When used preventively for joint injections, lower doses of Amikacin are likely warranted. | Photo: The Horse Staff

To help minimize the development of post-injection infections, almost 50% of equine veterinarians report combining an antimicrobial agent such as amikacin with any medication injected into a joint. Such intra-articular products include polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (PSGAGs), hyaluronic acid, and even corticosteroids.

“Despite being popular, the inclusion of antibiotics in joint injections has not been shown to reduce the risk of infection following injection,” said PhD student Lynn Pezzanite, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS (Large Animal), of Colorado State University. “Amikacin is known to be toxic to several mammalian cell types, and the effect of this antibiotic on cells within the joint has not specifically been examined.”

Further, using antibiotics in joints is “off-label” according to drug guidelines, and no data  currently support the doses of antibiotics equine veterinarians use in joints