Boswellia or Devil's claw - which is better?

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Shilasdair

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Hi all
I need some advice.

I've got a bilaterally lame horse (probably ringbone) and want to make her more comfortable. Horse is 16 yr old, 16.3 ish, 750kg, previous colic surgery for blood clot (no apparent cause).

Before you all shout 'Get a vet!', I did book a lameness work up to try to help her - but vets cancelled on me due to Covid 19. Horse is not lame enough to be considered an emergency, by any means.

So - thinking of trying boswellia and/or devil's claw to see if they help and wanted your advice/experiences of either or both.

Thanks for any help.
 
I'v also had good results with green-lipped mussel (such as Maxaflex).

From your list, I have found that the Devil's Claw, or at leats the "Buteless" version of it sent my horse loopy!
 
Boswellia helps my HW 17h sidebone horse a lot. Together with trying to keep weight down, no trotting on road and 5 week shoeing cycle with wide web iron.

Possible problem with boswellia and a big horse is the dose amount, it is a fair amount to hide in a minimal meal. My lad is a dustbin and so hungry he will eat anything so I get away with it.
 
I used boswellia, it helped, I didn't need to try devils claw. (to the point that an experienced person who didn't know that I had started it asked me what I had done).

Once it wasn't helping enough he had a hock injection,
and when he was sort of fused but not comfortable enough overall for me to be happy (26 at that point so a bit creaky) he got some bute instead.
 
I have had mine on a bute a day for the last year, and he is now showing uncomfortable again so I am trying him on boswellia. Too early to say if it's helping or not yet though.
 
I had my boy on boswellia, seemed to work, I then added devils claw which didn't make any noticeable improvement. Think it's a bit of trial and error! I'm tempted to start taking boswellia myself, my knees are ruined at the moment, I'm like an old lady (pretty sure I shouldn't be like this at 33!).
 
They are both liver processed, I stopped the boswellia when the decision was made to bute longer term as we have had liver issues before (that was a quality over quantity decision for him).
 
Thanks again - just to add I don't intend to give her everything together. I
I'm trying boswellia (and then might try devil's claw) instead of bute, as I can't get the vet out at the moment.

(Mightily impressed that no one has actually called me cruel and advised me to get a vet. If I could, I would).
 
I think different horse respond to different supplements too. I had my elderly TB on turmeric with no improvement but on a combination of boswellia and glucosamine, he was noticeably freer in his movement. I used Feedmark's Extra Flex HA.
 
I didnt find that either made enough difference to convince me. Alf has a Danilon a day now, and is bouncing around like a spring lamb, despite it being a very low dose for a gurt big oss,
Will your vet not let you have some? Might be worth a phone call
 
Tried boswelia on my vet’s recommendation but have upped the danilon instead as it just wasn’t making a difference. Have you tried bute/Danilon yet? At her age, I’d be willing to give a daily dose a go for maintenance.
 
Hi all
Thanks - I missed some posts on Friday as I didn't get alerts.
At the moment she's eating boswellia in 'Buteless' quite willingly - and it does seem to be helping a little (although I'm adding it so gradually she's only on about half a dose so far).
I still plan to get a vet out when I can - and maybe will put her on bute/Danilon. At her age and size, I think she'd cope well with NSAIDs so have no aversion to giving them.
In the meantime, after listening to your advice, I'm going to try Boswellia for a month. Then if that doesn't work, I'll try Devil's Claw for a month.

I appreciate your input. :) I'll let you know how she gets on.
 
MissTyc said:
I'v also had good results with green-lipped mussel (such as Maxaflex).

From your list, I have found that the Devil's Claw, or at leats the "Buteless" version of it sent my horse loopy!
Click to expand...
MissTyc - what do you mean by loopy? Just curious as I have had my horse on Buteless which has devil's claw as its base and can't decide if it is the spring grass, her feeling better in herself (KS) or the buteless but she is quite on her toes
 
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