's osteoarthritis is at an advanced stage, your veterinarian may prescribe medication to relieve pain.

The most common are NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) reduce inflammation and associated pain. Another option is Infiltration or intra-articular injection.

Most often, it is steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or IRAP and PRP, hyaluronic acid or polysulphate glycosaminoglycans.

Food supplements

You will understand, it is not possible to cure osteoarthritis (even with the best medical care). Your mission is more like relieve symptoms and slow its evolution so that your horse suffers as little as possible. Since treatment will be chronic (a long-term cure), it is therefore preferable to use this treatment as an alternative.Choose natural and non-invasive solutions.

The ESC laboratory offers a range of 100% natural food supplements. Chondroprotectors are particularly effective in protecting disarticulation cartilage and preventing as treating osteoarthritis in horses. You can choose to:

• Glucosamine which ensures the proper hydration of joint tissues and acts as a lubricant;
• Chondroitin : which maintains good hydration of cartilage and bones. It also protects cartilage cells from free radicals.
• MSM (or Methyl sulfonylmethane) is a source of organic sulphur essential for collagen synthesis. It therefore has moisturizing, resistant properties and gives more elasticity and flexibility to your horse's joints.

How to relieve the osteoarthritis of the horse with the harpagophytum?

To relieve the osteoarthritis of the horse, you can also supplement with harpagophytum. It is indeed one of the most powerful plants to improve the muscle comfort of horses suffering from arthritis. L-harpagophytum (which is called the devil's claw) will essentially relieve joint pain (related to osteoarthritis and tendon inflammation).

It is also a particularly effective natural product to improve its daily flexibility and reduce joint stiffness. This soothing action is due to the content of the Harpagoside, a compound that will inhibit cyclooxygenases, the main cause of rheumatoid arthritis.

At ESC, we developed a root powder d-harpagophytum which will bring comfort and flexibility to the joints to sensitive horses, especially to older horses. In order to strengthen the action of the harpagophytum to relieve the osteoarthritis of the horse naturally, you can also associate it with a chondroprotective like MSM, source of bioavailable sulphur.

And for facilitate horse digestion (especially if your animal is significantly stomach), it is also possible to replace the harpagophytum with the Boswellia serrata or Queen of the Pres pure plant.

Prevention: How can you prevent your horse from suffering from osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis may occur earlier than you thought, it is very important to prevent it, Whatever age your horse is. First of all, heating is essential before any type of work or exercise. Chondroprotector supplementation is recommended in the sports horse in order to protect its locomotor system (to ensure it a better locomotion) and avoid joint damage. As a preventive measure, our dietary supplements also contribute to flexibility and the flexibility of your horse. They are particularly valuable during periods of deburring, training or competition.

Protect your horse's joints with our 100% natural food supplements!