Osteoarthritis probably accounts for the end of more equine performance careers than any other single cause. And until recently, it was considered an irreversible process.
When you feel stiff and sore, you can grit your teeth and work through the pain; or, you can depend on medication like aspirin, ibuprofen, or even a stronger analgesic. Like you, the horse suffers from joint inflammation and painful movement.
Pain is defined as a feeling of distress, suffering, or agony caused by stimulation of specialized nerve endings. The scientific term for the perception of pain is nociception, with noci the Latin for harm or injury.
Degenerative joint disease is a common malady of the horse. It most frequently strikes the hocks, front fetlocks, and front navicular bones, and its consequences can be severe.
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