At my wits end - long term danilon

[emmmilythinks]

Hi all

Buckle up as this might be a long one.

I've posted on this forum before due to other issues with my horse, an ex racehorse who is now 20. She has been on danilon long term for the past 4 years due to diagnosed arthritic knee (me and vet were convinced it was navicular, but only upon nerve blocking they scanned the knee and saw the damage). She is my absolute world, and I would love to keep her going forever, but I am concerned for her future.

She has always been a horse that has *something* wrong with her, be it a sore back, abscesses, laminitis (summer 2016), arthritic knee (winter 2016 diagnosed), pulled shoes, bruised soles, dropped weight (as per my last post and vet said could be cancer?! But that seems to have resolved itself now). She was on half a sachet a day of danilon with only light hacking (hasn't been schooled, jumped or lunged in 4 years, just long reining in straight lines and hacking to keep her ticking over). I am become really depressed and anxious as she has recently had to go up to 1 sachet of danilon a day, but recently has become lame. I noticed a couple of days ago she was resting her right hind leg and that there seemed to be some cracks on the side of the hoof wall. I then noticed yesterday she appears to have an issue with the fetlock on that leg. As she walked, it appeared like a 'sticky stifle' - almost locking into place every time she stepped forwards?

I have got the vet booked in to come tomorrow, but am worried that we are getting to 'that time' and having to make decisions possibly in the near future. If her arthritic knee has progressed to the point where even 2 sachets of danilon a day don't keep her field sound, is it cruel of me to keep her going? I am worried she will be diagnosed with arthritis in this fetlock joint. I just wondered what everyone else's opinions are on this, and what would you do in my shoes. She is my best friend, my first owned horse (bought her when she was 15 and wish I could've got her 10 years earlier) and I can't even think about that inevitable day. It is worth noting that even though she is lame and has been uncomfy for a while (wouldn't need the danilon otherwise) she is perfectly happy in herself. Still comes over to the gate sometimes trotting over, will get involved in a hoon around the field, rolls in the muddiest patches and is the greediest horse I've ever met!

Obviously I am going to see what the vet advises tomorrow, wish I could give her a leg replacement but she is also no longer insured on either front leg (luckily back leg is still insured in case her fetlock needs further investigation). I wish they stayed young and healthy forever :-(

Thanks in advance xx

 

[Equi]

just wait and see what the vet says but you will need to have a mental cut off point for your own sanity.

 

[SOS]

My honest opinion...The horse sounds like it has had many ‘nine lifes’ and perhaps this is one of its last ones. You are clearly very attached to this horse so I’d urge you to stop thinking about what she means to you and think about how she is feeling/seeing the world.

Keeping her on higher dose pain relief (or any long term) would not be an option for me and I’d question my motives/selfishness. And what would you be waiting for...the day the pain overwhelms her? I couldn’t do it to my horses. Give her pride and put her first in whatever your decision.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I'm sorry your mare is struggling. Unfortunately keeping them going forever is not possible and at some point we have to let them go. I only had 8 years with my first girl because, like you, I bought a teenage horse. It's horrible but you can't get the extra 10 years at this end if their lives.

Having had both a planned and an unplanned PTS with old horses I would do much rather make a decision for them than have my hand forced by a colic or sudden deterioration in the middle of winter.

Only you can make that call. See what your vet thinks but vets can be very circumspect about advising PTS.

 

[emmmilythinks]

just wait and see what the vet says but you will need to have a mental cut off point for your own sanity.

Yeah I will definitely see what the vet says tomorrow and I'll post what goes on.

My honest opinion...The horse sounds like it has had many ‘nine lifes’ and perhaps this is one of its last ones. You are clearly very attached to this horse so I’d urge you to stop thinking about what she means to you and think about how she is feeling/seeing the world.

Keeping her on higher dose pain relief (or any long term) would not be an option for me and I’d question my motives/selfishness. And what would you be waiting for...the day the pain overwhelms her? I couldn’t do it to my horses. Give her pride and put her first in whatever your decision.

