IRAP Therapy

New York Equine is proud to offer IRAP Therapy for your horse.  IRAP is used to treat osteoarthritic conditions, which can lead to lameness.  It uses your horse’s own blood to help heal the cartilage in the affected joint.

How does IRAP work?

irap-syringeSimply put, IRAP works by amplifying the production of anti-inflammatory and regenerative proteins already found in the patient’s own blood. The large amount of “good” proteins are then extracted and injected into the affected joint of the horse to assist in the repair and recovery of the joint.

What does the IRAP treatment involve?

About 50mls of your horse’s blood is drawn into a specially manufactured syringe containing coated glass beads that will help to enhance production of anti-inflammatory proteins including IRAP. The syringe is incubated at 37 degrees Celsius for 24 hours before being centrifuged and the serum containing the IRAP is filtered and collected. The serum containing the IRAP is then frozen in single doses which will be injected directly into the horse’s joints over a series of 3-4 treatments. The processing of the IRAP is done at our clinic, and the injections are done at your barn.

Advantages of using IRAP:

  • It is a natural anti-inflammatory protein does not cause any damage to the joint.
  • Because the serum  is derived from your horse’s own blood, the possibility of adverse allergic or anaphylactic side effects is drastically reduced
  • It can be more effective than more conventional intra-articular therapies for the treatment of joint disease.

Is my horse suitable?

A thorough history and examination (including radiographs) will be required by the examining veterinarian in order to evaluate the usefulness of IRAP for your horse. Generally speaking, IRAP will be useful in horses that do not have significant osteoarthritic changes on radiographs, or in horses that have post-arthroscopic joints with focal cartilage lesions. Call us to schedule an appointment to have your horse evaluated.

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Office Information

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 90,
Jericho, NY 11753

Emergency Number

516.496.9666

Office Number

516.496.7727

Fax Number

516.921.9551