Page 353 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

• Support bandaging where practical.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, e.g. phenylbutazone.
VetBooks.ir • Application of a cast for moderate and severe sprains where there is joint instability to

minimize movement and allow healing.

• Controlled exercise is introduced as soon as possible as prolonged immobility of joints
leads to muscle wasting and weakening of the tendons, ligaments, the joint capsule and

articular cartilage.

• Walking on uneven surfaces or where there is a camber at the edge of a road should be
avoided as these will cause discomfort and may aggravate the injury

• Passive flexion of the affected joint if in-hand walking is not possible to help prevent
adhesions.

• Sodium hyaluronate +/– a low dose of corticosteroid may be injected into the joint space
to decrease inflammation within the joint.

• Stem cells, platelet rich plasma (PRP) or IRAP (see page 229) may be used to treat
®
severe joint sprains
• Therapeutic ultrasound, low intensity laser or magnetic therapy may be beneficial.

• Surgery may be necessary following ligament rupture; arthroscopy may be performed to

evaluate and repair the damage.

If the lameness persists for more than 2 weeks, X-rays should be taken to see if there are any
bony changes at the sites of attachment of the joint capsule or collateral ligaments to the

bone.

Prognosis

If the horse is appropriately managed and there is no major damage to the collateral
ligaments, the prognosis is good for mild sprains. As the severity of sprain increases, so does

the risk of subsequent development of degenerative joint disease.

DEGENERATIVE JOINT DISEASE (OSTEOARTHRITIS)

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the articular cartilage within a joint. Cartilage degeneration and

loss is followed by development of new bone on the joint surfaces and margins, hence the
name degenerative joint disease (DJD)