Joint Injections Compared Joint injections using corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid (HA) or a combination of the two are commonly used to treat synovitis and arthritis in performance horses. In this study, researchers compared the efficacy of one type of corticosteroid (triamcinolone acetate, TA) with and without HA for the treatment of lameness, localized to one limb only that responded to a diagnostic joint block. Eighty horses of various breeds were enrolled in the study with follow-up at 3 weeks by re-examining the horses and 3 months by an owner questionnaire. No other medications were permitted during the first 3 weeks of follow-up.

Lameness Occurs The Most Of All Equine Medical Problems

According to federal researchers, lameness has the highest annual incident density of all medical problems in horses, DVM360 Magazine reports. Half of all horse operations with five or more horses have one or more cases of lameness annually. Another federal report estimates lameness incidence at 7.5% to 13.7% annually.