The Purrfect Nanny & Purrfect Pet Health Blog

In order to keep my horse’s joints  sound and lubricated I depend on joint supplements. For a long time I was used to inject Adequan until I learned about Acetylglucosamine. This product is at least as good as Adequan if not better and it cost me so much less to maintian joint health. With permission of Dr. Grisel from the Atlanta Equine Clinic in Alpharetta I post his article about joint health. Should you deside to order the product at the Atlanta Equine Clinic, please mention that you heard about it on our BLOG.

Any medication administered outside the joint (by mouth, intravenously, or intramuscularly for example) for the purpose of improving joint function and/or comfort is considered a form of systemic arthrotherapy. Anti-inflammatory medications (such as phenylbutazone), some pain relievers (such as capsaicin), and joint supplements (such as Adequan™, Legend™, and Cosequin™) are included in this category. Joint supplements have seen wide use in recent years, and are most often the client’s first line of treatment for DJD in their horse(s). The primary goal of the joint supplement is to stimulate normal activity and function of the synovial membrane thereby enhancing the integrity of the joint environment. Oral, intravenous, and intramuscular forms exist.Most studies show that the oral medications (e.g. Cosequin™, MSM, Flex Free™, Corta-flex™, etc.) are quite effective when absorbed into the system. This type of arthrotherapy works especially well in people and dogs, who are able to absorb relatively large molecules (like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate) through their intestinal wall easily. Horses, on the other hand, are generally not proficient at absorbing large molecules into their system from the intestinal tract. Therefore, a portion of the oral medication (and the client’s investment) may not be completely utilized. Many companies are continually working to find ways to improve absorbability of oral supplements in the horse.

Medications which bypass the intestinal tract of horses (and therefore do not rely on intestinal absorption) are generally preferred at present. These are injectable and include both prophylactic and therapeutic forms.

We currently recommend prophylactic arthrotherapy for the following:

1. In horses with no current evidence of joint disease. The purpose of the medication is to delay the onset of joint disease.
2. In horses with mild joint disease. The purpose of the medication is to alleviate symptoms enough for the horse to perform well in his/her intended capacity.
3. In horses with moderate to severe joint disease that have previously been treated with local therapy (i.e. injection). The purpose of the medication is to prolong the effect of the injection and delay the recurrence of clinical signs.

Prophylactic medications include Adequan™, Acetylglucosamine, Chondroprotec™, and Glucosamine (among others). Most treatment protocols involve one injection (5cc or 500mg) in the muscle once weekly for 4 consecutive weeks and then once or twice monthly thereafter (indefinitely). Cost varies anywhere from $12 to $50+ per dose.

Research performed through The Atlanta Equine Clinic suggested that an Acetylglucosamine (AGS) compounded out of a pharmacy in Denver Colorado (Pharmacy Resources) at $18/dose worked just as well as Adequan at $50/dose. Since the end of that study several years ago, more AEC clients think that the AGS works better in their horse than does Adequan. At $18/dose, this medication is less expensive than most oral supplements.

This medication can be administered once monthly (like Adequan), although many clients double up on the dose. Administering two doses of Acetylglucosamine is still less expensive than administering one dose of Adequan.

Either product can be ordered through our pharmacy at 678-867-2577 or pam@atlantaequine.com.

We recommend therapeutic arthrotherapy for the following:

• 36-48 hours prior to a race, clinic, or show. The purpose of the medication is to maximize the performance of the horse for a selected event

Therapeutic medications include Legend, MAP-5, and (among others). These medications are generally administered intravenously (in the vein) at varying doses. The cost of a single dose can range from $35 to $85. In our opinion, the best product for the money is a generic version (MAP-5) which runs $75 for 50mg (versus $95 for 40mg Legend).

These can also be ordered through our pharmacy.

If regular (therapeutic) systemic treatment is required to produce and/or maintain soundness or does not result in a satisfactory response, then local arthrotherapy may be considered.

Please let us know if you have any further questions!

Bob Grisel, DVM
THE ATLANTA EQUINE CLINIC
1665 Ward Road
Hoschton, Georgia 30548
(Office) (706) 654-5740
(Fax) (706) 654-1361
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14750 Hopewell Road
Alpharetta, Georgia 30004
(Office) (678) 867-2577
(Fax) (678) 867-2578
(Cell) (706) 658-4713
bobgrisel@atlantaequine.com
http://www.atlantaequine.com