Arthritis in hock

Steroid injections are seriously not that bad if you have a competent vet, sterile-ish environment and good 'piccies/x-rays'.....they have kept my 22 year old hunting fit....and I am talking good shire country.

With the vet that he has known throughout his eventing career, we don't even need to sedate......if, on the rare occasion this person is not available from the practise, then we do sedate. 48 hours box rest, 48 hours turnout and then we pick up the riding....one week of 'easy' and then continue as before. Touch wood...combined with Cortravet and regular turnout so that he is moving most of the day, we are on to a winner ......I know it won't last for ever, but whilst it does I intend to enjoy. I also keep him leaner and meaner all year round than I did previously, on the basis that the less weight his joints have to bare, the easier it is.

Have never found a mag hock boot that stays in place, but do use mag rugs when travelling.

HTH
 
4x4 said:
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.
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Just to say... my horse is now uninsured for his hock spavins. The last time they were medicated (about a month ago) I paid my vet cash. Cost me call out plus £125 for both hocks. Not a big cost to make the horse more comfortable. Although I guess in my case, we have x-rays taken when he *was* insured so vet knows exactly where to inject.
 
I would truly try to get x-rays done and keep horse turned out/moving as much as possible at the moment. Ask your vet if he maybe offers the Alcohol Injections? Worth researching. I've read some negatives but I would query that with my vet and be more drawn to that than steroid as it promotes fusion.

I had a mare who had a large bone cyst which caused arthritic changes in the hock. But wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for the x-rays. If I remember correctly, the operation will give them a mechanical gait and is very expensive if you're not insured. But the injections are affordable if you did decide to give them a go.

Good luck and hopefully you can get to the bottom of things soon.
 
4x4 said:
Chestnut cob, what 'medicated' did you have?
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He has steroid injections directly into the affected parts of the hock. He's also had Adequan (about £400 a course) and Tildren (about £500 in total) in the past. Tildren was, IME, not particularly useful as the difference initially was amazing but it wore off quickly and had no effect second time. Adequan is great and he has a couple of courses of this a year but it's not cheap!

The cheapest thing, if it's applicable (talk to your vet), is steroid injections. These make a big difference to my horse and aren't expensive.
 
My horse is worked as normal, he's ten and was diagnosed with spavins 18 months ago, he had steriod injections into the hock and later a course of adequan, he has danilon on the odd stiff day and is on cortaflex. He is also shod with lateral extensions.
 
My horse has high ringbone in the short pastern, sidebones and DJD in her RF.
I had no clue what was wrong and just went in for a lameness work up and found this through x-rays.
She had steroid injections, I did not think my horse was in excrutiating pain from this. She was sedated, injected, 48 hours box rest, then turnout and slow return to light work.
She is now sound, she has bute when ridden and glucosamine supplement daily, as well as a good amount of oil in her diet. I try and keep her on the slimmer side which I think has helped hugely! Also she is barefoot now, another thing which has helped 100%!! :cool:

I would have no concerns taking her on a 10 mile charity ride with optional jumps as long as the gorund was ok :)
Then again, she is the kind of horse that wouldn't cope with retirement so the vet and I have decided it is better to do the same things with her with the aid of which ever pain relief we can give her as long as she is comfortable.

This may shorten her life, I dont doubt this, but as long as she is enjoying it I am happy with my decision :)
 
Hi,
My (recently turned) 6 - yr old gelding (cob) has injured his hock. Vet , physio and myself think hekind of twisted it hacking out. The hock was swollen with heat at the front and outside. I initially put him on 2 days box rest - swelling went - back out into field but he ran and jumped around too much and as a result it flarred up again. Discussion with vet - 7-14 days box rest - he had 11, then turn out in small p addock for 3/4 days then back in his own paddock. Stabled at night. All swelling was practically gone apart from a tiny littlepocket of fluid in the outside grove above the capsule. Vet said to start rehab work - 1-2 per week, 20-30min in walk on the flat, no hills. We did this twice but the hock flarred up again and swlling retunred - equally disappeared again over a couple of days. Vet out again, ultrsound done. No injection needed, fluid pocket not even big enough to inject. 2 fluid pockets inside his capsule on either side showed up in ultrasound, no fragments or other damage. Vet said same - retstart. work. Ridden 4 x naow - first 2 times with hock boot, second times without (over a period of 2.5 weeks) - swelling returned, small amount and heat. After 3 days gone again.
I have been takeing him swimming once a fortnight which seems to help.
Sorry about hijacking the thread....

Questions -
- does swelling return with work?
- should i be working him if swelling returns?
- how long will it take to fully heal?

He is barefoot but wears hoofboots when hacking.

- should i try hacking without hind boots?

Have been cold hosing/cold wrap, magnetic wrap, gets joint and multi vit /min supplement

Any advise suggestions help would be welcomed

Thinking back he had one day last winter when he seemed a little stiff in the morning - on one day only though. Maybe there has been something underlying that has only just become apparent since the accident????

Thank you
Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...-fusion-(questions)/page3#GIgB0MH7uUrplP3Y.99
 
to add to the above - the heat and swelling seems to be located just below the capsule on the front, outer side, then going up on the outside of the capsule...if that makes sense. :)
 
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