A decision - Arthritis

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Blissy

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My horse was x-rayed Wednesday. Unfortunately his hock has an arthritic condition. He had a cortisone injection, but it was unsuccessful. The next is to try a Tildren...

Tildren
http://www.georgevetgroup.co.uk/equine/TILDRENfactsheet.pdf
This is a medicine for arthritis, which has shown very good results. Usually administered via a drip, Tildren is reported to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of arthritis when it starts to form, but in some cases it just doesn’t work and there are side effects.

I had a long talk with the vet and we have decided – while we have our level-heads on, that if there is little to no improvement from the Tildren, I will have Him PTS and not let him suffer through the next winter on pain killers. I have battled away for two years with my poor horse being lame all the time and I have decided - along with the vet, that we have done everything we can to improve him but to no avail.

I begged her not to let us carry on with false hope, and she said that even with success, my horse only had a few more years before he would have to be PTS through his arthritic condition anyway. I would just be watching him deteriorate, and covering it all up with Bute. The vet said that she would never ever let a good horse be put down for no good reason and that we had done our best. He is only 11 and already has PSD in the same leg, for which he has had an operation.

What do people think of this decision? I am so sad about it, but hope and pray that he improves - but can only think we are "riding for a fall" anyway. No future is a terrible prognosis to hear.
 
i know exactly how you feel,my mare has sidebone and ringbone and i have only had her two years but im now starting to think its not right to ride for much longer,shes never been lame as such but she struggles with circles and funny angles,shes had xrays and shes on suppliments but i know sometime soon i will have to make the decision to stop riding her,i think you know your own horse and can tell when they know longer enjoy there work and when that time comes i know its hard but its the best thing to do and i think as a good caring owner its better than letting the horse suffer and struggle on.but hopefully the tildren will work for your horse and you can have a few more happy years together.
 
Well the Tildren is expensive and will only last 6 months, this is a concern. At the moment, and since this condition came on so sudden, I have an insurance claim - Good ol' NFU, who have already paid out £5000 on the leg last year. The insurance I think will cover me for 2 bouts (now and just before the winter starts), after that it's out of my pocket - also the Bute forever? He's already on mighty expensive suppliments. I know it's all pants. But the bill last year was £6500, so I had to find £1500 myself! I can't afford to keep paying out like this.

Please don't misunderstand me, I love my horse and I can never replace him, but seeing him suffer with one thing or another for such a long time, I just don't want to drag it out.

It's the same with me - the vet has him on bute all the time and I have to keep the joint moving, but it's not exactly pleasurable knowing that it's all falling apart inside and out of sight. Last winter I put him in the field and even on quite a high dose he just stood at the gate not wanting to run off and have a roll like he has done so many times before. Non of this seem right to me, and while vets must like to take insurance cases and pull out all the stops, sometimes I feel that we have to take the hard line.
 
I think you have made the right decision, and I can totally understand how you feel because I have just had to make exactly the same one. My little mare has arthritis, also in her hocks, and it suddenly took a turn for the worse this winter. There has been a slight improvement with this week's warmer weather but I have decided she will be PTS in October as it's unfair to put her through another winter.

It is a real shock at first, but in some ways I think it is easier than a sudden death. You have time to prepare mentally, and take some comfort from the fact they have been given all possible care and attention. I hope the Tildren works for him, but at least you are being realistic about the prospects. I agree that it just doesn't feel right keeping them going on Bute, knowing there is only one outcome. I still can't quite get my head around the idea of organising my horse's death though(this will be the first I've had PTS).

Fingers crossed for the Tildren, and either way make sure he has the best summer he can.
 
its such a horrible position to be in when you love your horse but you know your horse is not happy and as with everyone money is an issue and there is only so much you can strech to, all i can say ill just listen to my horse and il know when the time is right and i think being a good owner is knowing when to call it a day and only you can make that decison
 
Hi..I am really sorry you find yourself in this position. Its the hardest thing to come to terms with. Even with people, arthritis doesn't really get better.at best its kept at bay......but a person can tell you when they are in pain, not so easy for a horse to do.
 
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Last winter I put him in the field and even on quite a high dose he just stood at the gate not wanting to run off and have a roll like he has done so many times before.

