Racehorses are elite athletes that undergo repetitive stresses from jogging, cantering, and galloping exercises, and there is significant evidence that the majority of racehorse musculoskeletal injuries are due to repetitive stress or overuse. Musculoskeletal injuries have negative consequences on the racing industry through the loss of use or death of...
Chiropractic treatment is used to reduce stiffness and pain. While more thoroughly studied in humans, it has been shown to be effective in horses, but relatively little evidence exists to quantify the benefits. To address this shortcoming, four methods were used to assess the effects of chiropractic treatment in horses...
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to control pain and inflammation, but can have serious adverse effects, including gastrointestinal ulceration. Non-selective NSAIDs inhibit both cyclooxygenase isoforms: COX-1 and COX-2. COX-2 is primarily responsible for the inflammatory response, while COX-1 is constitutively expressed, representing the dominant source of prostaglandins for gastric...
Previous investigations have failed to show benefits of low level laser therapy (LLLT) for tendon healing in horses, contrary to reports in other species. We hypothesized that delivery of LLLT at manufacturer-recommended energy fluence through equine cadaver skin to equine tendon-derived fibroblasts in vitro would increase cell proliferation, metabolic activity...
Intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) with tiludronate is a commonly used treatment for distal limb orthopedic disease in horses, but doses and protocols are anecdotal. IVRLP exposes articular cartilage within the perfused area to tiludronate, raising concerns about safety of this treatment, as high tiludronate concentrations (≥19mg/L) were harmful for...