Bone Spavin - steroid injections

[jessicaamy88]

How many injections did it take for the bone to fuse and how long did it take to happen? My vet has advised 2 years of light work with my mare - no jumping

no schooling

so all my hard work getting her balance and paces correct have gone down the pan. i have read a few reports of some only taking a month or so but others are more than 18months!! Just wondering what other ppl have experienced?

 

[Valaraki]

My horse was diagnosed with baone spavin almost 3 years ago. He got one ingection at the start then another I think 6months later and then he has had one yearly injection. So far he hasnt need any this year and he was due the injection in August so fingers crossed he wont need it.

He is on a joint supplement all the time. You may need to persevere as to which one will suit your horse.

As for riding, mine is still competing at affiliated dreaage?? Vet told me to carry on riding as i did before, as long as he is kept in work he doesnt go as stiff.

 

[Llwyncwn]

I have two with spavin. Roxy had her hocks medicated, then when home had 7 Adequan injections. After 3 days of box rest she was turned out from the stable loose and made her way to the field however, her route was blocked by my car so she jumped the bonnet after 2 strides of trot! After the Adequan finished she steadily went back to lameness and discomfort. She is now awaiting 'the op'

Fred had the same treatment at the same time. No difference whatsoever and he is being worked on bute, hacking only. There are slight boney changes with him, but none with Roxy as the spavin is affecting the cartilage.

My vets explained that sometimes the medication works and sometimes it doesnt. Natural fusion could happen quickly, take years or, in some cases may never happen.

I understand from my vets, and agree in Fred's case that the more work they do, the sounder they become. However, I have also read on HHO that bute may slow down the affect of fusion but my vets cant answer that one.

 

[OrangeEmpire]

after 2 sessions of steriod injections, my mare was just the same as before. So I've started a programme of work for her which encourages her to use the leg which she was short on (ie sensitive but proper schooling). By gradually teaching her to use it again, she's regained alot of flexibility. I don't know if it has fused yet, but according to my vet exercise encourages this, and also it is making sure she is using herself properly. She was in danger of knackering her other hind leg as she was overloading it to compensate.

She's doing well (8 months down the line) and managed exercise has been the biggest contributing factor. It often does take up to 2 years to fully fuse, but that doesn't mean they can't or shouldn't work in this time.

 

[MrsMagoo]

Are you talking about just steroid injections or tildren? My mare has spavin in her right hind and had tildren/steroid injected as the first treatment. This seemed to work pretty much straight awat and ever started competing again but about 4/5months later she was lame....

She had another lot of treatment and further xrays etc but this time it doesnt seem to have worked aswell. She was rested for a while due to pregnancy but have recently worked her more and no improvement. The xray only showed a slight spavin in her lower joint although my vet says its the kind that is never going to fuse and to keep treating at 400pound time is not viable....

Hope it works for you

 

[K27]

One of mine has v low grade Spavin, has had steroid injections of Depomedrone and literally as soon as he had the injections he was going better than ever. Have kept him in normal work/competing (Dressage) and he's been fine.

He will be reassessed/re x-rayed in the next couple of months and probably have a top up injection to keep him sound.

At first, I thought it would be all doom and gloom but he's been great on it and I guess the next set of xrays will show what is happening.

 

[Chumsmum]

My 16yo pony was diagnosed with Bone Spavin in the summer.

He had one injection and a month off and then started off with gentle hacking - I am now having lessons to encourage him to work properly as this helps him a lot. He is slightly stiff at the beginning of a session but this soon wears off - instructor mentioned last night how much more supple he is after only a few lessons, you wouldn't know he had it. When he is a bit fitter I can start having a play around with jumping but only small jumps and on a good surface.

He is also on Synequin and has special shoes on his hinds.

Vet stresses the importance of regular exercise and working properly but to be careful of trotting on the road / hard surfaces.

Vet can give no promises about how long the injection will last but he is pleased with his progress so far - fingers crosssed, touch wood and all that

 

[Quarrybank]

Q was diagnosed with Bone spavins in October, after loosing his action & feeling like he had no engine.

He had cortasone (sp) & HA injection, plus a course of Adaquan. I was told to give him one easy week & then build his work back up to normal. The vet also said to have him shod with lateral extensions.
Oh my goodness.... what a difference... I have my dressage horse back. He has so much power & is back to being forward & off my leg.

