Hock Injections Investigative Costs

[fornema]

I have an older horse that may in the future require hock injections. Can those who have had investigative work done and injections advise of the costs they have eventually had in relation the investigative works and subsequently initial hock injections, just as a guide for the future.

Of course there is the cost of reinjecting at the relevant intervals.

 

[Goldenstar]

If it’s a retired horse a basic work up followed by some xrays to work out where in the hock to inject will probably set you back 3 to 500 pounds for two hocks without the injections them selves .

 

[ester]

My vet was happy for injecting to be the diagnostic given his history/flexion test, which it was so job done. Otherwise about GS's ballpark is what I would expect.

 

[LovesCobs]

yes overall 1st time was about £800 including the injections.

 

[ycbm]

I had one horse done on the basis of flexions and visible lumps. No X rays were taken. It was £160 as I recall, ten years ago. A friend's was injected last year also without X rays but I don't know what she paid.

.

 

[fornema]

Thank you for the replies so far, very interesting that some will do on flexion.

For context it is for a horse who absolutely loves to work and would not be happy to sit around but is now 20, she has a fractional reduction from normal in her step through from behind as trains at medium/ jumps 1.05s and I will be getting her seen shortly before it affects her work. It is sadly I think age catching up with her after having lots of fun over the years, so want to do right by her for years to come.

 

[ester]

It's worth asking,
mine was 23, we were working on the basis that if we xrayed a 23yo straight hocked welsh cob you'd probably find all sorts, and definitely find something which may or may not be significant. We'd been monitoring it for a while and it was kept ok with physio and boswellia for about 18 months. There was a slight query over stifle too but opted to use the steroid as nerve block replacement.

 

[Sheep]

5 years ago I paid approx. £400 for xrays of front feet, hocks and back, with injections into hocks, coffin joints and a couple of sites along the spine.
I am in Northern Ireland though, so I think prices here may be lower here.

 

[V&F]

My bill for Hock investigations earlier this year was:

£1400 for flexion tests, nerve blocks and X rays.

£800 for an osphos injection

He ended up having the fusion surgery but haven’t seen the bills for that one yet !

 

[ihatework]

My bill for Hock investigations earlier this year was:

£1400 for flexion tests, nerve blocks and X rays.

£800 for an osphos injection

He ended up having the fusion surgery but haven’t seen the bills for that one yet !

£1400 for flexion, nerve block and X-ray? You were robbed.

 

[AandK]

£1400 for flexion, nerve block and X-ray? You were robbed.

I’ve had this done on my horse recently and am expecting around £4-500 bill. I would query with vets if it comes in at £1400!

 

[Sasana Skye]

Visit, workup on hard and soft surfaces inc. flexion tests, X-rays and injection about £350 in 2017 in the South West. Osphos and Cartrophen course (done by me so no call out costs) from memory £400ish and £320 respectively. This doesn't include the investigation works done at the hospital for the secondary issues, we almost maxed out a £7,500 insurance vet fee limit I think it came to just under £7,300 in the end. The horse in question is super special so I told my vets to go all out on treatment that's why it cost so much.

 

[V&F]

£1400 for flexion, nerve block and X-ray? You were robbed.

Probably! Nothing really sticks out massively on the bill, although haven’t got anything to compare too!

Our call out fee is £52.96 (had about 7/8 this year already!)
The nerve blocks are listed as £106.94 each (5 x in total) and the stifle nerve block was £116.90...

“Opinion on xray” is put at £145.50 and then an extra £98.52 for “Opinion on extra plates”

“Visit with Xray machine” £146.15

Yep was probably shafted...least it’s the insurance paying it!

 

[Julia0803]

We’ve just come back from investigations this morning.

Visual exam/flexions, nerve block to the hocks, and X-ray. £579 inc 5% discount for paying on the day.

Vet doesn’t want him to have steroids due to laminitis risk. He’s suggested Polyacrylamide gel injections into the hock. Estimated cost £740 to be done next week.

I’m about to start a thread on that as I don’t know anyone else who’s had them.

 

[AandK]

Have just had my bill for recent vet visits; visit 1 lameness exam, visit 2 xrays of both hocks, visit 3 nerve blocks. Total £625.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

My gelding had hock injections before x-rays (don't ask) which were £80 per hock, plus call out fee. We then decided to x-ray his back, hocks, neck, stifle, pretty much everywhere for £250 but vet done me a deal as he wasn't insured.

 

[SamanthaToby]

Hi, Guys, I wonder if you can help me.

My horse had had hock injections (before I got him- and im not sure what date) however I have been advised that he is only suitable for being hacked out of because of his stiff hocks- and only in straight lines at that. I have also been advised by others that schooling him slowly will help build up muscles and he will be fine doing school work and the odd show here an there even a bit of dressage (by my instructor). I don't intend on doing any hunting or jumping with him at all.

I'm at a complete loss as to what to do with him now.

