28 March, 2016

Does Your Horse Need Equine Inflammation Management Supplements

By Angela Kennedy


When tissue is injured by heat, chemicals, or mechanical damage, or it is infiltrated by microorganisms like bacteria or viruses, it triggers an immune response known as inflammation. This process removes the cause of the injury and facilitates the process of healing. There are four cardinal signs of inflammation: pain, heat, redness, and loss of function. While it is a necessary process, it can go wild and cause permanent damage. Equine inflammation management supplements can be used to make your horse more comfortable and stop the process from causing long-term damage.

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.

While the blood vessels are leaking and dilating, the neutrophils and monocytes are escaping from the circulation and into the surrounding tissue. They adhere to dead or injured cells and engulf the cellular debris. Finally, they secrete chemicals that neutralize and effectively dissolve whatever it is they have engulfed. The white cells then undergo natural cell death in a process known as apoptosis.

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 subject to inflammation merely by the processes of everyday life. You can prevent long-term damage and reduce pain by offering nutritional supplements like those described above. Always consult your vet before trying anything new.




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