A revolutionary treatment in Equine Osteoarthritis
September 23, 2025
Alpha-2 Treatment
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative, inflammatory process within joints, causing cartilage damage by the upregulation of harmful proteases and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of lameness and poor performance in horses, with several treatment options available, including anti-inflammatory and regenerative therapies. Innovative research in this area is ongoing, with Orthobiologics at the forefront.
What are Orthobiologics?
Orthobiologics are therapies produced from naturally occurring substances in the body, such as blood and bone marrow, which can be used to treat musculoskeletal conditions. These include stem cells, platelet-rich plasma, autologous conditioned serum and most recently alpha-2-macroglobulin.
What is Alpha-2?
Alpha-2-macroglobulin is a protein present in the blood, which acts as part of the immune system. It works by binding to harmful proteases and pro-inflammatory cytokines in joints that are known to cause cartilage damage. Unlike corticosteroids, which are the most commonly used synovial anti-inflammatory, Alpha-2 appears to also have a modulatory and regenerative effect, therefore promoting healing as well as inhibiting cartilage degeneration.
Alpha-2 can be harvested from horse’s blood and injected directly into inflamed joints or synovial structures following processing. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis and synovitis, as well as airway inflammation in cases of equine asthma. Studies have shown reduction in lameness, joint effusion and pain on palpation and flexion of joints following Alpha-2 therapy.
What is the process?
Blood is collected from your horse under sterile conditions, at least 3 days following any sedation with alpha-2 agonists and 5 days following any administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. The blood is processed at our clinic, using a specialised centrifuge and filters to produce a highly concentrated alpha-2-macroglobulin solution. Typically, the volume of solution obtained is between 29-32ml, which is dispensed into smaller syringes depending on your horse’s individual treatment plan.
The Alpha-2 solution is ready to inject straight away once it has been processed but can also be stored in the freezer for several months after. The injection site will be prepared as normal prior to injection, and there are no contraindications with the use of sedatives or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories at the time of treatment.
The treatment plan will vary depending on your horse’s individual needs, however a typical protocol for osteoarthritis would be three injections of Alpha-2 into the joint at 4-weekly intervals.
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If you are interested in discussing the above treatment with one of our equine vets please do not hesitate to reach out to our team 01327 811007 or alternatively email reception@towcesterequine.co.uk
