coffin joint arthritis - end of the journey

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GreynGinger

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I have a 20yr old native mare who was diagnosed with coffin joint arthritis just over 2 years ago. At first she was only slightly lame when ridden and trotted up in hand sound, unless under flexion. Xrays confirmed arthritis in both coffin joints.

So far we have tried cortisone and hyaluronic acid injections which only lasted 4 weeks. The vet advised that a repeat treatment would not likely work. Also tried cartrophen and until recently was having Osphos treatment. The Osphos lead to a miraculous turnaround and up till the last 4 months has kept her sound enough for light work and field retirement. However, she has deteriorated over the last 6 months and the latest osphos treatement has had no effect. She is no longer field sound even on danilon every day. Xrays have shown further deterioration and some arthritic changes now in the fetlocks.

My vet has confirmed that we have exhausted all viable management options, I am now left in the position of increasing her painkillers or saying goodbye sooner rather than later. I have increased her danilon, unfortunately it takes 3 danilon a day to keep her comfortable, my vet has said this in not sustainable long term (she is 400kg) and will likely cause ulcers and liver and kidney failure.

I know I am reaching the end of the road with her, it is such a difficult decision to make, she looks really well but is a very stoic pony and hides her pain very well.

Has anyone else been in a similar position? Is there anything I have missed or something else I could try? Or just the courage to call it a day
 
I've just started this journey with my 15 yr old mare :(
She hasn't had steroids because of her weight and type, but had an injection of arthramed instead, which is used in humans but getting good responses in trials of horses. Vet described it as polyfilla for her joint! She only had it last week and is just starting work again so I have no idea how successful it is, but might be something to ask your vet about if you wanted to try it. You have the added complication of fetlock arthritis so it might not be suitable.

I always believe that saying goodbye a day too early is better than too late, and when/if my mare becomes unsound in field, or needing as much bute as yours to be comfortable then I will be calling the hunt. It's a horrible decision to have to make though. I am in denial at the moment!

Hope this helps a bit.
 
Have pm'd you

The max daily dose I would ever give is 2 x morn and eve as long as horse happy and acting normally on that. Any more than that would be short term for a day or so for example laminitis
 
Is she able to get down and up again? What happens when the cold and wet weather comes?

Personally as your vet has said you have exhausted all options I'd be looking at saying goodbye earlier rather than later. You wouldn't want her to suffer.
 
So sorry for you that you are having to make some hard decisions.

You know your horse, how is she coping day to day?

I would be seriously considering pts for a horse that is not sound on that level of painkiller, sorry, you can't say you haven't given her the best chance of being comfortable.
 
A 20 year old with advancing arthritis that requires high doses of painkillers just to be in the field? I would PTS, certainly before the weather gets any nastier.
 
Awwhhh bless you OP, feel for you so much in this.

I'm in a similar situation with my Welsh D mare, as others are on here, tho' not so far along the line - yet, but know that at some point, depending how the winter goes, I might be in the same position as OP with "what next".......... :(

It just isn't easy, but yes, agree with the consensus that a day too soon is better than a week too late.

Whatever, and whenever, it won't be easy, but it is the very best you can do, when you've tried everything else.
 
Thank you everyone.

I don't think she is particularly happy at the moment. I have found that her temperament changes depending on level of pain, i.e on 1 danilon a day (the level the vet said would be safe for long term use with occasional days of 2) she is subdued, head down, trips and stumbles just walking to the field. On 2 a day she is brighter and walks better but then becomes quite snappy, tries to bite me when I touch or try to brush her and swishes tail (something she never used to do). On 3 a day she is almost her old self, although she has now been on 3 danilon a day for a month, she is still experiencing some days when she is still sore even on this level of painkiller.

Thank you for all your thoughts, I do ask myself why am I keeping her going, although she looks well it breaks my heart seeing her in pain on bad days and I worry every day about what the high dose of danilon is doing to her insides.
 
Been where you are with an 8 year old. I'm afraid he was coping far better than your mare when I put him down.

At this stage I wouldn't be worrying about what the danillon is doing to her - rather, what it's not doing for her. If she were mine she would be pts very quickly.
 
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GreynGinger said:
Thank you everyone.

I don't think she is particularly happy at the moment. I have found that her temperament changes depending on level of pain, i.e on 1 danilon a day (the level the vet said would be safe for long term use with occasional days of 2) she is subdued, head down, trips and stumbles just walking to the field. On 2 a day she is brighter and walks better but then becomes quite snappy, tries to bite me when I touch or try to brush her and swishes tail (something she never used to do). On 3 a day she is almost her old self, although she has now been on 3 danilon a day for a month, she is still experiencing some days when she is still sore even on this level of painkiller.

Thank you for all your thoughts, I do ask myself why am I keeping her going, although she looks well it breaks my heart seeing her in pain on bad days and I worry every day about what the high dose of danilon is doing to her insides.
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I had a pony pts earlier this summer, in the spring he had a set back and a week on 2 bute a day got him comfortable enough to be jumping out of his field and I cut it down to nothing, several months later he went downhill again very sore on his feet so I gave him bute thinking a few days would see him right, unfortunately this time 2 a day made no difference so I reluctantly made the call, I had a couple of days before the vet came so he had 4 bute and spent his final days on the lush grass he was not normally allowed, he went very peacefully with a full tummy.
If they are not comfortable on 2 or 3 bute a day it is not fair to keep them going however well they look, you are only delaying the inevitable, there is not going to be a miraculous recovery, letting her go is the kindest thing you can do for her now, her insides are the of the least concern, her feet hurt, she will be in pain constantly even with the bute, make the call on Monday morning and spend her last day remembering the good times, she would thank you if she could, xxx
 
Greynginger I am so sorry, but if she was mine she would haven been put to sleep before now. Please make the call on Monday.
 
I have very recently had to make much the same decision and I took the choice the end my boy's pain without watching him struggle on to a horrid end. It is very, very hard and I am still pretty devastated. We owe this one last kindness to our horses. Sincerely hope you can cope with this, remember there are many others in the same position and I think we all care about each other at this time. Best wishes to you.
 
Just wanted to say thank you to everyone, I sadly said goodbye to my beautiful girl just before Christmas. I know it was the right decision for her although a heartbreaking one for me.
 
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