What causes osteoporosis in horses?

Horses living in specific areas of California are at risk for silicate-associated osteoporosis (SAO), a disorder related to soils with a high concentration of silica dioxide. The condition is also known as bone fragility syndrome.

Can you ride a horse with osteoporosis?

Riding with osteoporosis can result in spinal fracture, or in easy breakage of other bones if you come off your horse. Osteoporosis often has no symptoms, so confer with your physician about the need for regular bone density scans.

What exactly is osteoporosis?

Overview. Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses such as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture. Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist or spine. Bone is living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced.

What is horse osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis (OA) in horses is a chronic, degenerative process. Affected horses typically have clinical evidence of synovitis, varying degrees of lameness, and progressive loss of joint function.

What is horse bone disease?

The equine bone fragility syndrome (BFS) or silica-associated osteoporosis (SAO) is a chronic and progressive disorder of horses characterized by increased respiratory efforts, exercise intolerance, skeletal deformation, lameness, stiffness, and fractures.

What is full blown osteoporosis?

If bone loss occurs, our bones become thinner, weaker and less dense than normal. This condition is called osteopenia, which is a middle stage between healthy, strong, dense bones and full-blown osteoporosis, a condition of weak, brittle, porous bones that are prone to fracture.

Is horse riding weight bearing?

Horseback riding improves muscular strength, particularly in the legs. The equestrians did not have better bone density, though, underscoring that riding is not a weight-bearing activity, except for the horse.

Is osteoporosis curable?

Osteoporosis treatment There’s no cure for osteoporosis, but proper treatment can help protect and strengthen your bones. These treatments can help slow the breakdown of bone in your body, and some treatments can spur the growth of new bone.

How do horses get osteoarthritis?

Secondary osteoarthritis comes when an injury to a joint is severe enough to begin the process of cartilage breakdown. Horses with a history of joint infections, fractures involving the joint, ligament and tendon injuries, and preexisting joint defects are at risk for secondary osteoarthritis.