Anyone used Hyaluronic Acid injections or Hyalun oral for arthritis?

[Kezza]

My welsh pony is 23 in May and was diagnosed with very slight arthritic changes of the hock almost 2 years ago after going lame. He came sound again after turning him out constantly, gentle exercise, magnetic therapy and Gold Label Bute Free liquid as well as Cortaflex which he was already on. He gets stiff occasionally and I am aware he is sometimes a little uncomfortable and can feel a preference for a certain rein when schooling and he will move me over to one side a bit. He is fine in himself, has 6 monthly check ups from the vet who is pleased with him and I have only resorted to using bute or danilon on an odd occasion, usually before jumping him which he still thoroughly enjoys and the vet says is fine to do occasionally at the moment and we only do little ones. I don't like to feed him bute or danilon often as both upset his tummy a little.

I have a current problem in that the reduction of work and the constant access to grazing (albeit a tiny little over night paddock without much grass) has resulted in him becoming a little larger than usual this year and I prefer him on the slim side going into Spring. This has caused me to consider alternative treatments to enable me to increase his workload slightly as the weight comes off very quickly with exercise as he's very lively naturally. My vet did discuss treatment options with me when he was first diagnosed but felt that injections could be risky as with any piercing of the skin you open up the area for infection and given his age wasn't convinced it was worth the risk. I wasn't keen on injections because of the laminitis side effect risk as my friends horse suffered with that. However, I believe Hyaluronic Acid doesn’t carry the laminitis risk that Cortisone does.

I realise you can feed hyaluronic acid orally and I have come across a product called Hyalun.

I am wanting to know what you have tried and in particular if you have tried the injections or HA orally and seen good results? I just want him to be as comfortable as possible and enjoy him as much as possible and to keep him as fit as possible.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Halfstep]

There isn't a huge amount of evidence that HA works well when delivered orally, whereas the injections are well attested to be effective and safe. So long as the vet is careful and the injections are done in a clean environment, the risk of infection isn't great. There is also a product called Adequan which is delivered intra-musclarly (rather than into the joint) which might be worth looking into.

 

[Kezza]

Thanks. I was thinking of Legend directly into the joint followed by Adequan administered by IV so the risk of infection is only when Legend is injected into the joint. Am I right in thinking there isn't the laminitis risk with HA?

 

[Halfstep]

Yes, you are right, no laminitis risk with pure HA.

.

 

[cobwithattitude]

My old horse had 3 injections of HA with arthritis in his knees at 10yrs - took 3 injections over a period of weeks but on the 3rd he was sound - wonderful and no sign of infection etc - but brilliant vet too.