Bone Spavin?

[ChowChow]

My yearling was transported from Hertfordshire to Tyne and Wear the other day and I noticed on his arrival the bones on the inside of his hocks were protruding more than ever as if his hocks had doubled in size! Although they do not look swollen when he stands legs together the bones on the inside are almost touching and he won't let me touch them whereas I could before.

He didn't travel particularly well the first part of the journey and was kicking the box, could this be the reason or the signs of bone spavin?

He is not lame and is happily trotting around his field.

 

[lilym]

i would be highly surprised if this was bone spavin in a horse so young. bone spavin is an arthritic degeneration of the small bones in the hock joint caused by wear and tear, more commonly seen in horses over 8 years old......
it is more likely to be an injury caused during transport, which has caused some concussion to the joint...best to get a vet out to check him over if he's lame, or maybe one or two days turned out will see a huge improvement, good luck.

 

[Shilasdair]

You can get spavin after injury too...
Why don't you get the vet to have a look if you're worried?
S

 

[Lucy_Ally]

This is a spavin:

They won't form overnight, they are degenerative changes to the intertarsal or tasrometatarsal joints. The 'bump' that really sticks out on the the inside and towards the top of the hock is the distal part of the tibia and nothing to worry about.

I agree with lilym, most likely he is feeling a bit sore after being transported such a long way.

 

[ChowChow]

Thanks for that I do worry about him and I turn into a hypercondriac thinking the worst!

He probably does need to get over the journey. As he is moving about ok I'll see how he goes over the weekend.

 

[Shilasdair]

But not all spavins cause visible lumps.
S

 

[Lucy_Ally]

[ QUOTE ]
But not all spavins cause visible lumps.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope but the original post described lumps on the inside of the hocks

Spavin is a very ambiguous term that can refer to many swellings/changes within any of the joints of the hock. The classic 'bone spavin' as described to me is what is shown in the picture above.

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
But not all spavins cause visible lumps.
S

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope but the original post described lumps on the inside of the hocks

Spavin is a very ambiguous term that can refer to many swellings/changes within any of the joints of the hock. The classic 'bone spavin' as described to me is what is shown in the picture above.

[/ QUOTE ]

The youngster could have just bruised itself, granted. But you can't rule out injury to the joint itself...joints in young horses being more prone to damage...agree that 'spavin' is such a vague term for so many different conditions.
The lumps on the inside of the hocks don't rule out spavin...
S

 

[Shilasdair]

Stassy
Here's some info on bone spavins from what looks like a reputable source

Should put your mind at rest.

http://evrp.lsu.edu/healthtips/bone_spavin.htm

S

 

[Lucy_Ally]

[ QUOTE ]

The youngster could have just bruised itself, granted. But you can't rule out injury to the joint itself...joints in young horses being more prone to damage...agree that 'spavin' is such a vague term for so many different conditions.
The lumps on the inside of the hocks don't rule out spavin...
S

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, it cannot be ruled out but seems unlikely to me since the horse is sound. If it were my horse I would rest and watch for signs of lameness. If I still wasn't happy with the 'lumps' and they got worse/didn't go down or if it became lame then I would get a decent vet to do a lameness work-up and get x-rays/scans - this is the only way to definitvely diagnose joint problems. However, at this stage it seems a little bit over the top if the horse is alright in itself. But that's just my opinion

 

[Shilasdair]

If I were worried enough to ask on a forum...I'd call a vet.
If this were MY youngster, though, I'd be inclined to leave it...I know a FBHS who says 'It's got another three years before it has to be sound' when any yearling is lame

I'd add, though, that horses with a spavin don't necessarily go lame...some show only a fraction less flexion in the joint...which you wouldn't spot unless doing real engagement work...and I'm guessing she doesn't ride him yet!
S

 

[ChowChow]

No he definitely doesn't get ridden.

However I thought I would ask for opinions as the inside of his hocks have increased in size since after he travelled.

As he is well in himself and was having fun in the field yesterday trotting, cantering and bucking he appears as sound as he was before so I thought I go on here before calling a vet to see what people think.

 

[ChowChow]

Jasper's hocks look much better today and he even let touch them this evening. So it was probably the long journey that did it.