BONE SPAVIN???

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lcharles

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Vet has just been and believes my 10 year old mare has bone spavin in her one back leg, possibly in both.....she has to go in for X-rays on Monday but vet is sure thats what is up :'o(

What does this mean? now what????

:O(
 
Hmm, my old mare has bone spavin and is a happy hacker - she still loves getting out and going fast through stubble fields is her favourite thing - but she has off days. She takes a while to warm up so you have to walk for quite a while. On small level of daily bute (usually half). Good luck, I hope you hear what you want to hear.
 
A bone spavin is when a horse has a form of srthritus in their hock & so the bone fuses accross the joint. I wouldn't panic yet..see what the x-rays show, I had an old tb who lived into his 20's was sworked everyday, was still show jumping, he just got a little stiff as he got older. I also know of horses who carry on having perfectly normal lives once the spavin fuses. Try not to worry.
 
You can search the forum and will find loads of info, but basically it is arthritic changes within the joint. The degree of change will be found by x-rays and treatment will be recommended depending on those findings.
Your horse will probably need some injections to help settle the arthritis and if they work should be able to return to work.
Until the x-rays are done it will be difficult to give much more idea of what treatment is needed, but dont be too worried as many return to full work.
 
The majority of spavin cases are manageable and as Ginger Bear says if the bone fuses the horse goes sound, even if its way of going is affected. A good outcome is not guaranteed, however: my horse that had spavin was one of the unlucky ones where fusion could not occur. I don't want to depress you, because as I understand it most spavin cases can be sorted out with a positive outcome even if it takes a while, but be aware that a minority of cases result in a permanently lame horse.

Anyway, positive vibes that your horse comes right quickly.
 
I had a mare with bone spavin.Many horses have it and carry on working.
As someone said it does affect their way of going,mine didn't follow through with hind leg totally but it didn't stop her getting placed at local dressage.
Bone spavin is usually bi-lateral so chances are other leg is affected.
Treatment for my girl was bute and work.They wanted to 'aggrivate' the joint so to encourage it to fuse.I was told it can take up to 2 yrs to fuse tho think the avarage was 18 months.
Sadly never got to see if it came right as she broke a bone and was retired on that.
Wait to hear what vet says before panicing.
Hope it goes well
 
Thanks x The vet said something about bones fusing but it sort of went in one ear and out the other at the time :O/

Its hard not to worry etc but then i look at stuff on the web and it says they don't usually return to there competitive standard again :o(

Poor horse!! x :(
 
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