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Shockwave Joint injection Geriatric care vaccinations
Benefits of Extracorporeal Shockwave therapy
- By Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
- Tendinopathy/tendinitis, a leading cause of injury in athletic horses;
- Desmitis (ligament injuries, inflammation), especially where ligaments insert onto bone (e.g., chronic injury/inflammation of the suspensory ligament located at the back of the cannon bone);
- Osteoarthritis (OA, degenerative joint disease), including bone spavin (OA of the lower hock joint);
- Bone injuries such as stress fractures of the outer portion of the cannon bone (dorsal cortical stress fractures) and incomplete fractures of the sesamoid bones;
- Navicular disease or, more accurately, podotrochleitis; and
- Deep muscle pain.
joint injection: pros and cons
You've probably heard of someone "getting their horse injected" or you yourself have- but what does that really entail? This article from the Horse helps to provide more clarity on the process. In short:
- Horse's joints are "injected" with a mixture of synthetic hyaluronic acid (the same molecules found in joint fluid), an anti-inflammatory and sometimes an antibiotic
- These mixtures are clinician-dependent. Some veterinarians prefer different things than others; it's whatever has worked best for them in the past.
- It requires specialized training to perform "joint injections." Joint spaces are very small and easy to miss!! This is why a licensed veterinarian is required for the job. Additionally, if one of these joint spaces becomes infected due to a tiny foreign object being introduced, it creates a much larger medical issue.
- Joints are injected to help reduce inflammation and pain associated with; intensive training regimes, loss of cartilage or bone degeneration, arthritis and other joint pathology.
- Joint injections can last a few months to a few years depending on the individual and level of work.
- Talk with your veterinarian to develop a joint injection plan right for you and your horse!
To Vaccinate or not?
A vaccine is a biological agent that provides acquired active immunity against a particular disease or diseases. Vaccines contain agents that resemble the disease-causing agent (usually the micro-organism in its killed form, a portion of it, one of its de-activated toxins, or a surface protein). The body is able to recognize this agent, "destroy" it, and then create immunity to it. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent these infectious diseases.
The AAEP recognizes 5 vaccinations as part of a horse's Core Wellness program and should be given every year, regardless of where you live or how active your horse is. These include Eastern and Western Encephalitis, West Nile Virus, Rabies and Tetanus. The first 3 are spread by insect vectors (mosquitos) and Rabies lives in the saliva of affected animals and is spread by direct contact (bites or wound contamination with saliva). Tetanus spores live in dirt/manure so even the smallest wound can become contaminated and create life-threatening illness. Other commonly given vaccines are for Equine Influenza and Rhinopneumonitis (the respiratory form of Equine Herpesvirus). Flu/Rhino are strongly recommended if you travel with your horses, as they are highly contagious respiratory diseases that can be spread by contact- nasal discharge, sneezes, infected supplies, etc.
Why every year?? Over time, the horse's memory cells lose their specification to a particular disease agent, causing immunity to decrease. In order to keep immunity at a protective level, booster vaccinations are required annually to help stimulate the memory cells back to the level needed to effectively fight disease.
Depending on diseases that are prevalent in your area; horses can also be vaccinated against Strangles, Potomac Horse Fever, Leptospirosis, Botulism, Equine Viral Arteritis, Anthrax and Rotavirus.
Vaccinations are usually given in the muscle or in the nose and side effects are rare but can happen. These include; fever, localized swelling, hives, anorexia (not eating), lethargy, pain at injection site, stiffness, and malaise. Side effects usually resolve quickly and can be helped by administration of NSAIDS (Bute/Banamine) or other veterinary treatment.
The AAEP recognizes 5 vaccinations as part of a horse's Core Wellness program and should be given every year, regardless of where you live or how active your horse is. These include Eastern and Western Encephalitis, West Nile Virus, Rabies and Tetanus. The first 3 are spread by insect vectors (mosquitos) and Rabies lives in the saliva of affected animals and is spread by direct contact (bites or wound contamination with saliva). Tetanus spores live in dirt/manure so even the smallest wound can become contaminated and create life-threatening illness. Other commonly given vaccines are for Equine Influenza and Rhinopneumonitis (the respiratory form of Equine Herpesvirus). Flu/Rhino are strongly recommended if you travel with your horses, as they are highly contagious respiratory diseases that can be spread by contact- nasal discharge, sneezes, infected supplies, etc.
Why every year?? Over time, the horse's memory cells lose their specification to a particular disease agent, causing immunity to decrease. In order to keep immunity at a protective level, booster vaccinations are required annually to help stimulate the memory cells back to the level needed to effectively fight disease.
Depending on diseases that are prevalent in your area; horses can also be vaccinated against Strangles, Potomac Horse Fever, Leptospirosis, Botulism, Equine Viral Arteritis, Anthrax and Rotavirus.
Vaccinations are usually given in the muscle or in the nose and side effects are rare but can happen. These include; fever, localized swelling, hives, anorexia (not eating), lethargy, pain at injection site, stiffness, and malaise. Side effects usually resolve quickly and can be helped by administration of NSAIDS (Bute/Banamine) or other veterinary treatment.