What’s the best way to treat arthritis in horses?
I have a few horses who have all of them a 20+ and I was just wounding if there is any simple medication not necessarily from the vet but just something easy I can give them to take some of the pain away?
Tagged with: horses • medication • vet
Filed under: Arthritis Medication
You can bute them on their bad days, but that just masks the pain and can cause them to hurt themselves worse by thinking they feel better and playing too hard.
You could add a joint supplement to their feed daily, that may help… but really it would be best to discuss your options with your vet. He/she will know your horses the best and will be able to offer suggestions as to what would suit them the best.
There isn’t a lot you can do besides bute for horses that have severe arthritis.
Painful as it may sound, the best thing you can do for them is allow them to warm up and keep moving. I have arthritis in both knees and in a few years will likely have to have knee replacement surgery. My doctor told me, and he is correct, that the best thing I can do for myself is KEEP MOVING. If I stay still for an extended period of time, such as when I’m sitting at my desk for several hours, I can hardly move at first. It hurts like never mind, but the worst possible thing I could do would be to stop moving, because if I keep moving, I warm up out of the stiffness and pain and can move pretty well– as long as I don’t stop for long!
Same for horses. It may seem to be cruel to make them move, but if they can move, they should. It will help them.
You can try a joint supplement to slow the deterioration of the joints (like MSM, Cosequin or Cortaflex). You can also use bute occasionally to take the edge off the pain (need to get from a vet) but constant use is damaging to the stomach.
About the least expensive joint supplement is MSM, available without a vet prescription. The powder form can just be added to the daily feed. The most important thing you can do to help them is keep them moving by letting them be out 24/7 with a run in shelter.
Movement is one of the most important things to helping a horse with arthritis. (I remember when I was 12 my horse had arthritis and I ended up crying because the vet said to ride her just walking and trotting for 30 mins a day and I knew she hurt) It’d be helpful to get her a pasture with a run in or make sure you can turn her out for a long time every day. (even if it’s just in an arena) You can use bute for her really bad days (They have apple flavored that isn’t too bad you can add it to their feed) and MSM and Cosequin for everyday use to help keep the joints move able. The best way to get rid of the pain is bute but you don’t want to be giving it to them everyday unless the vet says it’s ok as some horses get stomach problems from having it everyday.it’s "easy" but not very cheap though if you want your horse to feel better it’s really necessary. Other than that I would check with my vet for more ideas to help them be comfortable. (you can increase the bedding in their stall, with our one horse we used 2 wheel barrow loads of bedding then straw on top.)
A joint supplement may help, but one of my paddock buddies uses celery seed added into her geldings feed each day, and this works wonders for him! Just 1 tablespoon each day. I know there are other herbs as well that may help too, it could be worth looking into!
My old lady has srthritis in both coffin joints and has, in the past had very expensive and not that effective vet treatment including injections into the joint. Stopped that as she got an infection in the joint from the last one and I nearly lost her. You can try MSM and glucosamine in their feed or a feed supplement (Blue Chip do an excellent one specifically for joints) Add sunflower oil and cider vinegar to their feed, plus homeopathic arnica (X30, 6 per horse) I do use bute on very rare occassions, but it is not a good idea.
MSM works for my mare and it is CHEAP!
Four legs is a good powder that you simply put into there feed once daily and it helps joints and movement. It also helps the cartliage.You can get it from any stock feed store or a horseland/tack box, My old horse had arthritis, and it realy helps to do gentle exersise with them, just straight gentle work, trots and even trail riding is good. Bute is an excellent remedy for the days when they are very sore, it is very affective.
joint formula is what i gave to my old pony,and she stayed in good shape well untill 30!
a bit of sugar goes a long way! a sugar cube, honey on bread! an old horse loves a bit of sweet!
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I have an 18 year old Quarter Horse with arthritis and I have found Adequan (a prescription from the vet) has worked well and very effective. It’s an Intra Muscular injection given once a month. The initial cost is expensive, but in the long run it’s the same as anything else.
i find super codlivine is very good, it costs about £20 for a months supply
i give my horse a joint supplement called Vet Value. it has all the same stuff and necessities as the expensive supplements but a months supply is only $22. you just have to mix it with a little bit of some kind of grain because it is liquid, but i guarantee your horses will be moving and feeling better within 2-3 weeks. also, make sure they are turned out as much as possible if not all thhe time. standing in a stall will just make them stiff. Good Luck!