Arthritis where to go next.

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Paris1

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My boy has low grade arthritis in a hind fetlock. he was quite badly lame with it in light work which included some schooling. Injection intothe joint four weeks ago seemed to work, so I have been walking out with a short trot in straight lines. Still sound, so I did a bit more trot the other day. Still in straight lines on grass so not too hard. Quite lame the next day. And the following day almost sound.
So the question is where to go next. I am awaiting a discussion with the vet, as to whether to use bute and how, if it's a one a day or just for slightly more work.
I will always do the best forthe horse but I don't know if this is to keep in very light hacking, or bute to allow some trotting and maybe cantering. I just don't know what to do and feeling very despondent about it all.
I used him for dressage primarily and it seems this is out now. I'm not keen on hackin especially in the area, mostly roadwork. Do I retire to a field, or keep him as a very light hack, or bute and have a light hack? I hope I have another option but that remains to be seen.
 
I'm on my second horse whos arthritic I found in both cases time is a great healer, they seemed to get worse but then get better, I wouldn't worry about going down the bute route just take it as it comes you might find he can be on it for a couple of months then come off it all together or to a very low dose.

You might also find a no bute supplement is beneficial like devils claw or a glucosamine supplement. In most cases some work is better than no work with arthritis.
 
Hi, My old boy - who i sadly had to have put to sleep last week due to colic suffered from arthritis. :(
He was 27 but started to suffer from arthritis for about the age of 20. We were at HOYs and were recommended at a stall to put aloe vera Forever Freedom in his feed to help his joints and arthritis. After trying several other supplements (bit reluctant to give him bute all the time because of the long term effects and also we would never be sure how much pain he was in, as like you said horse comes 1st... if he was really sore would have retired him)we gave it a go and OMG i was brilliant, I was bit unsure to use it at first as it is originally made for humans, but so glad we gave it to him.

He was like a different horse. He was stabled overnight and would be stiff in morning but after only few weeks with the forever freedom he was much better. We got several more years of ridden work out of him, as the vet recommended that keeping him moving would ease (if he wasnt hopping lame) we hacked and did some light schooling - cut out all jumping due to extra pressure, but was much nicer riding a horse that felt ok and wanted to work rather than a horse as stiff as a board... So totally recommend. :)

This is where we ordered from (Cheaper to order through these guys - plus fab service and fast delivery).
http://www.aloehealthuk.com/

Product details:
https://www.foreverliving.com/retail...wProductDetail
 
Thing is he isn't stiff so to speak, but presents lame. He is on Cortaflex right now it's only been just over four weeks today.
 
O i see... Bob presented lame in front when trotting but stiff all over! He did ease and become sound when he had the aloe vera for a month or so. The vet said lots of walking would help so we just hacked in walked, then i remember one hack something spooked him and he shot forwards into a trot and was sound :-)
We then just did trot work on softer surface and he stayed sound for several years. We just took things at his pace and let him tell us. He retired as we started to get the 'I've had enough' feeling. Best of luck with your lad.
 
katiey said:
Hi, My old boy - who i sadly had to have put to sleep last week due to colic suffered from arthritis. :(
He was 27 but started to suffer from arthritis for about the age of 20. We were at HOYs and were recommended at a stall to put aloe vera Forever Freedom in his feed to help his joints and arthritis. After trying several other supplements (bit reluctant to give him bute all the time because of the long term effects and also we would never be sure how much pain he was in, as like you said horse comes 1st... if he was really sore would have retired him)we gave it a go and OMG i was brilliant, I was bit unsure to use it at first as it is originally made for humans, but so glad we gave it to him.

He was like a different horse. He was stabled overnight and would be stiff in morning but after only few weeks with the forever freedom he was much better. We got several more years of ridden work out of him, as the vet recommended that keeping him moving would ease (if he wasnt hopping lame) we hacked and did some light schooling - cut out all jumping due to extra pressure, but was much nicer riding a horse that felt ok and wanted to work rather than a horse as stiff as a board... So totally recommend. :)

This is where we ordered from (Cheaper to order through these guys - plus fab service and fast delivery).
http://www.aloehealthuk.com/

Product details:
https://www.foreverliving.com/retail...wProductDetail
Click to expand...

The bottom link doesnt work, what product was it that you used?
 
Umm... cant remember exactly :-( scary how you forget when not doing it :-(
I shall check the measuring cup i used and post it up later. Have a feeling it was about 50 - 100ml. Just put it in his night time feed.
 
sorry for delay! I fed him 100ml a day in his dinner feed only! When it was really cold put a littl like 25ml in his brekkie too.
 
I had an ex-showjumping TB mare who I wanted to use for LDR. But the front legs had been jumped off her and she developed arthritis/sesamoiditis in her late teens. I kept her going, even doing occasional non-competitive LDR for 4 years as follows:

1. Kept her out 24/7. She was SO much better when not stabled and we have hilly fields so she was always gently exercising
2. Used Rhus Tox (homeopathic) with great success for the first 2 years. then went on to small doses bute (now Danilon I guess). Vet's comment:"She'll have died of something else long before dosages at this strength give her side effects". (He was right)
3. Schooling was a compete no-no and aggravated the symptoms a lot. But I love hacking and so did she and we pottered around happily until the last year.
4. Fed her plenty of old-fashioned home-cooked linseed. Really cheap, and it's wonderful for joints
5. Exercised her in supports (gone completely senile - can't think what they're called).

Don't give up on your horse, though I do see it's very sad for you if dressage is your 'thing'. But in our case, schooling was absolutely out.

Eventually she was too pottery to ride, but had another year as a field ornament. I was just grappling with the fact that she should be put down before the next winter and she got colic and had to be PTS.
 
How old is your horse?

There is a difference between stiff and lame. Mine has ringbone in his left fore, he had a year or two of on/off stiffness with the odd lameness needing rest period and then finally went quite lame around this time last year. I'm all for working a horse where possible if it is stiff but he couldn't be worked, just rested with Danilon (17hh horse, 16yo at the time, had 3 Danilon per day for about 5 days) to see if/how he improved. He did improve but I had to change my management of him. He had been out 24/7 but I can no longer do that when the ground is firm/hard because he struggles. Thankfully with some rest he came back into work, starting with light hacking. Also changed to a great remedial farrier who has made an enormous difference to him, and had a couple of courses of Tildren which helped the first time but didn't do a lot second time. I wouldn't work him when he is lame but I do work him when he is stiff - on stiff days we might just amble around the block because he does feel better for it afterwards. Thankfully a year down the line, the horse is the soundest he has been in a long time and absolutely full of it but it did seem to take him getting much worse before he got better. My farrier thinks his ringbone has fused as he has a slightly odd action on that leg now but my vet and physio are both happy that he's not in any pain. He enjoys work, in fact he thrives on it, so I had to increase it slowly and just see how he got on. He has had 8 day's hunting this season and loved every minute of it. I never jump him at home now but he does jump a bit out hunting if the ground is OK. So there is hope :)

In your situation I think I would be inclined to rest the horse for now, if he's lame. Mine just had daily turnout while I was waiting to see if he would come sound, nothing else. Has your vet mentioned anything like Tildren or Adequan? Mine had the former twice and several courses of the latter over the years. I really like Adequan, my horse does well on it. He has a Danilon every day - it took me a while to get used to the idea of that as people can be v judgmental about it but the horse likes to work and hated being stuck in a field so if a bit of anti inflam/painkiller keeps him mobile then great. He doesn't have 4 a day or anything like that, and I'm fully aware that it might shorten his life but I'd rather he had a shorter, pain free and enjoyable life than a longer but on/off lame and miserable life.
 
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