Bad news :( Arthritis (WARNING LONG)

exracer superstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2013
Messages
131
Visit site
Soo we went to the vets today after my horse injuring herself with a puncture wound last week. JUst went for a follow up appointment did NOT expect to come out with a more injured horse than went in :(

Didn't see the vet who was dealing with us last week we saw another vet who is the lameness expert for the practice her is fantastic at his job i have had previous dealings with him for another horse. He wanted to see her trotted up as she had been slightly lame on the hind last week for obvious reasons but he wanted to check she was on the mend.

The assistant trotted her up and immediatly i knew there was something wrong just int he vets whole manor. He asked the assistant to trot away again which she did, he then prodded and poked around the wound and off she went again. Then after a few small circles on each rein he flexioned a front que panic .. i asked is she lame up front (didnt look it at all to me) he said i dont really know what im thinking yet im just trying a few things any way both fronts had no reaction to flexions:D. he then flexioned the injured hind to which i could see she was now clearly lame for at least 7 strides before returning to 'normal' he flexioned opposit hind which came 'normal' within about 4 strides. he went on to explain she has 'low level' lameness in both hinds which he would not expect many to pick up on as its fairly equal and extremly low even he wasnt certain until he flexed her. We went on to have xrays which showed more change in the left hock than the right but only the beginnings thank the lord. He also explained she has muscle wastage slightly more to the left than the right.

Pieces slowly started fitting together her bum isnt nice and round regardless of her having a good topline and solid front end .. now i know its not conformational its muscle wastage. Her left rein is also her 'worse' rein when schooling (when i say worse its not horrific just takes more work) clearly now because her left hind is sore, i have always been able to get flying change from left to right rein but never right rein to left rein its all clear now my poor girl has been in pain. :( never felt like such a cruel mother although the vet reassured me it really is only the beginnings of arthritis and most owners dont realise expecially when in both hind legs until there horse is crippled with it.

I just cant believe i hadnt noticed it i lunge her and take her allover competing aswell as my instructor riding her and no one has noticed i have never felt her off behind but possibly because she is even in the lameness behind. and it worries me that if this injury hadnt of happened i would of carried on regardless:(

Anyway once her wound is totally scabbed over in a week or two she is going back for cortisone injections into the joints on both hinds and he is also writing a report to the insurance to try and get me a supplement called 'equitop myoplast' to try and build her back up.

In the meantime shes to be walked in hand for 20 mins x2 daily to keep the joint moving. Has anyone got any good tips for a newbie to arthritis eg: oils or supplements exercises, management etc and any experience of the cortisone injections how long they last and how effective they are.

Much appreciated and thanks for letting me ramble
 

Vodkagirly

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 August 2010
Messages
3,768
Visit site
Sorry to hear the diagnosis however managed early arthritis isn't the end of the world. You will be suprised how many other people have and compete horses with arthritis.
There doesn't seem to be any hard fast rules to what works different thing effect different horses.
I find I am best keeping him in as much work as possible. He gets premierflex, linseed and tumeric.
 

floradora09

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 April 2009
Messages
1,327
Location
Oxfordshire
Visit site
Don't panic, how old is your girl? Before being diagnosed with proximal ligament inflammation in both hind legs, we were thinking along the lines for arthritis with my boy. My vet said that the injections usually have most effect at about 2 weeks, and improvements can continue to be seen up to a month after administration. It really depends on the horse- some can go 12 months without needing another injection, others need doing at 3. I'd also say try to keep her in regular exercise, and build fitness up slowly and let her down slowly, no drastic changes. Turnout as much as possible. Supplement wise there are so many opinions, the only scientific study I've found is for cortaflex, which showed marginal improvements in joint mobility. Ask your vet what they recommend, mine said cortaflex was a good starting point. Good luck :)
 

competitiondiva

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 September 2008
Messages
3,832
Visit site
My mare was diagnosed with collateral ligament damage in front coffin, plus arthritic changes in both hocks about 3 years ago, She's back out competing and looks sensational! I keep her on high levels of glucosamine but she's not even on bute and hasn't been for about a year now! So no not the end of the world.
 

Tobiano

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 August 2010
Messages
4,233
Location
Norfolk
Visit site
Poor you OP. Don't feel bad for not noticing - it must happen to thousands of us. we found out that Harry had arthritis in both hocks at only 8 YO. He had an op to fuse the joints and is much, much happier now. I have heard that the joint injections can work well too. Nowadays although we can't usually detect any lameness we know if Harry is having a bad day by his general demeanour - he will be grumpy if he is uncomfortable. Hope your mare responds really well.
 

