Arthritis in Hocks... a few questions

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spotty_pony

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Some of you may remember that I posted a few weeks ago about my boy possibly having shivers. Well, after monitoring him closely for the past week I am now thinking it seems more like Arthritis. (He has been diagnosed with weak hocks in the past probably due to him being very upright in the hind leg.)

The changes have only happened since the weather has got colder, and he is always stiffer after he has been stood in for a few hours/been in overnight but loosens up with work. He finds it hard to pick his back feet up to have them picked out when he is stiffer too (but is fine as long as I keep them fairly low to the ground and don't pick them up too hugh) but he is a lot happier to pick them up as normal after he has loosened up.

I have just started him back on Cortaflex which should help. (I normally feed him this during the winter anyway but think I might have to continue feeding it to him all year round from now on.)

Just wanted to hear about anybody else who has a horse with Arthritic hocks. What do you do with them and have you found products/management techniques which really help? What about magnetic hock boots/bandaging the hocks? My boy is only 13 and we mainly hunt which he loves so I want to try and keep him as comfortable as possible so that he can hopefully continue to do what he loves doing - but obviously if it turns out he can no longer hunt/jump I will accept this and just hack him - will never sell him as he is just too special. Will be gutted though as he is one in a million and my horse of a lifetime. :( I am just worried about the jumping as obviously it requires quite a lot of hock flexion so I am planning on going cubbing on him possibly next week and seeing how he is after that - if he seems to get worse after jumping I will get the vet to come and have a look at him I think and see what they suggest.

Sorry, I'm rambling on now! :o well done if you got this far!!
 
Mine got diagnosed with slight DJD of hocks 2 weeks ago. I had both hocks injected 10 days ago and a Tildren drip. He has only been walking since the injections but I am going to canter him tomorrow and see how he feels. Have also put him on Riaflex. I mainly hunt him and I am hoping *fingers crossed* he will still be able to do this!
 
My gelding has arthritis in his hocks, and has previously had them injected with his previous owner. On our vet's advice when has been on a course of Cartrophen injections, which have now kicked in and have really helped him. When we do a flexion test he is no longer hopping lame for three strides! We also give me Vetroflex which seems to help too.

He also has a copper strap around his Pastern, I'm not sure if it actually helps but we thought it couldn't hurt!

We don't bandage him but try to keep him warm as possible, he is 17 yr and has had a tough life - that said he still tried to buck me off last week so is feeling well!
 
Mine was diagnosed earlier this year but only in one hock. She had cortisone injections and felt like a new horse. A month or so after the injections and due to other unrelated 'short term' problems she is having a year off but to see her galloping and leaping round the field you would never know.

I must admit I didn't ask my vet about jumping as I don't do a great deal, just a few xc's and a few days Hunting but as far as he was concerned the only long term concerns were that she wouldn't stand up to any decent level of Dressage.

I posted on here when mine was diagnosed and after the replies I felt reassured and much more positive about the future. :)
 
CFG you make me feel much more positive!! Infact I'm positive that as you know how they should feel after the injections, you should pop up to mine tomorrow and be the first to road test the ginger one :)
 
He also has slight fluid at the side of the hock (which looks like bog spavin) and a few days ago he had heat in the near hind foot which is his stiffer leg. Think I might try a flexion test with him to see if this makes any lameness/stiffness show up better. I've never really been someone who agrees with steroid injections as I think it just masks a problem but if he continues to get stiffer, it might be something worth looking into if it is going to make him more comfortable.
 
spottypony said:
He also has slight fluid at the side of the hock (which looks like bog spavin) and a few days ago he had heat in the near hind foot which is his stiffer leg. Think I might try a flexion test with him to see if this makes any lameness/stiffness show up better. I've never really been someone who agrees with steroid injections as I think it just masks a problem but if he continues to get stiffer, it might be something worth looking into if it is going to make him more comfortable.
Click to expand...

Do you know what the cause is or is it just wear and tear ?

I originally called the vet out for fore leg lameness but as nothing was ever discovered we put it down to compensating for the hock. She was never felt lame on the hock but had to have the physio out twice in 6weeks to put her 'pelvis right'. The vet said needing the physio that often is a sure sign something is wrong in the hocks.
 
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Just wear and tear I think, although when I first got him as a five year old, the Chiropractor thinks he may have had an accident in the past involving his back end as he had a locked stifle the first time she looked at him. He came from Ireland so unfortunately I don't know any of his history. I think his conformation pays a large part in it too though as he is very upright and straight through his hind legs.
 
