What is inflammation?
Grossly distended hock.
Inflammation is a response to trauma, infection or other disease processes. Inflammation promotes the body's defence mechanisms, increasing the supply of protective antibodies and white blood cells to the affected area. It encourages healing and repair of damaged tissues and is characterised by excessive heat, redness, swelling and pain.
In some cases, the inflammatory response may be more harmful than the initial trauma. This is particularly true in the case of equine joint disease, where a minor sprain to the joint capsule can trigger inflammation. Some of the inflammatory chemicals released into the joint can cause more damage, particularly to the cartilage, than the initial incident.
As with pain, inflammation may last hours to days (in acute cases) or to years (in chronic cases). Chronic inflammation is used to describe extreme prolonged inflammation.
Inflammation promotes the body's defence mechanisms, increasing the supply of protective antibodies and white blood cells to the affected part of the body.
