Arthritis in hock

[dalidaydream]

I was just wondering if anyone has successfully managed arthritis in the hock without resorting to injecting it. Full story here:-

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=544451

I'm not keen on injecting it if we don't need to and to be honest, although I don't doubt he does have a problem with arthritis, I think there might be something else going on as well. The vet told me to put him on 2 danilon a day for 2 weeks and keep on walking him out, which I did - no difference. I then carried on walking him out without the danilon but I didn't feel it was getting us anywhere so I've now given him 3 weeks off - still lame on that leg although my back lady says he now is not showing any tightness, presumably because I haven't been riding him and making him compensate? I've just ordered some Cosequin for him to see if that helps but was wondering if there was anything else I should be doing.

This all came on after he had to have several weeks off with a sore neck. The weather was awful so he wasn't turned out as much as I would like so I was hoping he had just stiffened up and would come right with gentle exercise but this doesn't seem to be happening.

Sorry, I'm rambling again - thanks for any help in advance.

 

[Lucyad]

I would proceed with x-rays first, which I don't think from the linked thread you have had done yet? Then the vet can advise what treatment would be best fo rhte type, location and stage of the arthritis.

My horse has bone spavin and after x-rays over 3 years ago my vet recommended lots of walking in straight lines, cosequin, and intramuscular Adequan injections (which you can do yourself so aren't too risky or expensive). My horse came sound and has been fine ever since, until this spring, when his other hock became similarly stiff. We repeated the procedure and again he came sound and has been performing well this season so far.

I wouldn't rule out further treatments in the future if he has problems again - I will just take my vets advice. However when I was panicing and asking for basically every treatment avaialble on my insurance after the first diagnosis, she calmed me down and recommended starting with the least invasive first. Good advice, because it obviously worked, and I would have put my horse through unecessary treatment and cost my insurance company unecesssarily as well!

 

[Sophstar]

I have a cob with hock arthritis diagnosed last November and I refused steroid injections. At 20, I don't feel it's the right treatment for him, he's always simply been a happy hacker and he battles with respiratory allergies too so couldn't be in for rest anyway. The biggest thing that has helped him is simply to keep him working. He lives out 24/7 but when I initially gave him a month off when he first went lame, he just got worse and worse and more uncomfortable. He is on a joint supplement, linseed, back shoes removed and has danilon on bad days plus wears magnetic bands in the colder weather.

I did a 10 mile sponsored ride start of April and he was like a brand new horse An hour of walking he was sound enough to have a few trots and canters and the following 2 weeks or so after he was really loose and comfortable in the field. I aim to get him out for 3 hour + hacks every couple of weeks to properly loosen off. The vet agreed keeping him moving is the best thing for him and with arthritis they will go troughs and peaks of pain as the bone changes and to give him pain killers when he has a rough patch.

 

[dalidaydream]

I have a cob with hock arthritis diagnosed last November and I refused steroid injections. At 20, I don't feel it's the right treatment for him, he's always simply been a happy hacker and he battles with respiratory allergies too so couldn't be in for rest anyway. The biggest thing that has helped him is simply to keep him working. He lives out 24/7 but when I initially gave him a month off when he first went lame, he just got worse and worse and more uncomfortable. He is on a joint supplement, linseed, back shoes removed and has danilon on bad days plus wears magnetic bands in the colder weather.

Hi, someone else has suggested magnetic boots which I'd never considered before. What are the magnetic bands you use?

I'm so confused because my instinct says I should keep him moving but it's so hard to ride a lame horse (if that makes sense).

 

[dalidaydream]

I would proceed with x-rays first, which I don't think from the linked thread you have had done yet? Then the vet can advise what treatment would be best fo rhte type, location and stage of the arthritis.

No I haven't had x-rays yet as he's not insured and when the vet realised this he said we could afford to wait. It's not as if he's hobbling round the field - he's quite happy to be stuffing his face while I dither. Like I say I know he should keep moving but I would like to see some improvement if I were to be riding him, or maybe I'm being too impatient.