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Your horse is telling you what you need to do and you are a wonderful mum for listening and not putting your own emotions before his needs. Big Hug it's horrible but we all have to make the decision at some point and it's doing what is right even when it's hard that makes us good responsible owners.
 
I had the surgery done for hock fusion in January after reading up on injections and tildren.My vet recommended surgery as he has had a high sucess rate.Although my horse is improving slowly he has days when he is still sore but he is happy enough rolling bucking and running around his field.I can walk him out and do some trotting on a hack but schooling is too much at the moment.My horse is nearly 7 so like you i wanted to give him every chance.The joint has not fused yet but he is much more comfortable than before the operation and like I said my vet expects him to be sound be it another 4 months or a year.There is a high success rate with this op if you want to pm me or need any more info i will be happy to discuss.I appreciate were you are coming frm re expenses having just paid out myself but please consider this option before your insurance runs out of time.
Just to give you some idea
Ollie had two days in horspital.
one month box rest
one month restricted turnout
one month walking starting 15 mins and after a month 2 hours
one month trot work.This week I have had to back of a bit because he has been sore but he is not in major pain and he was working without pain killers for 2 months .I will reduce his work until he is comfortable again but if you saw him messing in his field you wouldnt think it was the same horse that I had in Jan who was 8/10 lame
I had a major decision to make and Im so glad I made this one.The vet has even said he might be jumping again next year.
 
Thank you so much for making me feel a whole lot better about this situation. I felt that I had to talk to the vet about it now and not leave it till the situation gets out of control. She totally supported me in my timescale and deadline for him.

It may be that the Tildren works and that 2 bouts would take me into next summer and next winter may be decision time, given the prognosis. Having said this there are side effects - he could react badly - I will just have to wait and see - I am used to that!

I have him on bute now but believe that he is having a nice time, a bit of work with me and all day in the field with his girlfriend!

Big hugs also to you Nudibranch who has done the same as me.

So kind of you all for your responses - thank you!
 
Thanks for the tip, cellie. I have talked about this to the vet, the thing is he already had an opeation last year on his PSD. This condition is in both legs - one in particular is bad the other playing catch-up, I just think it's all going on too long, and I just don't want to put him through it. I have been 2 years nursing him and I put a timeline on it and said - if he doesn't come right I will call it a day. As I have said to the vet, I no longer want to be strung along on hopes that may not deliver any more, for my horse and for me.
 
hope all goes well with Tildren, but if it doesn't listen to your horse.

We had a gelding with navicular which didn't respond to treatment. He had never been a placid horse when ridden and wasn't a safe gentle hack /companion type and had othe issues..but after 10 months lame when his character started to change through the low grade pain and he started nipping us and other horses we took the decision to PTS before the winter set in. I am sure it was the correct decision..though not easy.

I think horse tell you when they are not happy by their actions....and the right decision follows.

Hope for you though that all goes well.

Ali
 
Merlin had tildren done this morning...... it is his second dose and the last one was 11 months ago..... we only redid it today coz the insurance runs out next month and it was sucessful the first time..... he has been sound and in full work since.

Go for it, you have nothing to lose...... I do hope it works as well for your horse. I was talking to the vet today about the side effects and he said he has never had one taken ill by the tildren, and he has done loads in racing yards etc. That was good to hear
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I have just edited my previous post to give you a better idea of what we went through.A friend of mine is having her horse done this week on both legs so it is a option.I know where you are coming from and really sympathise my horse has done a ligament and tendon and bruised his cannon bone prior to this .It can really drag you down I ve had 2 years of hell with him but things are looking positive at the moment.He is also my first horse so it has been very disappointing but like you said you love them to bits and just want the best for them.
 
So sorry to hear about your horse. My last horse had very bad ringbone and I had just retired her fully as she was lame with small doses of bute and I decided it just wasnt fair, she was only 8 yrs old and I'd only had her 2 years. She had had all the treatment available and we kept her hacking for about 12 mths before the bute became a neccessity. Sadly I went up one morning and she had surgical colic and we decided it was kinder to have her PTS than go through surgery as vet didnt think her legs would stand all the box rest. Looking back it was a blessing, we had said we would re assess in the winter and if she was struggling at all then she was to be PTS. Its a really hard decision to make and I feel for you. I dreaded the day coming but it was all taken out of my hands with the colic.
You are doing the right thing and putting your horse first.
 
