Saturday, 2 April 2016

Equine Inflammation Management Supplements Explained

By Angela Kennedy


The body's response to tissue damage or infection is called inflammation. Its function is to get rid of the cause of the injury and kick-start the healing process. There are four cardinal signs of inflammation. These are pain, redness, swelling, and decreased function of the affected area. The process can get out of hand and cause prolonged damage. Giving your horse equine inflammation management supplements can head off permanent damage and reduce discomfort.

The inflammatory response involves the microcirculation (arterioles, capillaries and venules) and a subpopulation of white blood cells (monocytes and neutrophils). The diameter of these blood vessels enlarges and affects both the volume and speed of blood flowing to the injured area. This explains the heat and redness associated with inflammation. The blood vessels also become more permeable, so that water and high molecular weight proteins leak. This explains the swelling that occurs.

Along with changes in the caliber and permeability of the blood vessels, the white blood cells are doing their own thing. Some of the white cells leave the circulation and stick to the blood vessels in the affected area. They work their way outside the blood vessels and into the surrounding fluid, where they adhere to dead or injured cells. The cells then wrap themselves around the debris and neutralize it by secreting chemicals.

It doesn't take a massive injury or an extraordinary event to trigger an inflammatory response. Your horse is routinely exposed to background radiation, extremes of heat or cold, mechanical trauma, and a continuing assault by microbes. Generally, this response is geared to recognize what belongs to the horse and what is assaulting it from outside. Sometimes these controls fail and an autoimmune condition results.

Fibromyalgia is an autoimmune condition that is sweeping through western adult populations. As many as six million Americans have been diagnosed with FM; many more go undetected. The symptoms of FB include pain, sleep disturbances, debilitating fatigue, and intestinal dysfunction. Equine Fibromyalgia Syndrome and the human form are generally identical.

If inflammation goes on to long, it can cause permanent damage and serious discomfort for your horse. If this occurs, your vet may prescribe a number of different medications. You, too, can help. There are nutritional supplements out there like devil's claw, chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, yucca and hyaluronic acid.

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are often used by humans with osteoarthritis or other joint conditions. They are both building blocks of cartilage, which is a target for inflammatory damage. Hyaluronic acid acts as a joint lubricant. Yucca contains substances that inhibit the naturally-occurring microbes that promote inflammation. Devil's claw reduces swelling and hence helps to alleviate pain.

Your horse is subject to inflammation merely by the processes of everyday life. You can prevent long-term damage and reduce pain by offering nutritional supplements like those described above. Always consult your vet before trying anything new.




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