1. Administering Hyaluronic Acid to Performance Horses Karey L. McPhee December 4, 2008 ANSC 590

2. Performance Horses Racing, endurance, cutting, rodeo, etc… Susceptible to joint issues like any athlete Weight vs. Joint Size Success administering H.A. for joint problems Essential for joint health Bodies produce less H.A. after 4 years old (Engstrom-Laurent, 1989) OCD, DJD, Epiphisitis, Arthritis

3. Healthy Joints

4. Hyaluronic Acid Ubiquitous in vertebrates Naturally occurring Sodium Hyaluronate Combined with blood plasma  synovial fluid ( Nizolek and White, 1981 ) Lubricates joints Highly viscous Provides nutrients to cartilage and surrounding tissues

5. Three Common Administration Methods Direct Injection Intravenous Injection Oral Administration

6. Direct Injection Draw out existing fluid and inject: HA Legend (Bayer) Cortisone Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycans (PSGAGs) Adequan (Luitpold) Invasive Downtime Expensive Destructive? (Treiber, 2007) Masks problem Pierce, 2003 suggests HA goes elsewhere

7. Intravenous Injection Maintenance practice Distributed via blood Circulating H.A. lasts 2-3 days (Pierce, 2003) Painful Invasive Expensive IV Legend $25/shot Not as effective as oral H.A. to increase H.A. serum levels (Pierce, 2003)

8. Oral Administration Several Forms Powder Easiest to administer Gel Cost effective Nutraceutical/mineral package 1-3 days as needed Non-invasive More effective method for maintaining H.A. serum levels (Pierce, 2003)

9. Prevention!!!!! More cost effective to prevent joint issues rather than treat Best way to prevent Oral H.A.  Consistent Increase performance Horses “protect” themselves Pain decreases performance Maximize days in training Less days out due to soreness On average 5 more days in training (Pierce, 2003) Extend competitive career Sound horses last longer!