I have taken lots of retired ones with arthritic illnesses and probably have seen more than most people as a result.
All improved to some degree when they first arrived as they were forced to move their joints more because of the undulating terrain, plus it's hard ground so little mud to pull on their joints.
There comes a time though when you can see that the pain is making them miserable, and it's very difficult because it isn't there constantly. several times i've looked at a horse, thought, "Yes, the time is soon" then the following day it's running about looking much better.
I had Minty one of our brood mares pts the other week. My husband and I have disagreed about the decision for months. It doesn't bother him to see her losing weight or limping a bit, whereas I look at her eyes and what she does in the daytime, for me a horse who isn't mooching about constantly or struggling to get up or down is not acceptable.
So standling still and looking miserable as you say your horse does would make me err on the side of saying that's enough.
None here is on any medication, so your horse must be quite severely affected, and if the cortisone injection had no effect, I wonder if the tildren will either.
Normally I would say turn him away on ground like ours for the summer and see what the forced excercise did, but my gut feeling is in your shoes I probably would have him pts without even trying the tildren.
That isn't what a lot of people on here would do but I go on quality of life not the owners' heart strings.
In many ways it's easier for me to say enough is enough because there is little emotional involvement other than affection. (there is also the livery money I lose so I don't do it easily!)
The choice is try the tildren, if it doesn't work by the end of the summer say goodbye, or look honestly at his quality of life right now, and give him the summer then decide anyway.
I feel you have done your utmost to save him but the prognosis doesn't sound good.
Do pm me if you you want to discuss this further, I know how hard it must be..
 
You described my boy in your reply, Henryhorn
The vet suspected arthritic changes in his spine and possibly hocks as well as having it in his coffin joint
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Told me he wouldn't last another winter
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He was put on Bute whilst I decided whether he goes after the summer or before. He ran around like a 3yo for a week or so but soon reverted back to his stiff, stilted walk and we hadn't seen him lie down for a long time
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So after a heartbreaking week I decided it was his time to go.
Such a hard decision but I always said I wouldn't let him suffer.
He was only 13
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but I did all I could for him and gave him a wonderful 3 years.
I think in the back of your mind you will of made up your mind what you are going to do. Whatever your decision, good luck and feel free to pm me if you ever want to chat
 
It is so hard with a condition like arthritis to make a judgemental decision, as so many external factors can make one day very different from the last. My boy had arthritis in both knees and hylauronic (sp?) acid injections worked for him. He had a total of 3 but when it workd, it was like some one turbed the lights on; it was that instant. He was only 11 when diagnosed but i am unable to give you any more advice as he was pts 18 months later with complications due to mengingtis. Again it was quality of life that was the issue - i knew in my heart of hearts that it was time to end his suffering and not to try any further treatment and i ahd a wonderfully supportive and experienced vet with whom i discussed everything. I hope your vet is as helpful at dispensing objective advice whilst still able to offer you a hanky when the going gets tough! I am thinking of you -
 
My Girl had Tildren injected straight into her lumbar spine last September - she has arthritic changes through her lumbar spine and sacral region. I did go through hell for 2 weeks after the injections (But she sliced her nostril open and required sedation to be stitched up - so extra drugs on top). She went completely toxic and was ridgid (sp) from head to toe for a week, she had to have water buckets hug up, feed in a manager and hay hung up (in stable and in field) as she was unable to put her head to the floor, each time she took a step she nearly fell over and did fall on a couple of occasions.

BUT - she is hugely better, on Friday we did a proper canter half pass and saturday she was quite happily popping 1meter. Its taken a long time but there is hope for your boy, I also found that a change of diet has signficantly helped and loosened her up hugely (she now has simple sytems)
 
You say that this drug gets good results in alleviating the symptoms of arthritis when it starts to form, but it sounds like it's already quite advanced in your lad. I know what you're going through as my old horse had arthritis in his fore. I had him PTS three and a half years ago. He was struggling to get up, and as lying down in his stable and having a good roll were two of his greatest pleasures, I couldn't bear to see him go on struggling. It would have destroyed me if he had gone down and not been able to get up, and the decision would have been taken out of my hands.

He had a lovely last summer and was PTS in the September. I made the right decision and I think you have too.
 
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