Dr. John B. Walker
Never has the saying “Prevention is better than cure” been more appropriate than when talking about soundness in sport horses.
Time and again we see good horses worth thousands of dollars have their careers limited or cut short due to preventable soundness issues. The most common culprit is degenerative joint disease (DJD) or osteoarthritis.
DJD develops because the inflammation that occurs within the joint, as a result of galloping, jumping and work in general, gets out of control. Certain enzymes are then released which degrade cartilage.
The cartilage becomes soft and can easily become torn, which then exposes the underlying bone. Further inflammation and pain (and loss of performance) are the end result.
The process accelerates beyond the ability of the body to repair the damage, unless we intervene with an appropriate supplement. Clinical symptoms include lameness, swelling, excessive synovial fluid, pain on flexion, and heat. DJD can range from mild to very severe but even mild cases will have a negative impact on performance.
The traditional treatments for DJD include surgery, anti-inflammatorys, physical therapies and intra-articular medications including IRAP, sodium hyaluronate, and corticosteroids. A crucial step in the prevention and treatment of DJD is the use of oral nutraceuticals.
If used as a treatment the evidence shows that a correct oral dosage needs to deliver at least 10,000mg of glycosaminoglycans (Glucosamine & Chondroitin).
Consequently, a high quality joint powder concentrate like Shark Net or Cosequin is recommended. My personal preference is Shark Net because it also includes adequate levels of Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM).
MSM is an excellent dietary source of Sulphur, an element that is important in the formation of connective tissue and is credited with enhancing blood circulation and reducing inflammation and epiphysitis. Please note that AR 178 C (2) allows the oral administration of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulphate.
In my experience one of the greatest benefits of these daily oral treatments is their long term preventative function. On a maintenance dose they are a very low cost way of keeping the cartilage matrix healthy and helping prevent the onset of osteoarthritis.
This doesn’t just apply to older working horses. We now see the leading thoroughbred studs’ like Arrowfield using oral joint treatments as a prophylactic on yearlings to help insure they reach both the sales and the race track in the best possible physical condition. I know Arrowfield uses Shark Net Joint Powder Concentrate on both their racing and yearling stock.
The message for riders, trainers and owners is that our sport does take its toll on the horse’s joints and it is our responsibility to do what we can to limit the damage.
The best time to start treating sport horses with oral glycosaminoglycans, is as young horses, because prevention is much better (and cheaper) than cure! See it as a financial investment if you like. Should clinical signs of DJD become apparent a detailed veterinary examination is needed to determine the appropriate therapy.
Dr John B. Walker BVSc has more than 15 years experience working with some of the best horses in the country, from Olympic gold medallists to Australian Champion racehorses like Makybe Diva and Miss Andretti. Having worked alongside vets such as Denis Golding, Angus Mckinnon and Jim Vasey, Dr Walker now heads up Performance Equine Veterinarians, a specialist multi vet equine practice that services many leading trainers and equestrians. He is also an FEI vet and consults extensively both interstate and overseas.
Article reproduced with permission of Inside Racing magazine and www.thehorsesmouth.com.au
