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Anyone here had a vet prescribe Polyglyan IM for arthritis? My mare was diagnosed with mild hock arthritis and my vet suggested polyglycan IM as the best management option. When reading up on this I find it's not approved for that use and that makes me uncomfortable. I've had good experience with Adequan IM with a previous oldster for the last 5 years of his life. I'm wondering if I should say no to the Polyglycan and suggest Adequan instead.

Any input on polyglycan would be appreciated!

I rate them pentosan first, Adequan, second and polyglycan third.

While pentosan and polyglycan have not been labeled for use in arthritis in the USA, they have been used for years in race horses and sport horses in other countries.

I asked my orthopedic Dr to get some pentosan for me, for my arthritis but it is not labeled in the USA so he wouldn't do it. Boo hoo

I tired polyglycan on my horse when he was about 31. Didn't do a thing for him.

I think poyglycan is Ichon? was using this but vet supply in US will now longer cross border ship to me here in Canada without a script. I would use it mainly for cost. Dont' think there is enuf objective evidence for any injectibles frankly but the cost alone was the draw for me. Pretty similar chemically to Adequan. I'm thinking of asking vet for Previcox for next winter, again off label different med but affordable.

I just started my retired 21 yr old on Previcox this winter. It really has made a difference for him. I did do baseline blood to check his kidney and liver function but it is not required.

Josette wrote:I just started my retired 21 yr old on Previcox this winter. It really has made a difference for him. I did do baseline blood to check his kidney and liver function but it is not required.

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Good to know Josette. My coach has her 19 yr old one it.. He is still capable of PSG but doesn't have a rider currently, she just gives after riding so... My nearly 24 yr old is beyond amazing.. I see no arthritis but it must be there somewhere. I was out of town (Victoria ..) last week and a friend rode him did canter half pass both ways apparently there was a lot of germanic grunting lol.. He is a huge show off and will always try his best I have difficulty assessing if he NEEDS meds. don't have $$ for a full vet work up ie flexions xrays.. He is sound and comes to the arena almost daily ready to work so I assume he's not in much discomfort.

Previcox worked well for my horse.

I used to have two of my senior guys on Adequan but when I needed to add a third it was too expensive. So I researched Pentosan and sent all my research to my fairly conservative vet. He read it and said it wouldn't hurt and could help and wrote me a script for my compounding pharmacy. My guys have been on it for over 5 years now and in fact I've added two more senior horses and now give it to four of them. Three of them also get Previcox on a daily basis. BTW I DID notice obvious improved lateral crossing on the oldest guy when I switched from Adequan to Pentosan after the third week of loading dose.

I tried it years ago on my older mare but it didn't help much. Addressing her back imbalance did a lot more for her soundness than any meds ever did (polyglycan, Adequan, hock injections, Previcox).

I've used polyglycan in the past for hock arthritis. It wasn't that great.

I do use Pentosan and have always noticed it makes a marked difference in the fluidity of movement in a horse they feel like they've been "lubricated." My old man got it for hock and SI issues which nothing short of pharma was going to help. This horse has some arthritic changes in his neck that we want to keep at bay. But, with him, I would agree with MLP, fitness, balanced feet, careful saddle fit and correct riding have made the biggest difference--this is just an extra boost.

My vet sold me Pentosan Gold this time, which has glucosamine in it as well. I haven't been using it for long enough to know whether that makes any additional difference or not.

I have used previcox as a long term alternative to bute for an older horse with arthritic issues, and it certainly helped him to stay a useful member of society for quite a lot longer than he would have done otherwise. (Nowadays he's a happy sponger on horsie welfare, but that's OK too )