 |
[RC] Inflammation - Bruce Weary DCHi Kat--You mentioned: "There are some people who would contend that denying pain killers to horses in pain is just plain wrong." This may be true, but for horses that are already resting and recuperating. It is a twisted rationale to say that it is cruel to deny a horse *that is about to re-enter competition* pain medication. He shouldn't be re-entering competition in the first place, if he requires chemical modulation of his tissues and nervous system in order to function. This is the same argument often given that it is cruel to deny a horse with ulcers his Omeprazole as he enters competition. He shouldn't be competing in the first place, either. They are moot points. You also said: "It is possible to argue that inflammation is an almost guaranteed by-product of strenuous exercise so to deny anti-inflammatories to strenuously exercising horses is cruel....and if you give the anti-inflammatories before you start, then they can work as a preventative rather than a treatment and stop the inflammation before it has a chance to start permanent damage." This is neither accurate nor logical. When exercise, even hard exercise, is performed within the limitations of tissue, there is little or no inflammatory response. There is increased blood and nutrient flow to the affected tissues, and if the exercise is vigorous enough, the tissues will supercompensate and become stronger and more efficient. Inflammation is mediated by the nervous system, which monitors tissues and the loads they undergo, and it also detects any change in tissue chemistry that would indicate tissue failure. In the case of injury, it then starts a chain of complex biochemical events that we call inflammation. This can be mild, moderate, or severe. "Anti-inflammatory" meds can affect one or more, but not all, of the processes involved in inflammation. They are a useful tool when used in the proper context. These pathways aren't just a nuisance that need to be disposed of in whatever way possible. The inflammatory process is a necessary step in tissue regeneration. Which is one of the reasons why NSAIDS actually impair overall healing time, while they suppress certain aspects of the inflammatory process. So, you can see why some meds can really put the horse at a disadvantage by: 1) Suppressing his protective pain-sensing mechanism, 2) Interrupting some necessary components of inflammation, and 3) Impairing his ability to heal and produce new, healthy, strong tissue. IMO, using these meds to prematurely return a horse to competition is crisis management driven by greed, ego, or at the very least, insensitivity to the horse's welfare. Bruce Weary =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|