IRAP procedure...
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TBLADY
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IRAP procedure...
was wondering whos seen this procedure, why was it performed, what was the outcome and your overall opinion.
Fins to the Left....
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Laurierace
- Grade II Winner
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Good question. I too was considering it. The procedure as I understand it involved taking a blood sample and spinning it down to get the desired components and then injecting that back into the affected joint over the course of three treatments.
I may end up doing this with Sky if time off doesn't get him back on track. Xrays are negative but horse is markedly lame. Dr Richardson says its bone remodeling but that is one of those type of diagnosis' that are made in the absence of a definitive cause.
I may end up doing this with Sky if time off doesn't get him back on track. Xrays are negative but horse is markedly lame. Dr Richardson says its bone remodeling but that is one of those type of diagnosis' that are made in the absence of a definitive cause.
TBLADY,
I saw you are from Ohio, as am I.
At our farm we have 2 horses going through the IRAP therapy. Although we are a race farm, neither horse is a race horse. They were sent to us by Dr. Ron Genovese for the duration of the therapy, and for reconditioning afterwards.
Horse #1 is a 14 y/o TB (Off-track, retired eventer also). He has suspensories and during treatment it was discovered that he had a very degenerated sesamiod in his right hind. Almost no cartilage and very arthritic. He has had all of his injections....I believe we did 5, maybe 6. We saw significant improvement weekly. He just had ultrasounds done on Monday and Dr. Brett Berthold and Ron Genovese were both very happy with his progress. He is sound both walking and jogging though his suspensory still needs time to heal, his sesamoid has dramactically improved. The owner is thrilled.
Horse # 2 is a 8 y/o WB that was on his way to becoming a Grand Prix jumper. He tore his ACL in his left hind stifle and did have surgery to repair it. Because of the injury he sustained fairly severe damage to the joint, had zero joint fluid when he got here, and lameness was a 4 on the scale. Forget flexion.....he would jog off on 3 legs. He has had 3 injecitons and is improving, although not as much as we had hoped. On Monday we were able to withdraw a small amount of joint fluid so we are encouraged. He is walking sound and after flexion is jogging off with a lameness of 2 on the scale. He still has another 2 or 3 injections and hopefully he will continue to improve, although the chances of him actually returning to the jumper ring at that level are slim.
Overall, these 2 horses are battling a series of issues. If you look at just what the IRAP has done, not the other factors (such as the suspensory, and the stifle surgery) we feel the therapy is extremely beneficial. I believe the cost is about $1200 for the course of injections. Not cheap, but not horrifying either. I would love to see the results on a horse that just has some arthritic changes, or just has a specific joint with cartilage damage. I have a hunter in training in Bainbridge and I would do the procedure on him in a hearbeat if needed. I think time will tell, as they gather more info, but I'm definately a believer.
Hope this helps......let me know if you need more info.
I saw you are from Ohio, as am I.
At our farm we have 2 horses going through the IRAP therapy. Although we are a race farm, neither horse is a race horse. They were sent to us by Dr. Ron Genovese for the duration of the therapy, and for reconditioning afterwards.
Horse #1 is a 14 y/o TB (Off-track, retired eventer also). He has suspensories and during treatment it was discovered that he had a very degenerated sesamiod in his right hind. Almost no cartilage and very arthritic. He has had all of his injections....I believe we did 5, maybe 6. We saw significant improvement weekly. He just had ultrasounds done on Monday and Dr. Brett Berthold and Ron Genovese were both very happy with his progress. He is sound both walking and jogging though his suspensory still needs time to heal, his sesamoid has dramactically improved. The owner is thrilled.
Horse # 2 is a 8 y/o WB that was on his way to becoming a Grand Prix jumper. He tore his ACL in his left hind stifle and did have surgery to repair it. Because of the injury he sustained fairly severe damage to the joint, had zero joint fluid when he got here, and lameness was a 4 on the scale. Forget flexion.....he would jog off on 3 legs. He has had 3 injecitons and is improving, although not as much as we had hoped. On Monday we were able to withdraw a small amount of joint fluid so we are encouraged. He is walking sound and after flexion is jogging off with a lameness of 2 on the scale. He still has another 2 or 3 injections and hopefully he will continue to improve, although the chances of him actually returning to the jumper ring at that level are slim.
Overall, these 2 horses are battling a series of issues. If you look at just what the IRAP has done, not the other factors (such as the suspensory, and the stifle surgery) we feel the therapy is extremely beneficial. I believe the cost is about $1200 for the course of injections. Not cheap, but not horrifying either. I would love to see the results on a horse that just has some arthritic changes, or just has a specific joint with cartilage damage. I have a hunter in training in Bainbridge and I would do the procedure on him in a hearbeat if needed. I think time will tell, as they gather more info, but I'm definately a believer.
Hope this helps......let me know if you need more info.
If you are dealing with joint problems the product, LUBRISYN, is excellent. Is given orally daily. Not a one time treatment but must be given on a daily basis. Can be found at www.Lubrisyn.com. I give it to all my horses in training.
