There are many non-surgical equine joint therapies. Katie Seabaugh, DVM, DACVS, DACVSMR, spoke on “Non-Surgical Joint Therapies at the 2021 AAEP Convention. In this podcast, we got a short synopsis of the key points of her presentation.

Seabaugh takes about corticosteroid use as a therapy. She covered the pros and cons of various types, including those that have been found harmful to cartilage.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) or hyaluron are products used in combination with corticosteroids, she said. They can increase joint viscosity and improve the duration of corticosteroids, according to some research, said Seabaugh.

She also mentioned her use of Adequan as a systemic and IA treatment.

Biologics as Equine Joint Therapies

“There are many great biologic products that are easy to use stallside,” said Seabaugh. She talked about the various types, various sources of the materials, how the products are created, the positives and challenges.

Included in her list of biologics discussed were IRAP, PRP, AZM and stem cells.

Hydrogels

She also talked about the use of polyacrylamide hydrogels. “There are two formulations that are quite different,” said Seabaugh. “It’s important to know what you are using.”

Seabaugh said she has “been impressed” by the use of polyacrylamide hydrogels as a joint therapy. “But it would be nice to know more about the mode of action,” she added.

The Whole Horse

Seabaugh also talked about the need to focus on the whole horse. This included rehabilitation along with equine joint therapies.

Editor’s Note: Check out this article on regenerative medicine.

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