Facet joint arthritis - any experiences

[Charliechalk]

Hi,
My horse was diagnosed with this about a year ago. His joints were medicated and he was brought back into work slowly. He seemed to be okay with light schooling and hacking until a few months ago when he refused to go forward or even move away from the mounting block. Vet injected his joints again - has been lunged in a pessoa and was going really well so vet said i could sit on him again. He was quite reluctant to move forward but when he got going seemed fine and even managed a trot. He was then turned out and when i brought him in that evening his back was very tense when i touched it. I called the vet again and he suggested Acupuncture, this appears to have had no effect at all as when i tried a saddle on his back a few days afterwards he bucked which is totally out of character for him as when he was first diagnosed he only ever bucked in canter.

I'm beginning to think it may be time to retire him. Does anyone have any experience of this or any ideas of treatments that have worked with their horses. Have been thinking about resting him for a few months but not sure this would help or hinder the situation.

Thanks

 

[GinaGem]

I have absolutely no experience of this in horses so this may be irrelevant but i have the same problem with my spine and the only thing that helps me when sore is heat - i use a microwave heat pad that velcro's round my waist. It takes me a good 5-7 days to feel better after my back has got sore. Could he have done something in the field which is taking a little time to settle?

 

[pedilia]

My mare was diagnosed last year, she had Tildren and then worked from the ground to build topline.
She was never happy again under saddle (also had an SI) and I ended up retiring her.

 

[Charliechalk]

Thanks for the replies, i've tried putting him under the solarium and he went nuts! He's a very quirky horse and when he doesn't like something he tells you straight away. I've done a lot of in hand work with him and lunging with a pessoa and the vet said his back is nicely muscled. I think i'm going to have to retire him. Maybe i'll leave him alone for the summer and see what happens.

 

[Blaise]

My TB mare was diagnosed at the end of last summer. Before she was diagnosed she was at the stage where you could put nothing on her back other than a rug. She wouldnt even accept a roller let alone a saddle. She went to Three Counties and had the joints medicated and mesotherapy alongside and it made no difference at all to her. I was at my wits end having tried many other things along the way with her when someone suggested accupuncture and its worked wonders for her. She moves more freely, bucks and rolls in the field again and will happily accept a roller and bareback saddlepad now with me lying over her, which if you had known her beforehand would have seemed impossible. A proper saddle is still a huge NO leading us to think its a psychological issue with a saddle from her past but there has been a definite improvement with a long course of acupuncture. No real difference in first 3 or 4 sessions but came on in leaps and bounds after a while. Have you just had the one session of acupuncture as you may not see and difference after one session?

I think we've reached the end of the road with Gem now though- riding doesnt seem to be an option now so she's pretty much retired. However she is now field sound so she shall be staying with us until she deteriorates further.

I hope someone can come on and say they've managed to keep their horse in work etc... for you as i'm sure there are cases that have been far more successful than Gem

 

[Charliechalk]

He's only had one treatment, may speak to the vet about a course of treatment. He is ok with a roller on his back but put a saddle on his back the other day and he bucked it off - he works really well on the lunge and from an outsiders point of view it doesn't look like there's anything wrong. I am beginning to think his maybe a psychological issue as he is happy out in the field - is really full of himself and bucks and leaps around like a youngster! When he gets stressed for any reason he tenses through his back and then it all starts again. Hopefully the vet will give him some more acupuncture - just out of interest did your vet sedate your horse first?

 

[Blaise]

To start with we had to sedate as she wouldnt tolerate the needles. We did try on the first session but she just went bucking around the stable which was defeating the object so we did sedate. We only ever used a half dose or less though and twitched too as the vet said acupuncture wouldnt work quite as well alongside heavy sedation. For the first 4 sessions we did one every 7-10 days, then for the next few we went to 14 days, then to 3 weeks, then a month and now i have her done when i think she seems like she might be getting a bit stiff or tense again and it just 'tops her up' so to speak. She started hers last October so it has been a while now. As far as i'm aware its a long term maintainance thing rather than a one off treatment. My vet did say if i didnt notice any improvement at all within 3 or 4 sessions though it probably wasnt going to work for her. We dont sedate anymore but i do still twitch her as she's always reacted well to it. The first X amount was covered under alternative therapies on her insurance so might be worth a look if your lad is insured.

 

[Charliechalk]

Unfortunately my insurance has run out because it has been over a year since i first claimed. I will speak to my vet again about a course of treatment. Which vet do you use as you said you went to Three Counties for diagnosis which is where my boy went.