Taking Care of Your Equine Partner
Monica Snyder, DVM, Equine Veterinarian, Silver Spring Equine
Maintaining your sport horse’s joint health is as necessary as your car’s oil change. While every horse is different and will have varying requirements, routine maintenance of your equine partner is often necessary to keep them performing to expectations. I was able to catch up with Monica Snyder, from Silver Spring Equine and ask her a few questions about joint health.
What is the difference between Adequan and Legend?
Adequan and Legend are two commonly used injectable supplements with the aim of improving the comfort and function of equine joints.
What age is good to consider joint injections?
When referring to injection of steroids and HA into joints for direct treatment, there is no specific age that I recommend horses start. Instead, we like to focus on horses individually, and inject only if needed. Like many drugs, when used judiciously they can greatly improve a horse's comfort and performance. However, if done too many times over a horse's life, they can cause breakdown of the cartilage instead. Your vet can help you with each horse individually when trying to decide whether or not to inject.
Do I have to haul my horse to an equine hospital to do joint injections?
No, Silver Spring Equine can do joint injections on the farm. The areas to be injected will be prepared and injected sterilely to minimize chances of infection.
What other services does Silver Spring Equine offer?
Silver Spring Equine is a full service ambulatory practice operating out of Portersville, PA. While we do not have a hospital for you to bring you horse to, we meet you at your farm to care for your equine friends. Services include vaccinations and wellness exams, dentistry, lameness evaluation, breeding, acupuncture, geriatric care, field surgery, and emergency care for colics, eye injury, lacerations, etc. Scheduled appointments are seen Monday through Friday, with emergency services offered 24/7, year round. Questions about services? Feel free to ask!
Monica grew up in Minnesota and has been working with horses most of her life, everywhere from the racetrack to internationally recognized breeding farms.. Since graduating vet school, Monica has been working for Dr. Robert Kissick, for three years at Silver Spring Equine. When not working, you may find her riding her horse Ozzie and playing with her two rescue dogs, Carl and Scoobie. Monica is truly an animal lover and shows her passion through her work. Thank you Monica for joining our equine community in Western Pennsylvania and sharing your wealth of knowledge with us!
Monica Snyder, DVM, Equine Veterinarian, Silver Spring Equine
Maintaining your sport horse’s joint health is as necessary as your car’s oil change. While every horse is different and will have varying requirements, routine maintenance of your equine partner is often necessary to keep them performing to expectations. I was able to catch up with Monica Snyder, from Silver Spring Equine and ask her a few questions about joint health.
What is the difference between Adequan and Legend?
Adequan and Legend are two commonly used injectable supplements with the aim of improving the comfort and function of equine joints.
- Legend - is given intravenously, with Hyaluronic acid (or HA) being the main ingredient. HA is a major component in synovial fluid of the joints. Proper fluid consistency is important for lubrication and proper motion of your horse's joints. Legend can also be used as a direct injection into the joint itself.
- Adequan - is given intramuscularly, with a main ingredient of polysulfated glycosamingoglycans (or PSGAG's). The cartilage of joints is complicated in terms of structure, but in simple terms, PSGAG's are one of the building blocks that make up joint cartilage.
What age is good to consider joint injections?
When referring to injection of steroids and HA into joints for direct treatment, there is no specific age that I recommend horses start. Instead, we like to focus on horses individually, and inject only if needed. Like many drugs, when used judiciously they can greatly improve a horse's comfort and performance. However, if done too many times over a horse's life, they can cause breakdown of the cartilage instead. Your vet can help you with each horse individually when trying to decide whether or not to inject.
Do I have to haul my horse to an equine hospital to do joint injections?
No, Silver Spring Equine can do joint injections on the farm. The areas to be injected will be prepared and injected sterilely to minimize chances of infection.
What other services does Silver Spring Equine offer?
Silver Spring Equine is a full service ambulatory practice operating out of Portersville, PA. While we do not have a hospital for you to bring you horse to, we meet you at your farm to care for your equine friends. Services include vaccinations and wellness exams, dentistry, lameness evaluation, breeding, acupuncture, geriatric care, field surgery, and emergency care for colics, eye injury, lacerations, etc. Scheduled appointments are seen Monday through Friday, with emergency services offered 24/7, year round. Questions about services? Feel free to ask!
Monica grew up in Minnesota and has been working with horses most of her life, everywhere from the racetrack to internationally recognized breeding farms.. Since graduating vet school, Monica has been working for Dr. Robert Kissick, for three years at Silver Spring Equine. When not working, you may find her riding her horse Ozzie and playing with her two rescue dogs, Carl and Scoobie. Monica is truly an animal lover and shows her passion through her work. Thank you Monica for joining our equine community in Western Pennsylvania and sharing your wealth of knowledge with us!
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