Advice/experience of hock arthritis medication

[Velma]

I'm looking for experience of those that have had their horses medicated with Triamcinolone Acetonide (Adcortyl) or Methylprednisolone Acetate (Depo Medrone). I'm unsure which one to go ahead with.

Bit of background, my 22 year old pony was diagnosed with arthritis in both hocks - though one worse than the other - approx 2.5/3 years ago. At the time he had 2 doses of Osphos with limited results and was then medicated in the worst hock with Adcortyl and HA which sorted him right out, followed by another dose of Osphos a few months later as good measure. This was all covered by insurance.

Fast forward to 2+ years later and he had been going better than ever but as the weather changed he started to go stiff and then went a bit lame. I've tried course of Bute - has helped a bit but still not right. Spoke to vet who said it can only be the osphos that has lasted 2 years not the steroid - but it was the steroid that worked for him last time. He's happy to give him another steroid though if that's what I want. As I'm out of insurance I called round a few vets to get quotes and one vet said he didn't use Adcortyl and HA as they work against each other and stop any fusion occurring and recommended Depo Medrone as a longer acting steroid.

I've since done some reading about both but seems many vets still recommend the Adcortyl / HA route as best and safest route, though it looks like Depo medrone could last longer. I'm torn as to which to go for and was hoping to hear of your experiences - specifically for hock arthritis. Did it work and quickly and how long was it before you needed to re medicate? Did your horse return to previous/near previous levels of work? (He's a pleasure horse/RC level and at his age we're mainly just schooling and hacking 6 times a week plus an occasional small pop - and he's still loving live and work)

thanks!

 

[Regandal]

Has he been xrayed lately? Usually the aim of injecting the lower hock joint is to encourage fusion. My horse had it done yesterday, both legs, for the first time. We’re aiming for fusion. He was injected with a steroid.

 

[Velma]

Has he been xrayed lately? Usually the aim of injecting the lower hock joint is to encourage fusion. My horse had it done yesterday, both legs, for the first time. We’re aiming for fusion. He was injected with a steroid.

Thanks for your reply. No, he was xrayed when he started with this 2.5/3 years ago. Vet said no point re-xraying. Yes ideally fusion but I've read something like only 25% of horses fuse naturally. Which steroid was he injected with and did you have HA as well? That's what I'm unsure about choosing. Mine had Adcortyl and HA done last time and that worked but one of the vets I spoke to when ringing round for quotes said that the HA works against the steroid when it comes to fusion (if I understood that correctly) and recommended the Depo Medrone as it's longer acting (he's not seen the x-rays and if I went with him I'd get them transferred first anyway). But I've read that it can really damage the cartilage and then if fusion doesn't occur then you're stuffed. Maybe I shouldn't try and read so much haha. Just in a quandary about which steroid to use.