Arthritis - cortaflex and no bute devils claw combination

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Follychoppins

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My mare has problems with arthritis which is most noticeable when she cannot transfer the weight from hind legs to pick her off hind up for the farrier. She has 30mls of cortaflex a day which has really put the spring into her joints when hacking but we still have the leg lifting issue. I had to use a different farrier today and he suggested devils claw in addition to her other supplement. Has anyone had success with this combination, or any other advice to help. She wears bioflow too :) Thanks
 
That sounds incredibley lame. When was your last lameness walkup done and what in tenths lameness did she score? Reason I ask, is you may need to go something much stronger than herbal painkillers.
 
Thanks aching hips. Last time she was assessed was earlier this year - sorry to be so vague. She only has one good leg! Lame on all other 3 due to arthritis. She also saw the back specialist who said the problem is associated with arthritic spine and neck meaning she can't bend very well. My vet is not keen to put her on bute permanently, and to a certain degree I am with her as it masks not cures the problem. It's just getting this one leg off the ground! so far we have not failed but it just isn't easy. I have done a bit with her using a rope under her fetlock so she has to lift it - only done this for a couple of days but she is a bit more confident and will try. Just looking for help. Thanks
 
Nothing will cure the problem, you can't cure or reverse arthritis. If the horse is lame on 3 legs then you really are beyond natural remedies (which IMHO aren't great anyway..I've tried them all!). My big horse has Danilon daily and it's given him a new lease of life. He has 1 or 2 sachets per day which makes him feel better and enables him to work.

I didn't realise how much it helped until I fell off hunting in March and injured my ankle quite badly. I had a lot of joint pain for months and eventually went to the Dr who prescribed Naproxen for me (bit like human version of bute). Within a couple of days the pain eased, the swelling went down and after I'd finished the 14 day course, it had gone altogether. After that I realised just how much a low dose of painkiller / anti inflammatory can help.
 
My boy is exactly the same, arthritis in 3 legs. Speak to your vet about danilon, its much safer to be on than bute (for the long term) and the difference is amazing.

I also top this up with oils + devils claw so as I can start weaning him off the danilon in the warmer weather xxx
 
I have already spoken to my vet about danilon, she isn't keen. I am giving a bit of a false impression. She can work and enjoys her "play". In company she flounces like a 4 year old, can trot and canter without issue. The only problem I have is getting her off leg off the ground for the farrier. She was on 15mls cortaflex previously and was still stiff at trot and on downhills. On the advice of my other vet I upped it to 30mls. Now she is softer and feels as if her "suspension" is all working properly. She whizzes along with a marked difference. She has bute before the farrier but that doesn't make a lot of difference. I am going to have a go at some training. If she can learn to load at 17 having been a TOTAL REFUSER for about 99% of her previous life there must be a bit of natural horsemanship I can try! Thank-you so much for the advice.
 
How old is your mare? Is she an oldie? If so, I would want her on bute - my oldie (25) is arthritic and she's on 1 bute a day - I up it to 2 if we have the farrier. My vet said that at her age and for her size (16hh) 1 bute a day won't hurt and it's better to keep her comfortable and happy than be in pain. I realise it may be different if your horse has arthritis but is still young.

I also use Newmarket Joint supplement on the recommendations of my vet.
 
I have a 21 yr old TB who struggles with stiffness and has difficulties lifting her feet for the farrier. She is on cortaflex, cider vinegar and more recently Buteless and she is complelely sound when ridden and strides out really nicely.
I was giving her a bute or Danilon before the farrier but now she is on Buteless I don't need the bute. The farrier does her fronts then another horse and comes back to her hinds. When she had an abscess in her near fore he did one leg, then another horse before the next fore etc. it really helped to give her a rest between shoeing each foot. She is now only cold shod to reduce the time she has to hold her legs up. Other than for the farrier we have no lameness issues and by adjusting the farriers routine and adding Buteless we have resolved the pain whilst shoeing.
 
Hi OP

All painkillers mask the problem. This is what they are designed for. This is good when it comes to arthritis as there is no cure - it just makes the horse more comfortable in day to day work, you can then up the dose for the farrier. Danillon is bute with a sugar coating, making it more palatable and also (some may say) protects the stomach lining more than bute, consequently, it is more expensive.

Good luck.:)
 
The vet told me 7 months ago to put her on bute, remove her shoes and thats all that could be done. I was devistated.

I did my dissertation on Complimentary Alternative Vet Medicine, so have always been adverse to wanting to keep a horse on bute long term when there are alternatives which can be tried. (to me vbute is the end of the road, short term help)

My girl is now as sound as she is going to be, hacking out, cubbing and looking like a 4yo again.

She is now off bute (which i decreaded slowly and was then able to eliminate) and on:

Aviform Supplease Gold
Cider Apple Vin
Boswelia
Rosehips

She is also barefoot (which i am so shocked at how this has helped as when she was younger would be crippled the second she lost a shoe) It also means she dosnt have to stand for the farrier so long and have the agro of pulling shoes off, which can really aggrivate arthritis.

It may be worth giving the above a go, failing that i agree with the others and ask for Danillon over bute.

Another thing you could try would be for the farrier to see her on some rubber matting? This will help the other legs absorbe some weight

Also, if you have an arena, just pop some poles down and walk her over them (can always raise them a little at one end) this will help her to use her back more and may help to make her a little more flexible, but arthritis is irriversable, so it is just managing the condition and making life as easy as possible for her.

Good luck! xx
 
Thanks everyone, I will continue down the buteless cortaflex road and see how we get on. By the way she is nearly 20 and a lovely old dolly so we aren't retiring yet!
 
If your horse responded well to cortaflex then either try her on cortaflex HA or Cortavet HA, which is the industrial strength of cortaflex....made by the same people. My 22 year old went from Cortaflex HA to Cortavet HA last year and is still hunting. :)

Good luck.
 
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