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Aging Gracefully: Pain Management for Older Horses

As with people and other animals, each stage of a horse’s life has different requirements to achieve and maintain optimal health. As a horse grows older, managing chronic pain can become a primary concern because several age-related conditions in horses can contribute to this problem. At Advanced Equine of the Hudson Valley, our veterinarians are always here to help you manage your older horse’s pain and underlying conditions to keep your horse comfortable, healthy, and happy throughout the golden years.

Recognizing Pain in an Older Horse

Unfortunately, our horses can’t tell us when they are in pain. There are, however, some telltale signs and symptoms that can indicate pain in a horse. These include:
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Elevated respiratory rate (breathing quickly or heavily)
  • Unexpected or unexplained sweating
  • Dilated pupils
  • Changes in behavior (agitation or aggression)
  • Reduced willingness to move around
  • Ear position (ears fully or partially flatted back)
  • Changes in posture or movement (lameness)
  • Pacing
  • Rolling
  • Pawing or kicking at their sides
Since these behaviors can indicate pain, it’s important to be familiar with your horse’s normal behavior, appearance, posture, and demeanor so that you can recognize changes that might indicate pain or another physical ailment.
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The Best Options for Equine Pain Management

Of course, if there’s a treatable underlying cause leading to your horse’s pain, the best way to manage their pain is to diagnose and treat the underlying issues. There are also a variety of additional pain management strategies that can be used with horses that suffer from chronic pain. Some of these strategies include:

Medications and Supplements including:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
  • Corticosteroids
  • Topical pain medications
  • Anti-anxiety medications
  • Nutritional supplements

Physica and Energy Treatments

  • Equine cold laser therapy
  • Shockwave therapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Surgery
  • Articular injections
Most geriatric horses suffering from chronic pain can benefit from an ongoing pain management strategy that takes a multifaceted approach, using a variety of treatments.

Mobile Geriatric Care for Horses in Fishkill

Our veterinarians at Advanced Equine of the Hudson Valley are highly experienced in treating horses of all ages, including geriatric horses. Our veterinarians come directly to you to examine and evaluate your horse while helping you adjust your horse’s diet, supplements, exercise regimen, environment, and lifestyle in addition to providing age-specific care to ensure your horse ages gracefully with minimal pain and discomfort. If your horse is suffering from chronic pain, our veterinarians can work with you to determine the most appropriate course of treatment.
To learn more about caring for your older horse or to schedule a consultation with an equine veterinarian, we welcome you to contact our office today.