Bone Spavin questions

TequilaMist

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Mare has just been diagnosed with bone spavin- had x rays.She is getting injections into joint.Vet said it was hard to get needle inbetween joints as they were narrow.Is this the joints 'fusing'?

Plus vet said they can give an injection that helps delay damage.Is this a good thing?
Just wondering as this will be under insurance so only have 1yr and don't want vet to come back in yr or 2 and say needs op or such as now progressed to a really bad stage.

Thanks in advance esp if you understand what I mean in last bit.
 

chestnut cob

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Lots of horses have bone spavins - do a search on here - and many of them don't require any treatment but the odd steroid injection into the joint.

The stuff that can "help delay damage" might be something like HA, might be Adequan. Best check with your vet. I asked my vet about hocks fusing and he told me it's an incredibly slow process and most horses never live long enough for that to actually happen... dunno how true that is though!

Mine has bilateral spavins. His hocks have been medicated with steroids twice, he's had several courses of Adequan and two lots of Tildren this year. The Tildren is actually to help his ringbone in front (diagnosed this year) but it helps his hocks too, which is a bonus. He is no longer insured for anything related to arthritis so if he gets stiff in his hocks again after this claim finishes, I'll have them medicated - vet said £150-£200 and on my horse, the effects tend to last about 12 months.
 

Wagtail

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If it is difficult to get the needle in then it means the joints are close to fusing. It also often means that the injections will not be so effective. I would not personally get an injection to delay the damage because you want the joints to fuse (if they are the lower joints and not the upper joint). If it is the upper part of the hock with the problem then yes, I would want to delay damage.
 

TequilaMist

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Had a horse with bone spavin before but it was many years ago and treatment then was bute it up and work to aggrivate the joints to encourage fusing.
Now when vet mentioned getting injection to delay get a bit confused as it doesn't stop it just delays it and couldn't see why you would want this if you want the joint to fuse.
Is getting Cartrophen into joint on Wed.

Wagtail why would you go for delaying if the upper part? I ask this because vet said it was lower bit of hock in both legs but left leg showed some changes on top as well.She did say this was not usual.Haven't had a chance to speak to vet and won't for 2 weeks as she is away.
 

Wagtail

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Had a horse with bone spavin before but it was many years ago and treatment then was bute it up and work to aggrivate the joints to encourage fusing.
Now when vet mentioned getting injection to delay get a bit confused as it doesn't stop it just delays it and couldn't see why you would want this if you want the joint to fuse.
Is getting Cartrophen into joint on Wed.

Wagtail why would you go for delaying if the upper part? I ask this because vet said it was lower bit of hock in both legs but left leg showed some changes on top as well.She did say this was not usual.Haven't had a chance to speak to vet and won't for 2 weeks as she is away.

The upper part of the hock has more movement and so never fuses, it just becomes more painful. Therefore delaying these changes should be beneficial. But I think by the sound of it you need to discuss it more fully with the vet. If the lower joints are a long way from fusing then I would try to put off any changes for as long as possible. If they are nearly fused, then you need to balance the pros and cons of having a more stable lower hock against a possibly more painful upper hock. It sounds as though you would be better going for both types of injections as the upper hock is showing changes, but as I say, discuss with your vet.
 

TequilaMist

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Thank you for explaining that, it does clarify things.
Will be speaking to vet when I see her in 2 weeks.A vet will be out on Wed but not the one that did the work up so prefer to wait til she's back for more info.
 

twinkle

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ask you vet about Cartrophen injections they go into the muscle in the neck and cover all the joints in the body they are about £60 from vet but £47 on prescription and you do 1 a week for 4 weeks then see how far you can go till you need to top up i go 1 every 6 weeks but you might be able to go longer or shorter. we tryed joint injections but they didnt help but cartrophen really worked well keeps my girl sound.
 

TequilaMist

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Ah yes your right forgot that this one is in neck.She had joint injection at hospital (steriods) so got confused and just presumed into joint!Doh!
 

brucea

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Have a recovered spavined gelding - bilateral and quite lame at one point.

Shoes off - get rid of the concussion and let his feet grow the way he needs them - they will probably be asymmetrical.
No schooling
Hacking in long straight lines at walk when he was up for it
24 hour turnout to keep them moving
Keep him warm - don't let him get chilled
Adequate minerals
and...linseed meal - good dose of that is good for these horses

No injections - once it is in there and there is a bad reaction you can't get it out easily.

I got a good result. If you ask on the UKNHCP forum you'll find a number of other folks who have found the conservative route works

However you can go always down the intrusive route of expensive injections and special shoes before you try the conservative route of simply working with the horse ;)
 
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