Tuesday 29 March 2016

Does Your Horse Need Equine Inflammation Management Supplements

By Angela Kennedy


The body's response to tissue damage or infection is called inflammation. Its function is to get rid of the cause of the injury and kick-start the healing process. There are four cardinal signs of inflammation. These are pain, redness, swelling, and decreased function of the affected area. The process can get out of hand and cause prolonged damage. Giving your horse equine inflammation management supplements can head off permanent damage and reduce discomfort.

The inflammatory response involves the microcirculation (arterioles, capillaries and venules) and a subpopulation of white blood cells (monocytes and neutrophils). The diameter of these blood vessels enlarges and affects both the volume and speed of blood flowing to the injured area. This explains the heat and redness associated with inflammation. The blood vessels also become more permeable, so that water and high molecular weight proteins leak. This explains the swelling that occurs.

As well as changes in the blood vessels, the white cells depart the circulation and adhere to the blood vessels in the injured area. They winkle their way outside the circulation and stick to dead or injured tissue. They then engulf the cellular debris and zap it with chemicals.

It doesn't take a massive injury or an extraordinary event to trigger an inflammatory response. Your horse is routinely exposed to background radiation, extremes of heat or cold, mechanical trauma, and a continuing assault by microbes. Generally, this response is geared to recognize what belongs to the horse and what is assaulting it from outside. Sometimes these controls fail and an autoimmune condition results.

One example of an autoimmune condition that affects both horses and humans is fibromyalgia. At least six million Americans have been affected by this disease, which causes pain, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems and overwhelming fatigue. The equine version of FM and the human type are virtually the same.

Prolonged inflammation leads to long-term tissue damage. To keep your horse comfortable and reduce the likelihood of permanent damage, your vet may prescribe one of many available drugs. In addition, you can offer your animal a supplement to help manage the symptoms. Things like yucca and devil's claw as a matter of routine. Things like chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine and hylauronic may also be used.

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are often used by humans with osteoarthritis or other joint conditions. They are both building blocks of cartilage, which is a target for inflammatory damage. Hyaluronic acid acts as a joint lubricant. Yucca contains substances that inhibit the naturally-occurring microbes that promote inflammation. Devil's claw reduces swelling and hence helps to alleviate pain.

Your horse is vulnerable to the process of inflammation by its mere existence in this harsh world. By giving him nutritional supplements like those discussed above, you can help to keep him comfortable and reduce the likelihood of permanent tissue damage. Always consult your vet first before starting your horse on any additional new treatment.




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