Bute alternative - for odd days

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sonjafoers

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One of my horses has been diagnosed with arthritis in the hocks so I have put her on a joint supplement and am using magnetic hock boots. However she was quite sore today so I've been looking at bute alternatives to help her on days when she doesn't feel quite right.

The problem seems to be that they are a daily supplement and I don't want to use pain relief on a daily basis when she doesn't need it yet.

Does anyone know of anything I can give her after riding only on the days she is sore?

Thank you
 
I give my horse bute if she needs it - my vet is quite happy to let me have a box and give as required.

I know you asked for alternative to bute, but I don't think there's anything wrong with giving the odd sachet as and when.
 
I can't find a substitute that can be given on odd days Vodkagirly, they all have to be given daily to take effect.

ApacheWarlord I think I'll end up going down the bute route eventually but I'm still looking at alternatives for the time being.
 
If there its any pain she needs a pain killer. I felt the same way you did and finally had to give in. When I did I wish I had not been so slow to. It changed my horses life, we do so much now, just got back from dressage. You just find the lowest level of medication. My boy has arthritis in his front feet. Second year in now and going strong.
 
devils claw root, is not full of suger, works out cheap 1 scoop a day and it does work. no point waiting for the day when the horse is in pain to give it a bute when you could keep it comfortable on a daily basis.
 
Sukistokes2 said:
If there its any pain she needs a pain killer. I felt the same way you did and finally had to give in. When I did I wish I had not been so slow to. It changed my horses life, we do so much now, just got back from dressage. You just find the lowest level of medication. My boy has arthritis in his front feet. Second year in now and going strong.
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I agree entirely with this. Did the same my good doer diagnosed arthritis back end(now all over) but at the beginning I tried Devils Claw which made no difference and then I was horrified to find it contained sugar! No good for a good doer or laminitic(which he isnt but wonder how many people use it without realising). I needed to keep his weight normal etc.
So now on Bute..Gave half sachet every 3 days intially but in the end he is on 1 sachet in a small bag of soaked pony nuts and what a difference. In fact the difference was so good that with hindsight he obviously was in discomfort and I should have given this earlier.
Good luck no subsitutes just pain relief needed. I think one box lasts 3 months.
 
indie999 - how do you know the devils claw root (the solid one) not the liquid one is full of sugar and also how much sugar in it for 1 scoop a day, I do not believe this would be anymore than 2 carrots/apples/polos and my cob is a good doer and I honesly cannot say that he has put on any weight because he is on devils claw, in fact he has lost it because he is sound so can be exercised.
 
I am going to use Vetrofen this season all the big boys are using it with great results google it and have a read my vet says my boy dosn't have to be on it all the time probably twice a week I have used top spec senior in the past with great results but my boy needs something a little stronger now to keep him supple through the hunting season he hunts twice a week good luck.
 
Just wanted to add, that I used to find that the joint supplement combination I was on worked most of the time, but sometimes Mist would be stiff, and a sachet of bute just helped her, the winter before last I think we got through about 25 sachets of bute over the winter, as I just gave it when she needed a bit extra.

I've now given in and Mist has a sachet every other day, but she's bright and happy, she's also 31...

The supplements can do an awful lot to help, sometimes though it isn't quite enough.

PS - I wish there where more supplements without glucosamine in them.... grrr
 
Thank you for that info ApacheWarlord, I've been doing quite a bit of research on joint supplements & it's a minefield. My dog has a new lease of life on Pernamax but I'm not sure how I feel about using the equine version as it's green lipped mussel so not great for herbivores :(

My horse isn't lame and is very keen to go but today I just felt she was feeling it a bit, if she hadn't been diagnosed I probably wouldn't have noticed it but it's on my mind now I'm aware of it so I need to do something. It's so subtle and very intermittent so I'm reluctant to use a daily pain killer but I may do as you started and just get some bute for the odd day for now.
 
I can't wholeheartedly recommend it yet, as I haven't tried it personally, but I've had a fair bit of positive feedback about Alphabute (Formerly Bute-X) from Global Herbs, which is supposed to work within 1-2 hours. You can buy it in sachets, and they say it's not necessary to feed it daily to see an effect.
I'm at the "Shall I, Shan't I" stage as regards bute as well. He's sound, but stiff behind, and I'd like to see if he is free-er with some pain relief. I'm considering a bute trial once his shockwave course is completed - and will trial the Alphabute as well. Don't want to do it until his treatment is complete so that we get a clear picture of where we're at.
 
Auslander said:
I can't wholeheartedly recommend it yet, as I haven't tried it personally, but I've had a fair bit of positive feedback about Alphabute (Formerly Bute-X) from Global Herbs, which is supposed to work within 1-2 hours. You can buy it in sachets, and they say it's not necessary to feed it daily to see an effect.
I'm at the "Shall I, Shan't I" stage as regards bute as well. He's sound, but stiff behind, and I'd like to see if he is free-er with some pain relief. I'm considering a bute trial once his shockwave course is completed - and will trial the Alphabute as well. Don't want to do it until his treatment is complete so that we get a clear picture of where we're at.
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Hi AUSLANDER.

Can I ask? for what is your guy having shock wave therapy for?

Many thanks

Elizabeth

x
 
princessa81 said:
Hi AUSLANDER.

Can I ask? for what is your guy having shock wave therapy for?

Many thanks

Elizabeth

x
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Slightly "woolly" (Vets description!) hind suspensories - some old damage, some new (because he is a prat!)

He's got the beginnings of DJD in hocks and stifles too - and had Tildren a few weeks ago for that
 
Turmeric (yes, the yellow curry spice!) seems effective in some cases of arthritis and can be fed safely every day.

It's one of those things where there's nothing to lose by trying it, it's cheap and horses seem to like the taste, and if it doesn't work you just discontinue it.

I feed it preventively, as my horse has stifle problems that may lead to arthritis in time. He seems to love the flavour and licks his bowl clean :)

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=15043

I use use the Alphabute for travelling him, and again, it seems to work pretty fast and provide some degree of pain relief (difference between travelling well and not wanting to travel at all...)
 
ApacheWarlord said:
I give my horse bute if she needs it - my vet is quite happy to let me have a box and give as required.

I know you asked for alternative to bute, but I don't think there's anything wrong with giving the odd sachet as and when.
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Same here. My shetland has athritis in a hip and my vet just gives me a box of bute so I can give her one on her "stiff" days which luckily arent very often yet.
 
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