Case Report: Treatment of intercarpal joint lameness using Arthramid Vet 2.5% PAAG

Dr Jason Lowe BVSc, Cert EP

Elmo was a 7-year-old Warmblood-Thoroughbred cross gelding competing at the height of 1.4m in Showjumping. Over 12 weeks, his performance reduced to a point where he started to resent training and competing, and became uneven in the contact. Physical examination found the horse to be 2/5 lame in the left forelimb, with moderate swelling of the left intercarpal joint and resentment to flexion of the left knee.

Joint Lameness:

The lameness was isolated to the left intercarpal joint with a local anaesthetic, with subsequent radiographs showing sharp lucent bone modelling of the dorsodistal radiocarpal bone, as shown within the green circle in the image left. These changes indicate that osteoarthritis was present within this joint and causing performance-limiting lameness.

Treatment and Outcome: 

2ml of Arthramid® Vet was injected into the joint and the horse was then rested for 48 hours before commencing an ascending exercise program over two weeks to return to a full exercise regime. Over the space of four weeks, the clinical signs dissipated with the horse no longer showing lameness or resenting training. Elmo subsequently has been competing for 18 months since this initial diagnosis and medication of the joint, without recurrence of clinical signs.