Mesotherapy is effective in treating degenerative arthritis in a horse’s back and the cervical vertebrae. It helps by reversing the physiology of these conditions to stop the pain spasm cycle.

Mesotherapy has been used in veterinary practices, in the United States, to treat horses since 2002, but was originally developed in France in 1952 to treat human patients.  Mesotherapy acts to stimulate the mesoderm, the middle layer of the skin. This can relieve a wide variety of ailments. The principle is based on the theory of gait control of pain that originates from the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

The technique involves the injection of substances to stimulate the mesoderm for various biological purposes. Extremely small needles are used to penetrate the interdermal layer of the skin, typically 4 to 6 millimeters.

Mesotherapy – What can it help?

• Sacroiliac pain
• “Kissing spine” discomfort
• Arthritis of the back and neck
• One sided neck stiffness
• Generalized back discomfort
• Can be enhanced when combined with chiropractic

Mesotherapy often is used concurrently with ESWT to alleviate soft tissue inflammation.

The number of treatments required for a horse with chronic back pain is dependent on several factors: the overall condition of the horse, the cause of the horse’s back pain, the severity of the back pain, and the persistence of the problem. A complete physical examination must be done prior to mesotherapy or any other type of therapy. Generally, you can expect one to two treatments, with the full effect of treatment being seen in 7-10 days.