 

[Horses24-7]

My boy had x rays and shows slight arthritic changes in hocks- in just starting him on cosequin and magnetic boots- I've got the premier equine mag wraps I just fix them a bit higher than normal. I have gone for the steroid injections also as heard great success with them- often they only need repeating ever 12-18 months x

 

[Proud Wexford Hero]

Hi,
My horse was diagnosed as having osteoarthritis in his hocks, and I did initially resort to the steriod jabs (he was 15 at the time), and had really positive results, it really eased the stiffness off, he had them once a year. I also tried the Cartrofen jabs which didn't seem to work at all.

I retired him at 18, and put him on bute (1 sachet per day) and MSM which seems to keep him comfortable and happy, and I also put the bioflow magnetic boots on his back legs too. I wish I could buy him a new pair of legs bless him, but he has taken to retired life really well, and is nearly 22 (going on 2!! ) He had problems with his neck too, but this eased off with a couple of doses of MSM for a couple of days. The only thing we sometimes struggle with is when the ground is hard, but other than that, everything seems to work with what I am doing with him.

 

[Sophstar]

Hi, someone else has suggested magnetic boots which I'd never considered before. What are the magnetic bands you use?

I'm so confused because my instinct says I should keep him moving but it's so hard to ride a lame horse (if that makes sense).

I did use bioflow boots but I couldn't deal with the faffing around of taking them on and off everyday and worrying how long they had been on. Plus their legs get very hot underneath and it made my cob itchy

The bands are much better for horses that live out as they obviously don't trap the mud underneath in winter.

I use these http://www.magnetic.uk.com/animal.shtml

I didn't notice a huge difference until I removed them for a couple of days and he was a lot stiffer, so they help him Just a complete pain in the bum if they get it off as they are impossible to search for in a huge field! I tape bright coloured vet wrap round them (just in case!)

I know what you mean about riding a lame horse. My cob has the odd sore day and the first few steps he's very sore especially if it's taken ages to get him clean and he's been stood around. He loosens right up given a bit of time and is usually leading the hack ahead of the youngsters

 

[dalidaydream]

I did use bioflow boots but I couldn't deal with the faffing around of taking them on and off everyday and worrying how long they had been on. Plus their legs get very hot underneath and it made my cob itchy

The bands are much better for horses that live out as they obviously don't trap the mud underneath in winter.

I use these http://www.magnetic.uk.com/animal.shtml

I didn't notice a huge difference until I removed them for a couple of days and he was a lot stiffer, so they help him Just a complete pain in the bum if they get it off as they are impossible to search for in a huge field! I tape bright coloured vet wrap round them (just in case!)

I know what you mean about riding a lame horse. My cob has the odd sore day and the first few steps he's very sore especially if it's taken ages to get him clean and he's been stood around. He loosens right up given a bit of time and is usually leading the hack ahead of the youngsters

Oooh thanks, I see they do them in yellow - might be easier to find when he ditches it! Do you keep them on all the time?

 

[dalidaydream]

Hi,
My horse was diagnosed as having osteoarthritis in his hocks, and I did initially resort to the steriod jabs (he was 15 at the time), and had really positive results, it really eased the stiffness off, he had them once a year. I also tried the Cartrofen jabs which didn't seem to work at all.

I retired him at 18, and put him on bute (1 sachet per day) and MSM which seems to keep him comfortable and happy, and I also put the bioflow magnetic boots on his back legs too. I wish I could buy him a new pair of legs bless him, but he has taken to retired life really well, and is nearly 22 (going on 2!! ) He had problems with his neck too, but this eased off with a couple of doses of MSM for a couple of days. The only thing we sometimes struggle with is when the ground is hard, but other than that, everything seems to work with what I am doing with him.

Thanks, he had cartrofen when he tore his tendon and I know how expensive that is plus I can't say I really noticed any benefit. I suppose my real problem with the steroid injections is it doesn't feel quite right to put him through that just so I can ride him when he is perfectly happy to pootle about in the field.

 

[Megalini_22]

Thanks, he had cartrofen when he tore his tendon and I know how expensive that is plus I can't say I really noticed any benefit. I suppose my real problem with the steroid injections is it doesn't feel quite right to put him through that just so I can ride him when he is perfectly happy to pootle about in the field.

I believe that in some situatiuons of spavin, exercise can be beneficial in this situation if you manage on a low dose of bute and take action like intravenous injections into the joint.

