Editor’s note: Lead researcher Dr. Ashlee Watts of Texas A&M University will speak about this research at the 2017 AAEP Convention on Tuesday December 6 from 3:10-3:55 p.m. in the Valencia Ballroom.
An article titled “A randomized, controlled trial of the effects of resveratrol administration in performance horses with lameness localized to the distal tarsal joints” was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in September 2016. It is available in full for purchase from that website.
Objective and Study Design
To determine the effect of resveratrol administration in performance horses with lameness localized to the distal tarsal joints. The design of the study was a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial that included 45 client-owned horses with lameness localized to the distal tarsal joints.
Procedures
All horses received injections of triamcinolone acetonide in the centrodistal and tarsometatarsal joints of both hind limbs. A placebo or a supplement containing resveratrol was fed twice daily by owners for 4 months. Primary outcomes were horse performance as determined by rider opinion (better, worse, or the same) and change in lameness severity from the enrollment examination.
Results
Complete data were obtained for 21 horses that received resveratrol and 20 that received the placebo. Percentage of riders who reported that the horse’s performance was better, compared with worse or the same, was significantly higher for the resveratrol group than for the placebo group after 2 (20/21 [95%] vs 14/20 [70%]) and 4 (18/21 [86%] vs 10/20 [50%]) months. The change in A1:A2 ratio between the enrollment and 4-month recheck examinations was significantly better for horses in the resveratrol versus placebo group. However, subjective lameness scores and degree of asymmetry of pelvis movement did not differ between groups.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
Results suggested that in performance horses with lameness localized to the distal tarsal joints, injection of triamcinolone in the centrodistal and tarsometatarsal joints of both hind limbs followed by oral supplementation with resveratrol for 4 months resulted in reduced lameness, compared with triamcinolone injection and supplementation with a placebo.
Authors
Ashlee E. Watts DVM, PhD, Robin Dabareiner DVM, PhD, Chad Marsh DVM, MS, and G. Kent Carter DVM, of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University; Kevin J. Cummings DVM, PhD, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University.
