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DMSO—a smelly, gooey, good-for-what-ails-you compound—has been a staple in medicine chests since the mid-1900s. As a by-product of the wood pulp industry, there is no shortage of DMSO, or dimethyl sulfoxide, for the plethora of medical conditions that it purportedly helps, including muscle soreness, inflammatory conditions, and pain.

“Musculoskeletal injuries and joint disease, including osteoarthritis (OA), remain leading health concerns diagnosed in horses, frequently mandating time off from work or even retirement,” noted Laura Petroski, B.V.M.S., a veterinarian at Kentucky Equine Research.

While it might be satisfying to slather DMSO over a hot joint or tendon, it does not currently rank on the list of “approved” therapies for OA. After years of researching treatments, only the following have stood the test of science for OA:

  • Intravenous (IV) and topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as phenylbutazone (bute);
  • Intra-articular corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, and polysulfated glycosaminoglycans;
  • Certain oral joint health supplements, including avocado-soybean unsaponifiables (ASU);
  • Autologous conditioned serum (ACS)/interleukin receptor antagonist protein (IRAP I and IRAP II); and
  • Extracorporeal shockwave therapy.

Some veterinarians also administer DMSO to horses with EPM or other neurological conditions and even laminitis for its anti-inflammatory properties and to decrease brain swelling (edema). In these cases, DMSO is given either orally via a nasogastric tube or intravenously, both of which are off-label, yet legal, uses of the product.

A New Bolton Center research team* recently recruited nine healthy horses to explore how the body metabolizes DMSO following oral, intravenous, and topical administration. After painstakingly following the absorption, distribution, and elimination of DMSO in these horses, the researchers were thwarted by the compound, concluding that a continued lack of data makes evidence-based recommendations for its use impossible. Further, the researchers warned that the unpredictable metabolism of DMSO could result in prolonged retention of the medication, potentially resulting in “violations if administered too close to competition.”

“If you’d rather avoid DMSO use, whether due to concerns in competition horses or a desire to avoid the unpleasant taste you’ll experience if it gets on your skin, Synovate HA helps maintain the health and integrity of musculoskeletal tissues, including the articular cartilage lining the ends of bones within joints,” Petroski added. “In Australia, horse owners should also look to Glucos-A-Flex, a blend of glucosamine hydrochloride, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, for joint support.”

Regardless of how you choose to manage your horse’s ailments, be sure to get the most out of your nutritional supplements. Select products manufactured by reputable companies that depend on scientific testing to prove the value of their products.

*Soma, L.R. M.A. Robinson, Y. You, et al. Pharmacokinetics, disposition, and plasma concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in the horse following topical, oral, and intravenous administration. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. In press.

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