Tiarella

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 October 2007
Messages
9,415
Location
warwickshire
www.myspace.com
Arthritis really isn't the end of the world. Mine has a bit in left hock but is better than ever at the moment due to good managed work load, working correctly and supplease gold (amazing stuff!)
 

exracer superstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2013
Messages
131
Visit site
Hi

Thank for your replies did a seaRCH on here and went through various posts which all lead me to the same conclusion that she should be able to continue a ridden career. shes 12 about to turn 13 had a hard life though starting off as a racer and then went on to eventing at 5 years old so i guess some wear and tear is to be expected she now has a quited life with me doing dressage and showing although i am concerned dressage my be limited now due to hocks :confused: i have looked at some magnetic boots ( need the hubby to feel very kind as im skint) and some supplements although trying to work out which supplement to feed looks like a mine field :( will try and get turnout as much as possible although im in a sticky situation with that as everytime i turn out she goes wild hence the puncture wound :rolleyes:.
 

Lucyad

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 September 2009
Messages
603
Visit site
Mine has bone spavin in both hocks and has had 2 courses of inramsucularadequan,and has Cosequni and turneric,and linseed.He isn'ta competitionhorse as such - we just do riding club levelstuff,hacking and occcasional hunting and he is fine. He has lots of turnout (24/7 in summer, 12 hours in winter), and is fine. It isn't the end of the world that I first thought when he was diagnosed, and at least yuo have caught it early, so that's good news!
 

Bionic Boy

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 February 2012
Messages
825
Visit site
It's not the end of the world. My boy was diagnosed in August 2011. He had injections then and hasn't needed anything since then. He won't touch supplements so not giving him anything extra but I do make sure if gets turnout every day.
 

0310Star

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 October 2010
Messages
1,228
Visit site
My mare has DJD in fronts, so not totally dissimilar, along with other problems, she is also slightly arthritic in the hinds, she just turned 15. I use 99% glucosamine supplement from the vets, she had cortisone over a year ago and in September has Tildren. She came off the bute completely a month ago and is better than ever. I built her up slowly and also find that's keeping the joints warm with a good amount if movement I.e turnout and exercise helps a lot. When the weather gets cold she has stable chaps on at night!
We have just gone back to school work after a year of hacking and she is better than ever, did our first dressage test a few weeks back and was placed :)
It isn't the end of the world? With good management it is very doable to keep a ridden career :)

Good luck!
 

exracer superstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2013
Messages
131
Visit site
Everyone is making me feel so much better:) i honestly thought that this was going to be it although as the hubby pointed out if we hadnt took her she would of started back in ridden work at the end of this week :eek: still feeling guilty about that.

To everyone who is back in ridden work fantastic it has given me hope i am going to order some stable boots to keep them warm, when turnout isnt possible would lunging (not properly) just on a long lunge line with a headcollar be preferable to just staying in?? just at the moment its not possible to turnout due to flooded feilds thanks to the snow going :(

Also does anyone think cod liver oil will be a good supplement or should i be looking more down the supplease gold type of route??

thanks again
 

0310Star

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 October 2010
Messages
1,228
Visit site
My mare gets oil, vet advised! She is in corn oil, but moving onto linseed oil this week (helps lubricate the joints, I think? Correct me if I am wrong! But linseed is better for all round condition from what I can tell)
She isn't allowed to be lunged but that is because she has ringbone, so instead I loose school her once a week. You could also long rein? What about turnout in your school for an hour or so a day? Anything is better than nothing after all!
Personally suppleaze gold didn't do an awful lot for my horse so that is why we use the glucosamine! But like people have said, different things work for different horses so it really is trial and error. Speak to your vet and see what they suggest!
 

exracer superstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2013
Messages
131
Visit site
yes i am able to turn out in the school so will do so when proper turnout is unavailable. will look into linseed oil i currently feed micronised linseed but unsure if thats as effective in the joints. will ask my vet about what he thinks the best supplement is although funds are running low this month with two vet fee claims on the insurance now so unfortunatly that means two excesses. At least we have got insurance that is the one good thing :)
 

0310Star

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 October 2010
Messages
1,228
Visit site
Well the glucosamine I get from the vets I claimed on the insurance for 1 year after making the claim so look into that! It is £40 a tub which lasts almost 2 months which isn't bad I don't think. The insurance also pairs for my bute too when my horse was on it :)
 
Top