I know exactly what you mean, my problem is she still just feels so full of life she still canters off in the field for a good roll and a buck, and that's why I can never look at her and make a solid decision.

I'm sorry your mare is struggling. Unfortunately keeping them going forever is not possible and at some point we have to let them go. I only had 8 years with my first girl because, like you, I bought a teenage horse. It's horrible but you can't get the extra 10 years at this end if their lives.

Having had both a planned and an unplanned PTS with old horses I would do much rather make a decision for them than have my hand forced by a colic or sudden deterioration in the middle of winter.

Only you can make that call. See what your vet thinks but vets can be very circumspect about advising PTS.

Yeah, I wish it was possible to keep them going . It would be so much easier if the vet told me what needed to be done, I think the fact I'm going to have to make the decision is what I am struggling with I worry that if I did make that decision, would it be the right one and would I feel guilty forever that I could have kept her going for another couple of years (completely selfish I know).

 

[Equi]

the final decision will never hurt the horse. Only pain will.

 

[AandK]

I worry that if I did make that decision, would it be the right one and would I feel guilty forever that I could have kept her going for another couple of years (completely selfish I know).

Better a week too soon, than at day too late... You have absolutely no way of knowing how long she may or may not have had, you have to think of her, not you (sorry to be harsh).

My late mare was 29 when I had to say goodbye to her in November last year. She had a few joint issues, but the one that troubled her most in the end was an arthritic knee. She had been retired since she was 12 but living out helped her to have a very long retirement. It was only in the last year or so that her knee started to give her trouble. I had a limit set in my mind that if she needed more than 2 bute a day to keep her comfy, then I would call it a day. She started to find it uncomfortable to hold her leg up for the farrier (only trimmed as no shoes) at the beginning of last year, then about this time last year I think she was struggling to get down due to the reduced mobility of the knee, at this point she was already on 2 bute a day. Spoke to the vet who suggested adding paracetamol, which did help her slightly until I said goodbye. It was such a hard decision to make, and it was only after she was gone that I realised how much it had been eating away at me for the previous months, as much as I miss her (I'd had her 22.5yrs) a weight was lifted not worrying about her and making 'that' decision. It is so very hard, but please do what is best for your horse.

 

[emmmilythinks]

Better a week too soon, than at day too late... You have absolutely no way of knowing how long she may or may not have had, you have to think of her, not you (sorry to be harsh).

My late mare was 29 when I had to say goodbye to her in November last year. She had a few joint issues, but the one that troubled her most in the end was an arthritic knee. She had been retired since she was 12 but living out helped her to have a very long retirement. It was only in the last year or so that her knee started to give her trouble. I had a limit set in my mind that if she needed more than 2 bute a day to keep her comfy, then I would call it a day. She started to find it uncomfortable to hold her leg up for the farrier (only trimmed as no shoes) at the beginning of last year, then about this time last year I think she was struggling to get down due to the reduced mobility of the knee, at this point she was already on 2 bute a day. Spoke to the vet who suggested adding paracetamol, which did help her slightly until I said goodbye. It was such a hard decision to make, and it was only after she was gone that I realised how much it had been eating away at me for the previous months, as much as I miss her (I'd had her 22.5yrs) a weight was lifted not worrying about her and making 'that' decision. It is so very hard, but please do what is best for your horse.

Thank you for the reply!

I will be doing the same with Ellie.

Just as an update, thank the lord someone is having mercy on me today, but the lameness turned out to be gravel and stones stuck in the seat of corn in her hoof. The vet has dug it out and she now has a massive hole, wet poultice on and vet says he is happy for her to go out.

He actually said her knee is looking quite well, and that the lameness may have actually been caused by this rear foot as it's on the same side as her arthritis knee so in trot, she looked as though she was bobbing on the opposite leg but it was to take weight off the back foot - if that makes any sense?!

So there is definitely life in the old girl yet, I do agree with what everyone has said though and will certainly not be keeping her on 3+ danilon a day just to be field sound. I need to think of what is right for her not me.

Thank you for everyone's responses!

xxx