If you can build up muscle tone over his back so he carries himself properly and take the strain off the hocks and keep him mobile and trim (that is the key) - then this is possibly better than letting him pootle in the field where he may still get stiff and fat..

Hock injections aren't to my knowledge that stressful for the horse - they do get sedated first, the vet injects - you box rest them for a few days and watch them improve.

There are different intravenous treatments available, and they have been produced onto the veterinary market for a reason - but then again I trust my vet implicitly so when he suggests this is the next step - I tend to agree as he is the expert - not me.

 

[dalidaydream]

I trust my vet implicitly so when he suggests this is the next step - I tend to agree as he is the expert - not me.

I think he threw me when he suggested nerve blocking and injecting steroids at the same time - ie before he even knew for definite that was the problem, and then back tracked big time when he realised pony isn't insured, suggesting that it might be better to wait and see for a while. This does make me naturally suspicious that the treatment might not be in the best interest of the pony. Obviously in an ideal world we could all take our vet's word as gospel but they are only human after all and that's why I thought I would get some other opinions before deciding what to do.

It does seem that opinion seems to be in favour of having the joint jabs which leaves me with the problem of convincing my OH when he thinks I've spent enough on said pony and he should just be left to enjoy retirement.

I'm still so confused but thank you all for your help.

 

[Sophstar]

Oooh thanks, I see they do them in yellow - might be easier to find when he ditches it! Do you keep them on all the time?

My cob wears them 24/7 particularly when it's cold and wet. I bought two so one on each leg despite them saying you only need one If he has had a break from wearing them when it warms up, I just pop them back on if he has done a long ride.

They don't stay yellow for long...especially in the current mud!

 

[cobmum]

Alcohol injection, there was a thread on here about it

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/archive/index.php/t-484499.html

 

[china]

Mine has bone Spavins in both hocks, he is 14. He was diagnosed via X-rays and bone scans. He had one set of injections and then I decided not to have any more. He has had a year off in the field with shoes taken off and he would just walk in hand with hoof boots on. He has naf super flex in his food as it has hyloronic acid in it and he also has devils relief. I used magnetic boots on his front legs for his navicular. He is now sound but he does have his stiff days and he competed for the first time in two years last weekend. It is manageable, but they are generally unsound while there are changes happening. My advice would be to keep him mobile, walk is enough! No tight circles etc just straight lines on a good surface. I don't stable mine as it makes him stiff. Long reining is good because then you can monitor how he is walking.

 

[china]

Here Is my recent success thread, just shows its not the end!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=543537

 

[AdorableAlice]

I don't understand the comments about 'not wanting to put my old horse through a steriod injection'.

Why ever not, when the drugs are proven to give significant pain relief and allow the horse to move in comfort. You would be very unlucky to have laminitis triggered by the steriod and a competent vet will be very careful not to introduce infection.

It is a straight forward procedure, involving a reasonable level of sedation to ensure the horse is still, a very close shave of the area and between one and four very fine needles depending on which intertarsal is being medicated.

For my horse the treatment has been crucial for him to continue living
a happy and comfortable life, the horse has been done 3 times over a 6 year period and my OH has just had exactly the same procedure on his spine. End result is both men in my life are happy, pain free and less miserable. ( I will concede the horse slept better the night before than the old man did).

I strongly believe faithful, hard working old horses and men ! should have all the pain relief they need to maintain their quality of life and have never understand the amount of horsey people that think long term bute etc is an evil thing to do. No difference to us taking paracetamol.

Modern equine and human medicine now allows pain to be treated much more effectively than it was a few years ago.

I know many will not agree with me and my tin hat is firmly wedged on - fire away !!

 

[dalidaydream]

They don't stay yellow for long...especially in the current mud!

I knew it was too good to be true

 

[dalidaydream]

Alcohol injection, there was a thread on here about it

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/archive/index.php/t-484499.html

I've read about them somewhere but didn't know it was available in this country yet. Even if they are I suspect the cost will be against us as he's not insured.