My vets have said to treat him as normal & continue to work him. He's a bit stiffer when I first start to work him, but I do lots of walk & then trot long & low before asking him to work.
His canter has taken a bit longer to get as he'd been compensating in how he'd carried himself, so i've had to retain his muscles. However after 6 weeks the canter is much stronger & straighter.
I've been told the injection can last 6 months or 3 years, so to bring him back to reinject if I feel the symptoms returning.

Good luck

 

[Chumsmum]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh my goodness.... what a difference... I have my dressage horse back. He has so much power & is back to being forward & off my leg.

His canter has taken a bit longer to get as he'd been compensating in how he'd carried himself, so i've had to retain his muscles. However after 6 weeks the canter is much stronger & straighter.


[/ QUOTE ]

My pony is exactly the same, though he was never a dressage horse

and we have a long way to go on our canter but I am really enjoying our flatwork lessons, something I never expected to say after the diagnosis

 

[jessicaamy88]

Orange empire - I am still working her usually about 4 times a week but this is only hacking out as i have been told not to school her :-S What is your excercise plan?

Mrs Magoo - It was a steroid injection that she had. Has only had one in July and she was instantly better. She had a week in after the injection then was turned out and i have been building her up from scratch again (a month of walking, a month of trotting and now into canterin but all only on a hack) My vet did a flexion test before the injection and she was definatly lame. Did another one a few weeks after injection and said she has improved alot and is happy with her progress. She was on Bute but took her off it in August and have had no set backs.

Chums mum - What excercises do you do in your lessons? what is Synequin? and what shoes do you have on?

I am wondering what sort of excercise i could/should do to encourage to bone to fuse - if there is any??

Any info is appreciated. Sorry for the long reply lol

 

[Chumsmum]

[ QUOTE ]

Chums mum - What excercises do you do in your lessons? what is Synequin? and what shoes do you have on?

I am wondering what sort of excercise i could/should do to encourage to bone to fuse - if there is any??

Any info is appreciated. Sorry for the long reply lol

[/ QUOTE ]

We were mainly happy hackers before the Spavin so I'm just doing general schooling exercises such as transistions, leg yielding, nothing specific to fuse the bone, just getting him to work properly and carry himself better and this is working in just a few lessons.

I'm very careful to warm up slowly but once warmed up I treat him virtually as if he hasn't got a problem (vet said work him through it) but don't over do it, especially on his bad hock. I'm a novice rider so find it difficult to 'feel' how he is going so rely on my instructor

But instructor is very keen for me to do a W&T test soon (I'm too scared) so no sign of lameness.

Synequin is a joint supplement, expensive but it's on the insurance ATM

However, as it seems to be working I will probably carry on using it after the insurance has run out - he is only 14hh so on a small dose.

The shoes are lateral extensions (looks like he has wings

) that are on both hinds and supposed to help keep the weight to the outside (I think) - vet wants me to keep them on for time being.

It sounds like our horses had the same treatment at around the same time (though mine didn't need Bute). First flexion test, Chum was v lame - the last flexion test the vet did, Chum had a couple of stiff steps but vet was okay with that, how bad was yours? I think because my pony is so obviously better when he works properly the vet is happy for him to be schooled?

Perhaps call your vet and see why they not happy with schooling?

Good luck with her recovery

 

[jessicaamy88]

Chumsmum - How long do you take to warm up? Im quite lucky in a way becuse if Rosie is not comfortable she will start bucking. She was diagnosed with the spavin last year but i was referred to the top equine vet (Graham Russ) in the north east (treats all Tim Stockdales showjumpers and Mary Reevelys race horses) and he advised me to work her through it and carry on with everything the way i was including jumping/competing etc.. This was fine for 9-10 months then she went back down hill and was lame again.
Are you only doing walk and trot? I will look into Synequin but people have also advised me on the glucosamine joint supplement. I will look into the shoes aswel and see if my farrier can supply them.
Rosie was quite bad on the first flexion, really dropped down in the first few steps hence her being put on bute for a few weeks but is not noticeably lame at the moment and havent had any bucking for a while.
Thanks alot for your reply, i will spk to my vet and farrier and see where i go from here.

 

[Chumsmum]

We take about 15 mins to warm up in walk and trot at his own pace, lots of big circles and transitions and lots of chatting to instructor

But then it is down to work, we do a fair bit of canter-work as trying to get him more balanced.

Re: flexion tests, he was lame before injection but just stiff when done again 2 weeks after injection and not that advanced so that might be why I can do more with him?

Good luck, hope it all works out for your girl