Horse Pain Relief

Part of an owner's duty is to make sure that his or her horse is comfortable and free of any undue pain throughout its life. The horse literally depends on its owner to provide pain relief for injuries, illnesses and post-surgical care. In the past, extreme pain was the main reason behind lameness, listlessness and eventual euthanasia.

The quickest way to administer horse pain relief for an injury is to apply compression and cold to the area. Compression will stop the inevitable flow of blood to the area and reduce swelling. Placing a source of cold like ice will help the capillaries in the area to contract; it will also numb the pained body part and decrease pain.

Sources of Horse Pain Relief

Sometimes anti-inflammation and pain relief medicine is needed to reduce a horse's pain. In cases of muscle aches and spasms, an owner can hire a professional horse massage therapist to iron out any pain manually. Oils and liniments are often used to heat up the joint and muscle areas to increase circulation and blood flow.

In cases of extreme pain, it may become necessary to perform surgery to the injured or inflamed area. Advanced cases of arthritis can be treated with an injection of sodium hyaluronate to promote healing and help the development of new layers of cartilage. If every treatment has been attempted and still the pain becomes so unbearable to the horse that he has difficulty focusing, refuses to eat and begins rolling around in his stall, it may be time to consider putting him to sleep.