bone spavin in hock

FAYEFUDGE

FAYEFUDGE

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Hi need some help and hopefully positive stories on this subject!
I took Fudge to the vet yesterday following slight lameness on his off hind.
I stupidly thought it was probably a strain but after x-rays it turns out he has a bone spavin.
At the moment it is 80% fused.
I feel like the worst owner in the world because the vet thinks it has been developing for about 2yrs.
I am so careful with him, to the point of being neurotic!
I can't believe I missed this.
When he was lunged on a soft surface he looked sound but on a hard surface and after flexion he was noticably uncomfortable.
Have already discussed Tildren etc but vet doesn't think it would help Fudge at this stage.
He is already on a joint supplement and green lipped mussel.
I have also been told to keep on riding him.
Has anyone any advice on managing this condition or any positive stories (everything I have read on line is doom and gloom).
Thanks
Fayefudge now runs off to open another box of tissues!!!!
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The riding helps to fuse the small joints in the hock more quickly. once they have fused fudge wont have pain.
My boy was diagnosed jan 06 with spavin and was definitely more stiff when out of work due to a stifle injury.
Try not to worry to much, sending big hugs your way.
I was advised to carry on with joint supplements and continue riding.
Good luck and hugs to you and healing vibes to fudge. xx
 
My mare was almost PTS with bone spavin in both hocks at the age of 8. I didn't own her then, so I can't help with the management side of it, but my mare is 11 now and the spavins are fully fused.

We jump up to 3'6'', and are aiming for an elementary dressage test by christmas. We go hacking for 2 hours plus and I'm hoping to take her hunting this autumn too.

She lives out as she does tend to stiffen up when stabled but you would never guess there was anything wrong with her. I agree that all the internet stories are doom and gloom but try not to worry, loads of horses make a full recovery and if Fudge's spavin is already 80% fused then it sounds like he's well on the road to recovery. If you are worried about pain could you possibly give him a devils' claw supplement or similar, assuming your vet is OK with that?
 
I was always lead to believe that you carry on working them but not to jump, not too much canter work and definately no trotting on roads or unlevel ground (like rutted grass verges) whatsoever. Like somebody else has said, once they have fused he wont feel the pain and if he is 80% fused already then Tildren wouldnt really be beneficial at this stage. I was also told that if he was feeling the pain alot then you could give low doses of Bute to help.
Don't be too hard on yourself, hind lameness if difficult to detect and how often do you lunge your horse on a hard surface or do a flexion test yourself.
At least you are now aware so can help him a bit.
Take a look at this, I think it is quite a good description.
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http://evrp.lsu.edu/healthtips/bone_spavin.htm
 
I laid my horse off for a couple of months over the winter as we have no place to work properly and it was so wet hacking was restricted. When I took him back into work he felt a bit odd behind so I got the vet out. his joint was almost completely fused and it was only after his long holiday that I noticed, I promise he never felt lame before that.
By june his x-rays showed that it was 100% fused and he has been sound since. I have him on a joint suplament and aviod having him in for to long. He is worked most days either schooling or hacking, our ground is hard work for the horses as it is very steep, but he copes. I dont jump, but we didn't before the spavin, but we School quite hard, and have rather punishing lessons at least once a week. have also rode infront of some very respected trainers and judges and they all mentioned his good paces and corect hock action!
All I can say is to keep riding, keep him out as much as you can and don't give too many days off.
Good luck x
 
My colleague and I were discussing this the other day because my pony had a hock spavin - or at least a bony growth on the inside of her hock joint... she was sound, regularly competing (and being placed) 3' SJ and hunter trials etc. in fact she was hard as nails!!!

The 'official' definition of a hock spavin is that it is a degenerative change in the hock joint, basically the tarsal bones in the hock gradually fuse together. Because it is degenerative, there is no cure and when you read about it, it sounds rather frightening.

I think the main problems with a bone spavin come from when the spavin was caused by concussion/poor confirmation/wear and tear which means that the hock was under stress to start with and will continue to be after the spavin has formed. Often with ponies who have a spavin following an injury (as did my pony), once the bones are fused, they seem to go back as good as new and have no further problems. JMO though.

Apparently some basic remedial farriery can help - for example using rolled toes and raised heels. If your pony is slightly dragging his toe on the affected leg - shortening the toe on the hind foot can help.
 
Hi my horse had surgery for spavin in January the spavin looks like it is well on the way to fusing.Unfortunately hes injured himself again so we wont be doing any ridden work at the moment but he is definitely happier behind and not in pain anymore.If you want any info on surgery let me know.Good luck with your boy
 
My recent Bone Spavin experience..

My 16yo pony was diagnosed by joint blocking / x-rays with the beginnings of Bone Spavin 10 weeks ago - it started off with him being 'not quite right' on a circle to being very lame on flexion tests in a short time though vet said we had caught it early.

He had a steroid injection 9 weeks ago, was started on Synequin and has lateral extensions on both hind shoes. He had two weeks off then vet came and checked him - flexion tests and lunging a lot better, well enough to start gentle exercise again without bute. Two weeks in walk building up to an hour and then another two weeks introducing trot up to 20 mins in the hour - though NOT on hard surfaces.

During this month he had a week off due to being freezemarked and the awful rain - I could really feel the difference in him having this time off, very stiff, so realised just how important the regular exercise was.

Vet then came back again, still very happy with progress and has now allowed us to have flatwork lessons again. He needs to build up muscle and start working properly as this will help him - we have had saddle problems and we slouched along happy hacking for 3 years so he wasn't great muscle wise before this. Vet will be back in two months to assess but is very optimistic.

Vet's instructions are:
Get him working and carrying himself behind properly.
No trotting on road or hard surfaces.
Regular exercise - ideally 5 times a week.
Living out 24/7.
Keep an eye on weight.
No jumping at this point.
To contact vet if he gets worse as pony may need bute to work but to work him through stiffness on lessons - he is not 100% yet.

Sorry to waffle on
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but I hope my story might be useful
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I cried a lot but feeling better now - vet has warned me we might have set-backs but feel lots better than I did 10 weeks ago.

Good luck with your horse
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My boy was on danilon for months because he had other injuries as well as surgery.Its better if they stay on pain relief so they work the hock in the correct way .We had noticable muscle wastage on one side but he is even now.
 
a very positive story

A good friend of mine had her 16yrs old gelding with a bone spavin in hock. I've never sat on the most wonderful pocket rocket and what a pop!!! The horse was brilliant she rode at least 5 times at week and hunted weekly up until horse was in early twenties.
She gave lots of joint supplement and lots of TLC and he last until he was 26 and died queitly in stable after a wonderful life with her.
 
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