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Carole Curley
Member
Username: Mosttime
Post Number: 16
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 18, 2006 - 11:10 pm: |   |
Dr. O,
I give my horse weekly glucosamine injections (IM 10 cc). I usually give them in the neck (switching each week from one side to the other side). My vet showed me how to do this properly, and I have read your article and other references. A few weeks ago I noticed a sunken-in area on the right side of my horses neck. (If you compare it to the picture in your article, it is near the top of the green area on the neck). I was told that this is muscle atrophy and could have been caused by an injection. It was also said the muscle may never return to normal. Is it true this could have been caused by an injection? If so, how does this happen - did the needle hit a nerve or something? How can I avoid this in the future? I certainly do not want to cause injury to my horses neck. I occasionally give these injections in the pectoral muscle and I have heard debate about this site being good/bad for injections. Can you comment?
Thanks in advance,
Carole |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15405
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006 - 7:14 am: | |
Yes in fact if it is in the area you inject, I would say this is likely. When you expose the muscle to a foreign substance it is always irritating, if only mildly. However over time this irritation can cause necrosis and fibrosis. It is possible that you hit a nerve with your injection and now have a deinnervation atrophy, but this seems less likely. I have not heard of this happening with Adequan injections but then again I don't know anybody giving weekly injections over a long period.
Considering the practice is of only minimal benefit I would recommend you go to oral chondroitin/glycosamine therapy. Yes the pectoral muscle is a fairly safe place to give IM injections.
DrO |
Carole Curley
Member
Username: Mosttime
Post Number: 17
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 19, 2006 - 9:53 pm: | |
Thank you so much for the reply, Dr. O. Of course I will discontinue the injections in this area and discuss with my vet since he was the one who prescribed them in this frequency. I was told by him that the injections are much more effective than the oral supplements because most of the oral supplements are lost in the digestive system. Is this true? |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15414
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 20, 2006 - 7:26 am: | |
Some amount of questioning of the efficacy of all these products remains. Your veterinarian's statement is an opinion, but remains unproven. For more on all this see the articles on arthritis and arthritis treatments.
DrO |