 

[dalidaydream]

Mine has bone Spavins in both hocks, he is 14. He was diagnosed via X-rays and bone scans. He had one set of injections and then I decided not to have any more. He has had a year off in the field with shoes taken off and he would just walk in hand with hoof boots on. He has naf super flex in his food as it has hyloronic acid in it and he also has devils relief. I used magnetic boots on his front legs for his navicular. He is now sound but he does have his stiff days and he competed for the first time in two years last weekend. It is manageable, but they are generally unsound while there are changes happening. My advice would be to keep him mobile, walk is enough! No tight circles etc just straight lines on a good surface. I don't stable mine as it makes him stiff. Long reining is good because then you can monitor how he is walking.

Thank you for posting, you have cheered me up no end

 

[dalidaydream]

Thank you all for your advice. After careful consideration I think my biggest problem might be that I have no faith in my vet so I'm looking into changing. All I want is for someone who tell's it like it is so I can trust them and make the correct decisions for my boy - is that really too much to ask, sigh?

 

[wattamus]

Mine got diagnosed with arthritis 5 years ago, she didnt have injections and we just gave her bute for 2 months and worked her as normal and this made the joint fuse, she still did everything she did before but obviously we gave her longer to warm up after coming out of the stable and she would occasionally be a bit too stiff to ride so shed have the day off, the best thing for arthritis is regular work
IMO steroid injections aren't the way to go if possible, when the same horse got ringbone they tried to fuse the joint with the injection and it had no effect, furthermore they need to be done again and again so just an ongoing expense.

Just to prove how cool she was with her arhtritis

 

[dalidaydream]

I don't understand the comments about 'not wanting to put my old horse through a steriod injection'.

Why ever not, when the drugs are proven to give significant pain relief and allow the horse to move in comfort. You would be very unlucky to have laminitis triggered by the steriod and a competent vet will be very careful not to introduce infection.

It is a straight forward procedure, involving a reasonable level of sedation to ensure the horse is still, a very close shave of the area and between one and four very fine needles depending on which intertarsal is being medicated.

For my horse the treatment has been crucial for him to continue living
a happy and comfortable life, the horse has been done 3 times over a 6 year period and my OH has just had exactly the same procedure on his spine. End result is both men in my life are happy, pain free and less miserable. ( I will concede the horse slept better the night before than the old man did).

I strongly believe faithful, hard working old horses and men ! should have all the pain relief they need to maintain their quality of life and have never understand the amount of horsey people that think long term bute etc is an evil thing to do. No difference to us taking paracetamol.

Modern equine and human medicine now allows pain to be treated much more effectively than it was a few years ago.

I know many will not agree with me and my tin hat is firmly wedged on - fire away !!

How did you OH find the injection? Other people have told me the pain is excruciating (in the knee) and the benefit is not worth the treatment so would not put themselves through it again. I do agree that all males do need to be kept as pain free as possible - if only to give us some peace

It's a bit more than just not wanting to put him through this particalar treatment, we seem to have spent most of the last few years bringing him back into work from one thing or another so maybe it's me that needs a break from it all not him. Hopefully if I can find a more sympathetic vet then I can shake myself out of it.

 

[dalidaydream]

Mine got diagnosed with arthritis 5 years ago, she didnt have injections and we just gave her bute for 2 months and worked her as normal and this made the joint fuse, she still did everything she did before but obviously we gave her longer to warm up after coming out of the stable and she would occasionally be a bit too stiff to ride so shed have the day off, the best thing for arthritis is regular work
IMO steroid injections aren't the way to go if possible, when the same horse got ringbone they tried to fuse the joint with the injection and it had no effect, furthermore they need to be done again and again so just an ongoing expense.

Just to prove how cool she was with her arhtritis

Lovely heartwarming pictures.

The more experiences I read, I seem to be coming to the conclusion that I need to get a new vet to look at him to formulate a plan and get him back in work.

Thanks very much

 

[AdorableAlice]

How did you OH find the injection? Other people have told me the pain is excruciating (in the knee) and the benefit is not worth the treatment so would not put themselves through it again. I do agree that all males do need to be kept as pain free as possible - if only to give us some peace

You are right the facet joint injections are often very painful. I read that but didn't mention it to him. He was very fortunate and the hospital was brilliant (Kidderminster). They advised he was put out totally. He didn't feel a thing and came home after about 6 hours bright and cheerful.

