Joint therapies are the cornerstone of performance maintenance in the sport horse. The athletic exercise our horses perform can put great stress on certain joints and can lead to inflammation and ultimately degenerative joint disease (DJD or arthritis). In the early stages, arthritis can cause uncomfortable increases in the volume of joint fluid and production of a poorer quality, less effective fluid. In later stages, arthritis may lead to the formation of extreme synovitis, cartilage damage, and bone spurs. Horses experiencing pain from arthritis may exhibit decreased willingness to work or difficulty executing desired movements. While it is impossible to cure arthritis, joint injections with the synthetic joint fluid, hyaluronic acid, cortisone, and antibiotics can help slow the progression of arthritis by reducing the inflammation and the associated pain, thereby improving your horse’s comfort and performance. Depending on your horse’s age, use, and level of discomfort, Dr. Nostrant and Dr. Shen will recommend an injection protocol that will return your horse to its peak athletic performance.