administering hyaluronic acid to performance horses karey l. mcphee december 4, 2008 ansc 590
TRANSCRIPT
Administering Hyaluronic Acid to Performance
Horses
Karey L. McPheeDecember 4, 2008
ANSC 590
Performance Horses Racing, endurance, cutting,
rodeo, etc… Susceptible to joint issues like
any athlete Weight vs. Joint Size
Success administering H.A. for joint problems
Essential for joint health Bodies produce less H.A. after
4 years old (Engstrom-Laurent, 1989) OCD, DJD, Epiphisitis,
Arthritis
Healthy Joints
Hyaluronic Acid Ubiquitous in
vertebrates Naturally occurring
Sodium Hyaluronate Combined with blood
plasma synovial fluid (Nizolek and White, 1981)
Lubricates joints Highly viscous
Provides nutrients to cartilage and surrounding tissues
Three Common Administration Methods
Direct Injection
Intravenous Injection
Oral Administration
Direct Injection Draw out existing fluid and inject:
HA Legend (Bayer)
Cortisone Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycans
(PSGAGs) Adequan (Luitpold)
Invasive Downtime Expensive Destructive? (Treiber, 2007) Masks problem
Pierce, 2003 suggests HA goes elsewhere
Intravenous Injection Maintenance practice Distributed via blood
Circulating H.A. lasts 2-3 days (Pierce, 2003)
Painful Invasive Expensive
IV Legend $25/shot Not as effective as oral
H.A. to increase H.A. serum levels (Pierce, 2003)
Oral Administration Several Forms
Powder Easiest to administer
Gel Cost effective
Nutraceutical/mineral package
1-3 days as needed Non-invasive More effective method for
maintaining H.A. serum levels (Pierce, 2003)
Prevention!!!!! More cost effective to prevent
joint issues rather than treat Best way to prevent
Oral H.A. Consistent
Increase performance Horses “protect” themselves
Pain decreases performance Maximize days in training
Less days out due to soreness
On average 5 more days in training (Pierce, 2003)
Extend competitive career Sound horses last longer!