Here is a photo showing his hind leg conformation:

IMG_0660.jpg


And my favourite photo of us from last season (because I couldn't resist!)

1-Cottesmore-Hunt-coleman-testimonial-cold-overton-083.jpg
 
carefreegirl - that is interesting... my boy has to see the Chiropractor every 3 months as he is prone to pulling his pelvis out of line. Always put it down to him being silly in the field (he does like to have a good buck!!) but it could be down to him compensating for the stiffness in his hocks.
 
Don't blame you for posting that pic :D

I totally understand you not wanting to start injecting and if I'd had a choice I would of tried without first however her x-rays showed quite clearly the extent of the fusing. (She had her hock flushed 6 years ago due to infection) In her case it was affecting her way of going i.e foreleg lameness.
I used Equine America chrondroitin with glucousamine (spelling ??)

Good luck :)

Mine is also an idiot in the field and the same as you, put it down to that.
 
My boy has recently had his hocks injected.

Before this we knew he had some mild arthritis as it showed in x-rays when he was vetted, we bought anyway as he was 13, had fairly high mileage and we had already had him on loan for a year and adored him so it was a risk we went intomwith open eyes.

Initially we put him on the vet vits equities supplement, then later also on the vet vits msm supplement, and his physio noticed a HUGE change in his flexion and he was almost completly sound following flexion tests.

He started throwing in some stops a couple of months ago which is highly unlike him, so had his hocks x-rayed again, and it has progressed so injected the hocks. Again physio has noted the excellent range of flexion he has, she said it's now well within the normal 'range', even on the one which showed on x-rays it was starting to fuse.

He takes a little longer to warm up, I do a lot of 'bendy' exercises which really help him (literially tiny tiny serpentines in walk and trot, as small as possibly to get him to bend through his ribcage and therefore push more from behind) which loosens him up well.

He's eventing at novice level and with management I'm not hugely concerned about the close future, my vet was very adamant that few horses with his mileage would be doing his work happily without a bit of 'help'. He show jumped heavily up to 1.20/1.30 before he has ten, then started eventing.
 
Oh to add, we used magnetic boots on my old retired mare who has arthritis and advanced navicular, and there was a huge improvement. Until someone on the yard started stealing the boots off her legs :(
 
This is a post after my own heart...!! Sorry to hijack post.

I've been aware that my mare has been a bit iffy picking up her hind legs (near hind worse than off hind) for a couple of months and she's been on Newmarket Joint Supplement. She's 6 months down the line after a check ligament injury so I've been focusing on that leg more!!

Anyway she's been riding out fine until Monday when she felt as though she was slightly tense in her back. Scuffing toes slightly at trot and just feeling not quite right. I did wonder whether its because its got colder and its been damp that her joints might be a bit more creaky - she is 15. She's booked in to vets on Friday to have a look at and see whether she needs anything doing.

She's had physio out once recently and it seems odd that she feels the same so quickly afterwards which, to me, indicates something else i.e. hocks. She feels fine to trot but coming back to walk, she feels as though she's holding herself as something hurts.

Can arthritis have such a sudden effect?
 
Nadia was diagnosed with arthritis in her right hock about 3 years ago. She had two courses of Tildren and has been on a joint supp ever since.
This is the first cold spell that I've noticed she has been pretty stiff but I manage it as best I can with as much turnout as poss (around 12 hours a day)if not more in the summer, joint supp, oil and Turmeric.
 
My vet has 'diagnosed' arthritis of the hocks tonight, so Im watching this thread with interest.

However he has diagnosed this just from watching him move and asking questions about his history/age etc- should I be requesting xrays too to confirm?

Ive been given bute for him- to continue one a day for as long as needed. Is it worth going for injections instead- are they likely to be covered by insurance?

Thanks!

Vikki
 
Yes my insurance covered the injections first time but then put an exclusion on them the following year, which I think would be standard practice.
 
My boy was diagnosed in may this year. He is worse on his RH.

He had injections in June and felt instantly better but i recenlty felt him going down hill out and this week had injections and Tildren, so i dont know the outcome of them.

VL- I did find he was so comfortable to start but hes been slowly getting worse but i was informed he could end up needing more.

My insurance have paid for his condition.
 
Don't know if this will help, but I intend trying it, knowing how useless drugs are for my Arthritis, a workmate was advised by a Physiotherapist to use cider vinegar mixed with honey for joint pain, my workmate swears it has helped him. Apparently it tastes awful, but you don't need to take a lot, if it works on me I will try it on my arthritic mare
 
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