High Articular Ringbone treatments - any experiences?

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Twirly

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Hi, sorry to make my first post a rather miserable one, but I wondered if anyone had any experiences of treatments being offered to my mare for her very severe and aggressive ringbone (right fore)
Corticosteroids haven't worked and She's still very lame on 2 Danilon a day on restricted turnout.
She's already retired due to numerous other orthopaedic issues, so treatment is purely to help her remain paddock sound.

Options I've been given are

1. Surgical Arthrodesis
Actually already discounted this as it is too invasive and involves too much stress for her with a month at the vet hospital - where she gets extremely stressed..already had surgery there on both her hindlegs plus up to 6 months box rest with only a 60% chance of working. I'm not prepared to put her through this.

2. Chemical fusion, vet says last resort due to pain involved for horse and possibility of damaging other joints close by

3. Neurectomy..lots of possible complications, but least stressful / invasive. She's already had both hocks done fairly successfully, but obviously this one carries more risks of injury and infection complications as she won't feel her foot

Would love to hear from anyone with experience of any of these treatments, good or bad as the only other option on the table is PTS. If anyone has been offered any other options it would be good to know too

Thanks
 
We had our horse with it PTS once the bute wasnt effective enough.
Tbh the only one it sounds like you can go for is neurectomy, that might be worth a try but you have to consider if it's really worth putting her through more pain- lame on 2 danilon a day isnt good news
frown.gif
 
Hi there - i have to say although this is very difficult i would have made the same decision as Bossnova at that point too. It is worth you posting this in veterinary aswell for their opinions.
 
Sorry to hear that Bossanova

Vet says same re neurectomy, but pretty much everyone one I know is telling me to give up now as she's already been through so much

Thank you Sandg1, I'll post it in Vet section as well
 
This might seem like a long shot, but ask your farrier to try a full roller motion shoe, this allows the foot to break over sooner than would normally be expected and in a much more gentle and fluid movement, thus alleviating the strain on the ring bone.
 
My husband's then 17 yo HW hunter was diagnosed with severe high articular ringbone on his near hind two years ago. Steroid into the joint didn't help. He'd been on Cortaflex for years and the vet suggested Synequin, which was mega-bucks. Did some research and found Riaflex Complete with a slightly higher spec for a third of the price so started him on that. At the same time, boosted the Danilon until he was level - that took 5 Danilon a day - but we were able to work him. After 5 weeks on the Riaflex, I started reducing the Danilon. He stayed sound. He's hunted the past two seasons on his Riaflex Complete and one Danilon a day - and is now 19.

The only other change we made - after the Danilon had been reduced - was rolled toes and slightly built-up heels on his hind shoes.

If I have to bump him up to 3 or even 4 Danilon in future to keep him in work, I will. If he doesn't work, he stiffens up, and without work he also puts on excessive weight. Dieting him severely would make him VERY miserable - as would not hunting.

The Danilon may shorten his life - I rate quality above quantity.

Is the restricted turnout because of other issues?? If so, it won't be helping the ringbone, I'm afraid, and it may be that you have to make the hardest decision sooner rather than later.

I honestly don't think I'd take this mare through surgery.
 
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