Cortisone Injections / Laminitis

[TheresaW]

My horse has just been diagnosed with arthritis in his hocks. He is due to start having cortisone injections on 30th May. Last night, YO from yard next door was asking how he was etc, and I was telling her that he would be having the injections. She said that sometimes, the cortisone injections can cause laminitis.

Has anyone else heard of this or know about it happening? What can I do to reduce the risks more than what I do now?

 

[AmyMay]

Speak directly to your vet on this one and find out what % of horses this actually affects.

It's a steroid based injection isn't it? So as with all steroid based drugs there is a chance of lami.

 

[TheresaW]

Thankyou. I will have a chat with him.

 

[aran]

steroids can cause a lami attack, however it is not common and vets are very careful not to give very much just in case. If you are worried then talk to your vet but I wouldnt be overly worried. Just keep a close eye on him. Aran was fine when he had his injections.

 

[Patches]

Patches had her hocks treated in February. I spoke at length with my vet over the risks of a laminitis attack as a complication from the treatment. He said he didn't know what the statistics were off hand, but guessed it was under 1%. Said he'd treated 1000's of horses and had never personally known of one coming down with laminitis post treatment.

He said he knew it could happen but the doses used are so low that the risk is also very low. He also said it was another factor why a repeat treatment isn't carried out for at least 6 weeks after the initial one (should there be a need to repeat) to lessen the risk of overloading the horse's system.

I was happy enough to go ahead. Patches had no problems.

 

[Silgram]

Cortisone injections can cause lami but as with the majority of medicine you have to weigh up the possible side effects with the chance of improving the horses condition. Do not think the vet would recommend it if the benefits did not outweigh the risk.

 

[GoJo]

i'v been told this by my vet as well as my boy's got arthritis in his hocks and is due to have the steroid injections. Has worried me as well especially at this time of year with all the grass around.

 

[TheresaW]

Think it is the new grass that is worrying me. We are due to change from winter fields to summer this weekend, and it is all tying in together. Will just limit his turnout time for a couple of weeks.

 

[amandaco2]

the injections in the joint are possibly less likely to cause lami than if you fed it to him or if he has iv.
its a risk vrs benefit you have to think about....hard one.

 

[herbert]

Would never ever ever have any horse of mine injected with cortisone ever again. Mine pulled a tendon and vet insisted cortisone was the best treatement. Let him inject him and within 2 days he had laminitis as well. He was on box rest, not fat and on a high fibre diet at the time so you can guess what caused the laminitis. He is now prone to attacks and I have to constantly watch him.

 

[_l_i_z_]

a friends horse also got laminitis from same injection, he ended up box rest for 4 months then 5 months with nothing. if you do go ahead maybe look at keeping all other risk factors for lami down, i.e. not fat, little grass and hard feed.
thats what i would do if i ws in the same situation