Tag Archives: back pain in horses

Identifying Horse Arthritis

Just like human beings, animals such as horses also encounter disorders of their bones and one of the very prevalent problems is a joint disease. In this situation, the fluid in the joints that stops the two bones from having contact is not present anymore.

As a result, the two bones slide past each other, making friction and this friction is what makes arthritis extremely distressing. Another term for horse joint disease is degenerative joint disease (DJD) and you will see whether a horse has a high possibility of acquiring this joint problem by simply evaluating its conformation or body structure.

Horses that may have conformational troubles are at greater risk of acquiring horse arthritis. This is mainly because their weight isn't correctly allocated in their body so some joints experience more pressure when compared to others.

Age is also a factor when it comes to horse arthritis because as with humans, this disease is common in older people. As a horse age, its metabolic activity and other biological processes change, leading to the slow production and repair of cells.

When this happens, the bones and cartilages start to degenerate, making them prone to skeletal problems. During an older age, horses will probably be experiencing problems in mobility because of the swollen joint parts.