Bony growths/spurs on knee

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MelT

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Hi Guys
I need a bit of help please. My 24 year old Welsh Cob has been diagnosed with bony growths/spurs on the outside front of his off-fore knee. He's been on and off stiff but not lame for a few months but I thought it was arthritis until he fell over whilst being ridden back in March and bearing in mind this is a horse I've had since a 4 year old who has never even tripped before let alone fallen. Anyway, he's been having probs flexing the joint recently and even after painkillers was still reluctant to have that particular hoof shod as it meant he had to flex the knee. X-rays at my local vet revealed small bony growths on his knee joint. He's been on NAF Omega oil for the last 2 years and is now on NAF Devil's Relief as well. Vet will prescribe Danilon/bute if I think he needs it. Basically, my vet is sending the x-rays to Willesley Equine Clinic for a 2nd opinion to see if anything can be done.

My issue is one of 2: A) at 24 is putting him through investigations/surgery more for my own piece of mind/benefit rather than his welfare? and B) Sam is not insured as because of his age the only company's that would insure him wanted a fortune to insure him for 3rd party liability and external injury only (even though he's been insured since I had him!!). If the surgery is not too invasive and the outcome is optimistic, the money is not an issue as I will get a loan to pay for it if I have to.

Apart from his age this is a pony that is healthy and looks half his age. He had major colic surgery at 20 and came through it with no problems. He amazed the vets at Bushy with his recovery - basically because he's a greedy little toad!! and he's been in light work since. I'd still love to keep riding him but the I've been advised not to work him as these bony growths could be exacerbated by work.

Has anybody else been through anything like this? Not sure what to do.
 
Yes, I have one like this, although his knee bends out to the side as well.

He started to go lame in 2005 aged 10 but this was always on the cards because of his limb deviation. He was pretty lame at first, had x-rays etc. and bony spurs/growths were found. You can actually see them on his knee - it looks quite deformed.

He has been on a joint supplement and Danilon ever since. In the beginning while the arthritis was forming he was on a higher dose, but now he is only on about half a sachet a day. He actually retired three years ago for a combination of reasons (had a year off with a throat problem, cannot be shod any more due to not being able to tolerate banging in the nails and was too much of a loon to bring back into work safely), so is now a much loved pet.

If I were you I wouldn't go down the surgery route. You can probably keep him comfortable through experimenting with the Danilon etc. Mine wears hoof boots some of the time to give his knee some support and when you look at him tearing round the field on occasions, you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with him (unless you hadn't spotted his incredibly bandy leg)
 
My old part welsh has the knobbliest knees in history, great ridges where the cartilage used to be and last year she has an enormous protrusion on the side of the knee. She has less than 50% flexion in the knees now and if she stumbles a bit, has to swing her legs out and round to accommodate things. If she trots she takes little pokey strides - a long way different from her heyday! Pain killers and gentle exercise in the field are all she gets. When I lead her I allow her to go at her speed and am careful if she is walking downslope. Magnetic boots/wraps are good too.
 
Oh I am so sorry to hear this having been through it recently -my mare was diagnsoed with arthritic knees a few months ago at just 10 years old from her previous history it is no wonder bless her.

I was told probably retirement and was gutted. Box rested her as advised for 6 weeks (she doesnt do staying in 6 days lol but Global Herbs boxrest calmer I now swear by) and then back to vet. He said that had responded well and could be managed on Danilon with bad days and good days ridden on the flat so all was not lost. She has one knee worse than the other and thorws it out to the side in trot cos the lesions are between the carpal joints. One spike in particular is tiny but is sticking into her when she flexes the knee causing her lameness. Injections were not an option as on bone and ligaments and surgery not mentioned either.

So I tried the Danilon and hacking for a while trying to wean her down to one sachet every other day as advised with magnetic wraps, constant turn out to keep her mobile etc. I was then advised to try a herbal mix by a friend in same boat years ago who has dressaged on her veteran ever since. This meant cold turkey from no Danilon as it interfers with herbs absorption and she was crippled in walk. I perservered and 6 weeks later she is sound and being ridden gently on the flat! I wouldnt have believed it if hadnt seen it with my own eyes.

I am not a fan of many joint supplements as they use sweepings of the floor and bulking agents and less quality herbs to make it more profitable for them so check the ingredients carefully. I prefer top quality herbs so really would rec you contact a good herbalist!
 
Thanks for the messages guys.
At the moment Sam is sound in walk and even trots and canters round the field but when he has to stand for any length of time he puts his off-fore forward slightly. His biggest problem is that he finds it painful to flex the knee. I had thought about keeping him in light work but the vet said that the bony spurs are rubbing his cartiledge in his knee so it would be best to retire him not to put any more stress on his knee. Plus he fell over on the road a few weeks back and I had only been on him 10 minutes!! At 24 I think he's more than earned his retirement. He'll still be kept in the lap of luxury that he is used to. He is currently on NAF Omega oil as he won't eat his food if I put Cod Liver Oil in it and he also has NAF Devil's Relief 25ml a day. The vet will prescribe Danilon if I think he needs it later on. My concern is that if he can't flex the knee without discomfort he may not lie down so I'm considering putting stable bandages on his front legs when he is in to give him extra support just in case. He's also on restricted grazing to try and keep his weight down but this has been a battle for the last 20 years!! I'll keep you posted as I'm awaiting the 2nd opinion from the other vet who has more experience of reading x-rays but I'm not hopeful of a different opinion. I still have him to look after and he's happy and that is the main thing.
 
Hi again MeIT . My girl will only lie down in her stable (out completely flat) and always seems to use the same spot going by the bum-print. I suspect she uses the banks to support her head and neck if she only wants to have a snooze, so I keep them good and big. She lies down every night, but from May to October she is out 24/7 so has to do all her sleeping on her feet. Not surprisingly I often see her swaying and rocking and I do worry that she isn't resting properly. I think she doesn't have the confidence to lie down with other horses around her as she feels more vulnerable having to be flat.
 
My horse was 1 to 2 10ths lame on n/s fore foot and it was a bony spur in his coffin joint which diagnosed following xray. He had an injection of steroid into the joint and four years on has had no problems. Why don't you ask the vet if injections might be the way forward?
 
I'm still waiting for the vet to ring about the 2nd opinion on the x-rays but I will ask about the possibility of having the injections and whether they think it will help. I went through similar with my warmblood mare a few years back when she had to have Adequan injections into her navicular bursa and it was quite a stressful time as the nearest equine facility that does this is nearly a 2 hour drive away but if the vets think it will help Sam I'm willing to take him there. They worked for Bella for a time but she became lame again after 3 years so I retired her to stud and she's now got a fabulous home for life in Yorkshire as a yummy mummy which seems to suit her. Funnily enough though, she's unshod not worked and is now sound. The mind boggles!!
 
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