Arthritic horse getting really bad! Advice

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welshied

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My horse has had arthritis since he was 8 and now hes 13. He was retired this year as he couldn't hold the weight of a lw person on his back, and 2 months ago a vet came out to test his lameness she said he was 4/10 lame on his left leg and she thought it had spread into his right leg in his hock and his hock of his left leg.
He has been turned out 24/7 all summer and lately his joints are really clicking and now when hes turning he struggling to put any weight on his left leg, he is on one danilon a day and does seem happy in himself. We have arranged for the vet to comeout on tuesday.
What are your opinions really hoping its just because the ground has gone hard and not because he is losing the battle against it?
frown.gif
 
My old lad is 30 and has arthritis in both hocks. The vet said not to ride him as he was now unsafe. He struggled to pick his hinds up for me to do his feet. Someone on here recommended Maxaflex. I saw a massive improvemnt within 10 days. He is also on 1 Danilon a day. I am still hacling him out a couple of times a week and he picks up his hinds much much better. Still stiff but nowhere near as bad.
 
Its hard to comment really, the vet will be best. But have you tried your horse on pernamax? It is supposed to be good stuff, could be worth a try, its hard to say, see what the vet says, hope it goes ok, let us know how you get on
 
am crying at the thought of it will have to see what vet says and see if she recommends anything to try him on and hes being stabled on a night to try and get as much weight off as possible
 
not really just a bit chubby can still feel his ribs without pressing hard just they are a bit more covered then you would ideally want
 
I had my 40 yr old on Naf Devils Relief as well as an oil suppliment worked well and made his life easier - it mite help and it's natural!!
 
Really sorry to read whats happening with your boy.

Just as another option, see my post about Boswellia further below... some people have said it is very good- equivalent to two bute, yet natural?

I have just bought some to try on my 21YO....

Good luck xxx
 
Sorry to hear about your horse. I would take advice from your vet. Retiring him will have stiffened him up, can you not take him out for walks in hand to exercise him a little. It's a shame because 13 isn't old at all for a horse.
When I had my old arthritic horse he was always worse in the summer because of the hard ground.

Is he out 24/7 or is he stabled at night? If I kept mine in overnight he used to be terrible.

Good luck, I hope everything works out on tuesday.
 
I've put my old boy (well he's only 17) on permanex and he has ringbone in both his front feet, he's basically retired, I may walk him slowly down to the beach a couple of times a month to keep him interested. I've seen improvement in him this summer being on Permanex and he's also on 1 danilon a day.

He will live out as much as possible this winter as he's so stiff the following morning.
 
Before going any further your vet needs to take x rays of the hocks so as to diagnose exactly what is going on.

I would suggest giving your horse a scoop of linsead each day. You can buy it in large tubs and it will act as an anti-inflamitary. An additive containing Glucosamine may also help.

Hard ground will make a lot of difference as the joints will get far more concussed.

In many cases of arthritis in the hock the bones in the hock fuse together thus reducing the pain.
 
You could increase the danilon to two a day - just be aware that any bute related substance can be realted to colitis (have experienced it although cannot be certain it was danilon that caused it). Just be aware that by increaseing the danilon you are limiting your options for winter when the weather closes in and the stiffness sets in.

Bioflow boots also work really well for some horses as does devils claw. Aside from that I would try and drop some weight from him (if he has some to lose) and keep him out as much as poss to keep him and the fluid in his legs moving.

The colder weather lately may have exacerbated it more and led to the increased stiffness.

Good Luck with whatever you decide.
 
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