CONTINUAL USE OF DANILON

[Leggy56]

Hi
Are there any out there that use Danilon continually.
I have an 18 year old Warm Blood who has competed all his life but now just a riding hack. However due to a history of flexion problems he is not completely sound and I was recommend by the vet to use 1 x sachet of Danilon a day .... forever!?
Is this wise?
I have weaned him off twice and he is definately uncomfortable .... and even reduced it to 1/2 sachet a day and the same result.
So... in essence he is happier on one a day.
Am I doing long term damage considering his age and the amount of work he does.
What is the general consensus.

 

[AmyMay]

I would have no problem using a satchet of danillon daily. You have to use it over many years and at high levels to have any real negative problems.

 

[Happytohack]

My old heavy horse was on Danilon daily for years. The vet told me it was much safer to use long term than bute. He had terrible arthritis and Danilon kept him comfortable for years. He was PTS from something quite unrelated in the end.

 

[benson21]

I used one danilon a day for Benson, from the age of around 20. The vet advised me that danilon used every day will cause liver damage, but not for many years, so by the time it would do damage, benson would probably be gone by then.

 

[Christsam]

a lady at my yard has a 36 year old on danilon almost daily. She can use one sachet daily but sees how the horse is. She has tried to retire him but he will not have any of it. If he is not ridden or taken out led he trashes the field and if she keeps him in he stable walks. She tends to give half a sachet a day. The day before he goes for a ride (he normally hacks once a week) he gets one sachet and then she can top it up to one sachet a day for a couple of days after if he needs it. As far as i know he has been on it for years but has no problems at all.

 

[Garnet]

My 27 year old TBX has been on one Danilon per day for approx four years to cope with his various lower limb arthritic changes. He started at the age of 18/19 on two per week, then up to one every other day at age 20/21. I keep expecting him to deteriorate further but at the moment he is fantastically well! He is hacked out 2-4 times per week, mainly in walk, but he trots and canters if he feels like it.

 

[Catcus]

Mine is on one a day, he was on half a day for last year. He's 31 so no worries about long term effects.

 

[Copperpot]

I would have no worries about using Danilon daily either.

 

[Riz]

My 28 year old was on 1 a day for about 5 years & thrn increased to 2 a day for the last 6months of his life (for a different issue). Before he was PTS the liver showed some slight damage but nothing the vet didn't expect to find. It was quality of life over quantity for my boy. He had an absolute blast the last few years of his life & was larger than life until the moment he died. Danilon is definitely worth a go

 

[DressageDiva1962]

My 33 year old has been having Danilon for the last 2 years but I only give it to him in the the colder months or if its particularly cold and damp. He has half a sachet a day, he's 14.1hh and he is in very good condition for his age so I would say it depends on the individual horse. It does help him though and he has a joint supplement for the rest of the time he isnt on Danilon.

 

[Tinsel Town]

My friends cob has one sachet a day and was also told by the vet to use if forever.

 

[Leggy56]

Thank you so much for your posts.
It has given me confidence that I am doing the right thing by keeping him on Danilon - perhaps when the warmer weather comes I could try reducing the dosage.
Such a useful forum - thanks again!

 

[NOISYGIRL]

My horse is 34 and has been on Danilon daily since March 2000, no problem, if it makes him confortable then do it. I get a prescription from vet £10, and buy my danilon online from Medic Animal £44 and free deliver and they are quick

 

[OWLIE185]

My horse was on one Danilon per day for about 8 years. (Used to give her 2 before she was shod to make her more comfortable) She was sadly put down at 29 due to an un-related condition.

 

[chestnut cob]

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. My big horse who has just been retired was on 2 a day (he is 17hh and weighs prob 760kg if not more, big ISH type) for a good year before retirement. My vet suggested this level. When I queried it, he said the problems occur when people won't give a daily dose but instead just bute when they work, or a couple of times per week. It's better for the liver to get used to metabolising a small, constant amount (apparently). When he was first put on it, I wanted to give him a sachet every other day but was told no, half a sachet every day is better because it's continual. When he went onto 2, he had one in the morning and one at night.

 

[chestnut cob]

Thank you so much for your posts.
It has given me confidence that I am doing the right thing by keeping him on Danilon - perhaps when the warmer weather comes I could try reducing the dosage.
Such a useful forum - thanks again!

Don't bother reducing the dosage. you've already proven to yourself that your horse will become uncomfortable so leave it be.

 

[horsestar]

We have one here on 1/2 a bute a day as advised by professor clegg at Leahurst and he said for low level hacking and fun it was fine horse is only 1-2 10ths lame though!