I think if they just do local numbing and leave you awake you end up being tense and then the jabs hurt a lot !

Certainly for any of you facing this treatment my OH would recomend you are away with the fairies when they do it.

 

[4x4]

Not been on here for a while as have been very busy but to add my two pence worth, I am also uninsured, the vet said 2/10ths lame on one hind leg, possibly spavin (arthritis), prescribed bute for 6 months, took her off after about 4 months, she lives out, have been hacking intermittently and although I would not say she is moving correctly at the moment she doesn't appear to be lame exactly, just not tracking up properly in trot. She still wants to work and takes off on the lunge regularly when I want her to just walk for exercise (2 lunge-lines joined together to make very very big circles). I might look into the magnetic boots but we discussed all the invasive therapy and he said as we were not insured it was best to take the route I have described above- now have to wait and see what the outcome is. I have considered taking off the back shoes but it is a lot of faffing about as we have to do roadwork when we go out and so would then have to wear boots.

 

[dalidaydream]

Not been on here for a while as have been very busy but to add my two pence worth, I am also uninsured, the vet said 2/10ths lame on one hind leg, possibly spavin (arthritis), prescribed bute for 6 months, took her off after about 4 months, she lives out, have been hacking intermittently and although I would not say she is moving correctly at the moment she doesn't appear to be lame exactly, just not tracking up properly in trot. She still wants to work and takes off on the lunge regularly when I want her to just walk for exercise (2 lunge-lines joined together to make very very big circles). I might look into the magnetic boots but we discussed all the invasive therapy and he said as we were not insured it was best to take the route I have described above- now have to wait and see what the outcome is. I have considered taking off the back shoes but it is a lot of faffing about as we have to do roadwork when we go out and so would then have to wear boots.

Thank you. I think we are going to go down this line with the arthritis - I've started to feed him turmeric and this has definitely loosened the back legs up. He is now much happier to have his back feet picked out and easier with the farrier - he was never naughty but he was obviously uncomfortable and did sometimes pull away.

Unfortunately it appears that he is now lame at the front as well and my (new) vet has recommended field rest so it now looks like I have no choice. He is now the proud owner of a new grazing muzzle so he doesn't get too fat (well actually not amused in the least but needs must!)

 

[4x4]

Am thinking of trying turmeric and have ordered some magnet leg wraps but we had a few strides of trot today and my friend said she is still lame. Having reread all this and other posts I am still no wiser-before the trot some insect caused her to p**s of in 0-gallo0 .001 seconds so she can't be feeling THAT bad, and he said 'light exercise' so a 1 1/2 hour hack in walk 2 -3 times a week (she always comes back perky) is good enough. Don't know where to go from here, I still have a box of bute left, I COULD bute her then exercise harder, hoping for joint fusion or just carry on with the light exercise. ??? Horses eh?

 

[Sophstar]

Am thinking of trying turmeric and have ordered some magnet leg wraps but we had a few strides of trot today and my friend said she is still lame. Having reread all this and other posts I am still no wiser-before the trot some insect caused her to p**s of in 0-gallo0 .001 seconds so she can't be feeling THAT bad, and he said 'light exercise' so a 1 1/2 hour hack in walk 2 -3 times a week (she always comes back perky) is good enough. Don't know where to go from here, I still have a box of bute left, I COULD bute her then exercise harder, hoping for joint fusion or just carry on with the light exercise. ??? Horses eh?

You may find riding in walk for 1 1/2 hr + would warm and loosen her up even better. My boy had his first sound trot and canter in 5 months after nearly 2 hours walking on a sponsored ride. Wasn't my decision to trot full speed through the woods but his He had had only had 1 sachet of danilon the night before and early morning to keep him comfortable whilst travelling His legs were loose for a good 2 weeks after 4 hours of exercise!

 

[4x4]

I reckon we'd been out about 3/4 hour when we tried to trot, it was to try to get away from the flies. She was originally diagnosed 2/10 lame eg 1/5 my friend said straight away (she was behind) ..no stop she's lame..sometimes I trot on way home so after 1 1/2 hrs plus but not always a good surface eg tarmac. Just noticed sophstar you are near me! It's so difficult to know what is the right thing to do.