How do you tell a simple joint flare from septic arthritis? Equine internal medicine specialist Dr. Luanne Hunt joins Meg Brady on the Nupsala Podcast to break down adverse reactions following intra-articular injections in horses, from first signs to referral. In this episode, they cover:
- General principles: what counts as an adverse reaction, and why vets and owners often underestimate the risk
- Recognising the spectrum: mild flares, moderate to severe non-septic reactions, and septic arthritis
- Initial assessment: clinical exam, lameness grading, synoviocentesis and serum amyloid A (SAA)
- Managing non-septic reactions: NSAIDs, corticosteroids and supportive care
- Managing suspected sepsis: antibiotics, referral and joint lavage
- Talking to owners: setting expectations and spotting red flags
Dr. Hunt also walks through a real case from her own referral practice, showing how quickly a flare can look alarming, and how to tell it apart from a genuine emergency. References: 1. Lowe et al., 2024. 2. Foreman J.H., 2017. A review of objective assessments of orthopaedic analgesic efficacy of NSAIDs in horses. Comp Exerc Physiol, 13(3):195–204. 3. Pezzanite et al., 2021. Management of equine septic arthritis. Front Vet Sci. 4. Witt S. et al., 2024. Climate & Climatic Variations – Impact on Lymphoedema: Patient Perspective. Lymphatics 2(2):119–132. Our adverse reactions document can be accessed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WBLe…
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for veterinary professionals. While members of the public are welcome to listen, please note that discussions are designed with a clinical audience in mind and may include technical or treatment-related content.
Jingle Credit: Â Lunar Years
