What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, trauma, and foreign or toxic substances. Enzymes are released to trigger white blood cells to rid the body of the toxin, clean the site of dying tissue, & promote healing. Inflammation is a critical and beneficial defense mechanism but typically results in uncomfortable side effects including swelling, redness, heat, pain, or loss of function. When inflammation is untreated and runs rampant, it can cause serious health issues.
Inflammation is a broad term, meaning there are a variety of ways horses can suffer from inflammation. It can be a result of basic allergies as well as more serious equine inflammatory diseases including laminitis, arthritis, asthma, cancer, and more.
How To Treat Inflammation
Anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids are great immediate or short term solutions in serious or life-threatening cases but can have long-term effects on your horses’ health. An anti-inflammatory supplement like camelina oil is a great alternative to help prevent and alleviate uncomfortable or painful inflammation in an all-natural and sustainable way. Unlike other oils, camelina oil specifically has a unique blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are essential in regulating the body’s inflammatory response. It’s important to keep in mind that inflammation is the body’s natural reaction to some kind of irritant, so camelina oil does not “heal” or “fix” the root of the issue, but aids in alleviating the agitation caused by the irritant and prevents excessive inflammatory responses that can cause more damage. Not only does camelina oil assist in fighting inflammation, but it also improves immune function to boost endurance and recovery.
Wild Gold’s camelina oil can be added to feed daily in a supplement of 1-2 ounces. Shop our equine camelina oil supplements as well as other products here.
