Coffin joint Arthritis

thedutchess

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Hi everyone, I’m boy has been diagnosed with coffin arthritis in February he’s had never blocks xrays, he was initially lame only in trot, I had the joint injected recommended by the vet, now I think it’s the worse thing I could have let happen, he is now lame in walk one day then not, I’m puzzled I’m having the vet out again on Monday to see if they can do anything else, I’m so upset I brought him in August of last year and he was turned out for a month and not ridden until my yard was finished, we come back to the yard and after a few weeks he started intermittently lame and it’s taken until February to get a diagnosis, can anyone give me any hope? If not can you tell me any info as I’m thinking of put to sleep if nothing else can be done
 

Zuzzie

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Sorry to hear your story. Coffin joint arthritis is never going to get better but there are things you can do to help your horse. Joint injections usually work wonders - but not for very long (maybe 6 or 9 months) - so I'm puzzled as to why your horse is still lame - you will need to talk to your vet. You can have the joint re-injected but you may find the affects last even less time. In the end you will still have a lame horse. My gelding was diagnosed years ago with coffin joint arthritis in the right forefoot. Tried all sorts of remedies (including steroid injections) recommended by the vet but, sorry to say, nothing worked. Finished up putting him on bute (one a day) which helped more than anything else. He is now coming up to his 25th birthday and is being hacked out 5 days a week. He looks and feels great its just old age now that's slowing him down. Obviously, if you are looking to compete your horse then you will have to forget that and just try to get him sound enough to hack. I think its a bit early to be thinking of PTS as, for one thing, you need to give time to trying to get him comfortable. Good luck.
 

sbloom

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My horse was diagnosed with this many years ago, at the time it was certainly the same progonsis and treatment as navicular. I went with bar shoes but they failed over time (and I would NEVER recommend them now), then Natural Balance which did work, but I lost him for another reason to never found out if he'd have stayed sound. With all I know now? Barefoot without hesitation. Proper barefoot rehab, using a farrier or trimmer who had experience rehabbing same, who could really help if things got tough (ie knew about hoof boots etc), and wasn't going to just go straight to putting shoes back on. Arthritis is not a fixed condition, bone remodels all the time, you need to set up hoof function so that it remodels the right way, it's been remodelling the wrong way.
 
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whiteflower

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From your description I would be suspicious there is more than the coffin joint arthritis going on. Soft tissue in the foot can present as lame one day sound the next, I've seen it with both ddft and collateral ligament injuries. They can generally only be seen on MRI. If you have injected the coffin joint to no avail I would look to the foot balance and shape. You don't say if he's shod but if he is I would look in to removing the shoes and improving the structure of the feet alto support whatever is going on inside. I hope he improves soon, such a shame for you
 

thedutchess

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Hi thank you for your replies hes booked into the clinic for further investigation, as my concern was the fact he had gone from lame in trot to now in walk since having the injection. He's booked in for a full lameness workup and what every they want to do i really do need some answers.
 

hopscotch bandit

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Hi everyone, I’m boy has been diagnosed with coffin arthritis in February he’s had never blocks xrays, he was initially lame only in trot, I had the joint injected recommended by the vet, now I think it’s the worse thing I could have let happen, he is now lame in walk one day then not, I’m puzzled I’m having the vet out again on Monday to see if they can do anything else, I’m so upset I brought him in August of last year and he was turned out for a month and not ridden until my yard was finished, we come back to the yard and after a few weeks he started intermittently lame and it’s taken until February to get a diagnosis, can anyone give me any hope? If not can you tell me any info as I’m thinking of put to sleep if nothing else can be done
My girl has had her coffin bone medicated and also had remedial shoeing and 'Equipak' inserted under the foot in the past. The equipak provides a concussive support.
 
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