Joint Injury Prevention in Foals

Developmental and traumatic joint injuries are a significant problem in Thoroughbred foals. These injuries, such as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) and fetlock joint lesions, often require costly medical treatment or surgical repair.

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Developmental and traumatic joint injuries are a significant problem in Thoroughbred foals. These injuries, such as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) and fetlock joint lesions, often require costly medical treatment or surgical repair. Polysulphated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG), are commonly used to treat degenerative and traumatic joint diseases in performance horses medically, and in a recent study, researchers examined the preventative effects of PSGAGs on joint injuries in Thoroughbred foals. Using intramuscular injectable Adequan, researchers found that PSGAGs significantly reduced joint injuries in foals.


In 2004, Gary W. White, DVM, an Oklahoma practitioner, completed the first two-year phase of an ongoing four-year study, which evaluated the long-term use of PSGAG in 74 Thoroughbred foals born in 2003. He presented his findings at the 44th annual British Equine Veterinary Association Conference held in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England, in September 2005. The second phase of the study is underway to determine if PSGAG administered over a shorter period of time will produce similar results.


White used 233 untreated foals born on a Kentucky farm between 2000 and 2002 as a baseline for comparison (control group). In his study, he treated 74 foals between eight and 12 weeks old with twice-weekly PSGAG treatments. Foals received four weeks of treatment with alternating four-week intervals without treatment until age 1. Foals were then treated once weekly until November of the following year.


“The goal is to find a way to reduce the incidence and effects of developmental orthopedic diseases in foals in a cost-effective method, which could be widely applied in the industry,” White said

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Written by:

Chad Mendell is the former Managing Editor for TheHorse.com .

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