Intraarticular medication

Selection of intraarticular medication is a daily process for the equine practitioner. This chapter presents some of the literature that exists on the individual drugs described. Wherever possible, studies using horses have been selected to reduce the bias created by species variation and topics have not been included if there is no real consensus opinion it is hoped that this will present what can be considered as the "industry" accepted opinions. 

Many drugs that have an anti-inflammatory action may also have other mechanisms of action. Corticosteroids are one of the most commonly administered classes of intraarticular medication in equine medicine. Hyaluronan (sodium hyaluronate, HA) is a natural component of the joint and its intraarticular use has anti-inflammatory actions and may have lubricating effects. Similarly dimethyl sulfoxide is used for both its anti-inflammatory and its antimicrobial actions. 

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