Stem cell and platelet-rich plasma therapies for equine tendon injuries offer improved welfare outcomes compared to traditional management by reducing re-injury rates and recovery time.
Equine tendon injury causes acute pain from the initial injury and chronic welfare compromise during the extended rehabilitation period, which typically involves months of box rest. Re-injury, which occurs in 56-80% of racehorses treated by rest alone, resets the welfare burden and represents a significant cumulative harm across a horse's athletic career. Regenerative therapies that reduce re-injury rates therefore provide substantial cumulative welfare benefit by reducing the number of times an individual horse experiences the full cycle of injury, pain, and prolonged confinement. The welfare benefit extends beyond the individual to the entire population of athletic horses by reducing the prevalence of a condition that is currently a leading cause of retirement from performance.