DNA jab to end death sentence for lame horses

RACEHORSES that go lame could be spared euthanasia after scientists proved that injecting DNA into tendons and ligaments allowed the animals to compete again in just two months.

Lameness, when a horse’s gait is hampered by pain or a restriction, is the most prevalent reason for older horses being put down and is a common problem for racehorses after a fall.

But now scientists at the University of Nottingham have shown that injecting two growth genes into the damaged area triggers healing.