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FiftyYearsPlus
- Weanling
- Posts: 49
- Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:39 am
- Location: Mid-Atlantic
Two for IRAP
I have two talented now 5yo horses that were allowed to continue to race with chips in a knee and an ankle, respectively. Neither problem was properly diagnosed despite repeated questions and analog radiographs. Significant cartilege damage in the knee and and moderate damage in the ankle. Had the chips removed 6 months ago and turned them out after stall rest. Started back in light training 3 weeks ago. So far, the knee is fine but the ankle has a little filling. I planned to do IRAP on the knee but now the ankle will be done as well.
My understanding is that the patient needs to be walked during the treatment series. I will post an update to the forum as the I go through the process.
I researched it throughly via web, and even talked briefly with Dr. Wayne Mac Ilwraith(sp?) at Colorado State. My understanding is that it won't remedy serious damage, or regenerate the cartilege, but it will protect the joint from further damage. Viral trojan horse bonds to the cartilege with the refined counteriritants from the blood to fight off corrosive irritant proteins in the synovial fluid.
Seems to be the best treatment available today for osteoarthritis, but I plan to continue to supplement the care with Adequan which has given me great results in the past.
My understanding is that the patient needs to be walked during the treatment series. I will post an update to the forum as the I go through the process.
I researched it throughly via web, and even talked briefly with Dr. Wayne Mac Ilwraith(sp?) at Colorado State. My understanding is that it won't remedy serious damage, or regenerate the cartilege, but it will protect the joint from further damage. Viral trojan horse bonds to the cartilege with the refined counteriritants from the blood to fight off corrosive irritant proteins in the synovial fluid.
Seems to be the best treatment available today for osteoarthritis, but I plan to continue to supplement the care with Adequan which has given me great results in the past.
You do continue to walk the horses during the course of injections. Ours are walking about 30 minutes on the Equiciser and will start to increase as time goes on.
I think that this is something that will become common in the not-so-distant future. And no, it won't actually regenerate cartilage but it does regenerate joint fluid and it fights the inflammation process.
I think that this is something that will become common in the not-so-distant future. And no, it won't actually regenerate cartilage but it does regenerate joint fluid and it fights the inflammation process.
I had a filly go through the procedure last spring. She had a combination of degeneration of the knee and soft tissue ligament damage. Her knee was huge and she was lame. We confined her to a stall, walked her daily and applied a cast for a month and a brace for another three weeks. We gradually increased the size of her confinement from a stall to a double stall to a stall and small paddock to a small paddock to pasture-all done over a six month period.
We believe the IRAP treatment assisted in ending the spiral of soft tissue damage and bone degeneration that was occuring. She is currently in a pasture with her buddies and moving sound. She will be bred this spring if she continues to do well.
We believe the IRAP treatment assisted in ending the spiral of soft tissue damage and bone degeneration that was occuring. She is currently in a pasture with her buddies and moving sound. She will be bred this spring if she continues to do well.
Laurierace wrote:Good question. I too was considering it. The procedure as I understand it involved taking a blood sample and spinning it down to get the desired components and then injecting that back into the affected joint over the course of three treatments.
I may end up doing this with Sky if time off doesn't get him back on track. Xrays are negative but horse is markedly lame. Dr Richardson says its bone remodeling but that is one of those type of diagnosis' that are made in the absence of a definitive cause.
I'm just seeing this. Don't know where your horse is lame, but if x-rays show negative, I'd do a nuclear scintigraphy exam. It's expensive but we caught bone remodeling, bordering on hairline fracture of the tibia that way. Had we not done that, we might have just given a month or so off and gone on with our filly...which probably would have been fatal. She was having major growth spurts when it happened.
The stallion, Spinelessjellyfish was basically saved doing nuclear scintigraphy, with the same kind of negative x-ray lameness, which was also a tibia fracture. http://www.ctba.com/husbmgmt/askvetaug98.htm
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FiftyYearsPlus
- Weanling
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- Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:39 am
- Location: Mid-Atlantic
IRAP Update to Note of Feb. 3
The IRAP treatment for the two horses described above is continuing following their third injection each. Treatment is being conducted by my vet in consultation with a noted surgeon. Wouldn't attempt it otherwise.
To date, the ankle periodically exhibits some inflamation, but he's up to galloping well about a mile 4-5 times a week . The knee is not quite as advanced in his training but has shown no negative effects thus far.
Each will be given a light breeze of a 1/4 within the next few days, weather permitting.
Our strategy is the minimize the stress of getting them back in racing condition using IRAP and Adequan (bi-weekly) while carefully monitoring the respective joints for heat/filling, etc. as we go along. Once into maintenance training, we'll tailor the program to keep symptoms to a minimum.
Periodic updates will follow.
To date, the ankle periodically exhibits some inflamation, but he's up to galloping well about a mile 4-5 times a week . The knee is not quite as advanced in his training but has shown no negative effects thus far.
Each will be given a light breeze of a 1/4 within the next few days, weather permitting.
Our strategy is the minimize the stress of getting them back in racing condition using IRAP and Adequan (bi-weekly) while carefully monitoring the respective joints for heat/filling, etc. as we go along. Once into maintenance training, we'll tailor the program to keep symptoms to a minimum.
Periodic updates will follow.