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| The VET'S NOTEBOOK |
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Medications to Restore Performance
by Dr. David Ramey, DVM |
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The use of medications to restore a horse's normal performance is certainly common. The rationale for this use of medication in this fashion is easy to understand. For example, if a horse is experiencing some form of minor pain, he may limp and be reluctant or unable to perform in a normal fashion. An anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving agent would be expected to help restore the horse's normal performance by helping to alleviate the pain; if the horse doesn't hurt, he will be more likely to perform "normally."
A number of medications are used in this way. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, drugs that help relieve pain and inflammation, such as phenylbutazone, are among the drugs most commonly administered to horses. Similarly, if a horse's joint is sore and inflamed, injections of steroidal anti-inflammatory agents directly into the joint is a common way to help relieve inflammation and the resulting pain. Medications such as the above are clearly therapeutic. They are just as clearly overused. For example, not all horses that compete will become sore or lame as a result. However, many competition horses are often given anti-inflammatory drugs "just in case" they get sore.
When horses compete, some people want to try to make sure that their horse has an edge on the competition. They also want to make sure that some other competitor doesn't have an "unfair" chemical advantage. Consequently, many competition horses end up floating in drugs that are supposed to "help" them perform in one way or another if for no other reason than "because everyone else is doing it." And what one person does, others seem to follow. It seems sometimes that if a successful trainer said that he was giving his horse a pint of motor oil every day, soon everyone in the area would be rushing to the auto parts store to stock up.
Local injections of steroidal anti-inflammatory agents into arthritic joints may allow the horse to continue to perform in the short term. However, continued indiscriminate use of steroids may be at the expense of the horse's future soundness (or life). Some unethical horse people will even anesthetize arthritic joints so that the horse does not feel the damaged joint at all. This practice is clearly dangerous to the horse and to the rider. It can result in total breakdown of the horse, who may be unable to feel and thereby protect his leg. If the horse breaks down, the rider can also be seriously injured. Horse owners and trainers should consider the potential adverse consequences of unlimited or careless use of medications in horses.
Vitamin and mineral supplements are also commonly used to try to ensure that a horse is normal and in good health. While commonly used, no studies have shown that vitamin and mineral supplements are necessary or even beneficial.
Endurance horses are frequently supplemented with electrolytes. Electrolytes are body salts that are lost in the horse's sweat. Supplementation with electrolytes certainly does not appear to be harmful for these horses; in fact, one study suggests that the administration of electrolytes, glucose and water in these horses may help delay fatigue. Providing adequate water, however, is the most important factor to consider for endurance horses.
In reality, getting optimum performance from your horse is not that complicated. The best thing that you can do for your horse to make sure that his performance is normal, and as good as is possible for him, is to feed him well and provide good care.
© 1998 by Dr. David W. Ramey. All Rights Reserved.
Dr. David Ramey is a 1983 graduate of Colorado State University. He is the author of numerous books and articles on horse health, including Horsefeathers: Facts vs. Myths About Your Horse's Health and the Concise Guide series on equine health care. He can be reached at (818) 953-8528. |
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