An oral hyaluronan product did not produce any improvement in clinical or biochemical parameters in horses diagnosed with osteochondrosis in a new study, researchers from the Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain, recently reported. The study authors concluded that the evaluated product likely resulted in no detectable effect due to the small number of horses included in the study; however, they did state the treatment "did not produce any adverse clinical effects and was well tolerated by the horses in the study."

Osteochondrosis is a developmental orthopedic disease characterized by swelling and pain in the affected joints. It's caused by failed ossification (bone formation), which occurs most frequently in the hock, stifle, and fetlock joints.

"It is now well established that arthroscopic treatment, the surgical removal of osteochondral fragments, the debridement of the affected joint surface, and articular lavage are the most appropriate treatments for this disease," the researchers noted. "In many cases, early arthroscopic surgery can stop the development of the disease and prevent it from progressing to osteoarthritis."

But for horses not treated arthroscopically, or who continue to show clinical signs of disease postoperatively, alternative treatments are needed