He has been schooled for the last 3 months no signs of any problems, in fact he has started to pull in nicely now and is coming together. He has been hacked out and has decided that he will go off like a tank when on the roads, so hacking is a bit of a worry, but i can work on this.

I'm getting awfully upset and just don't know what to do... any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm getting awfully upset and just don't know what to do... any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

What does your vet advise?

 

[ihatework]

Hi, Guys, I wonder if you can help me.

My horse had had hock injections (before I got him- and im not sure what date) however I have been advised that he is only suitable for being hacked out of because of his stiff hocks- and only in straight lines at that. I have also been advised by others that schooling him slowly will help build up muscles and he will be fine doing school work and the odd show here an there even a bit of dressage (by my instructor). I don't intend on doing any hunting or jumping with him at all.

I'm at a complete loss as to what to do with him now.

He has been schooled for the last 3 months no signs of any problems, in fact he has started to pull in nicely now and is coming together. He has been hacked out and has decided that he will go off like a tank when on the roads, so hacking is a bit of a worry, but i can work on this.

I'm getting awfully upset and just don't know what to do... any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I generally liken it to people when they get older needing to keep fit and active but at the same time doing things in moderation.

I’m afraid no one on here can tell you what to do with your horse because no one knows the history or specific circumstances. Factors to take into consideration:
- Age of horse
- Medical diagnosis
- current weight and fitness
- current level of soundness
- ground conditions
- stable management (turnout etc)

As a general rule of thumb, provided horse not crippled and has a good warm up/cool down and the school surface is not too deep then some low level schooling is probably no bad thing if done well

 

[SamanthaToby]

Sorry guys for the lack of info got myself in such a tiz....

So, my vet, I am waiting for him to come out. I must note here that the horse is completely fine at the moment, not lame swollen or even hot to touch ect... a completely normal leg FEW

- Age of horse (he is 11 years old)
- Medical diagnosis (i have just been told his Hocks have been medicated- he is a rescue)
- current weight and fitness (weight wise he is bang on for a 15hh Cob, I just can't recall the wight as I think now, its at home on a card. Fitness when I got him he was very unfit, he had no muscle definition at all, but over the last 3 months that has come on loads, he was originally really long but has now come back toa nice rounded length, if that makes sense.
- current level of soundness - as a say not lame or have gone lame in the time I have had him, happy to be ridden in fact often have to half halt and ask him not to charge on. he is a bit less flexible on the left rein, but I think this is schooling as he improves every week, he is very willing to please.
- ground conditions - field isnt boogie at all, also not hard underfoot that it is cracking. he is in a field with a slight incline to the top but nothing that I cant run up and I'm not fit ha. Beding wise, rubber mats and deep litter shavings with large banks to stop any banging leg injuries.
- stable management (turnout etc) out 24 hours, unless its bed rain overnight, I am soft and bring him in for a rest on wet nights. He has a 1/2 fly run on and half waterproof one on normally only to keep him clean, but he has riped this and given he has been clipped I have put a lightweight turn out on him. we have a lesson 1 hrs a week and I would say I ride maybe 1.3o a week in the school. The school is not massively deep as it's used a fair bit. there is 2 on the yard and I try to keep him out of the full one. There is also a field to ride in but I'm not sure he can get his head around working on grass as he normally easts the stuff. ha

thanks for your help so far!!

Read more at https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...vestigative-costs.779583/#DrO43hr0C50jTpUz.99

 

[fornema]

Sorry guys for the lack of info got myself in such a tiz....

So, my vet, I am waiting for him to come out. I must note here that the horse is completely fine at the moment, not lame swollen or even hot to touch ect... a completely normal leg FEW

- Age of horse (he is 11 years old)
- Medical diagnosis (i have just been told his Hocks have been medicated- he is a rescue)
- current weight and fitness (weight wise he is bang on for a 15hh Cob, I just can't recall the wight as I think now, its at home on a card. Fitness when I got him he was very unfit, he had no muscle definition at all, but over the last 3 months that has come on loads, he was originally really long but has now come back toa nice rounded length, if that makes sense.
- current level of soundness - as a say not lame or have gone lame in the time I have had him, happy to be ridden in fact often have to half halt and ask him not to charge on. he is a bit less flexible on the left rein, but I think this is schooling as he improves every week, he is very willing to please.
- ground conditions - field isnt boogie at all, also not hard underfoot that it is cracking. he is in a field with a slight incline to the top but nothing that I cant run up and I'm not fit ha. Beding wise, rubber mats and deep litter shavings with large banks to stop any banging leg injuries.
- stable management (turnout etc) out 24 hours, unless its bed rain overnight, I am soft and bring him in for a rest on wet nights. He has a 1/2 fly run on and half waterproof one on normally only to keep him clean, but he has riped this and given he has been clipped I have put a lightweight turn out on him. we have a lesson 1 hrs a week and I would say I ride maybe 1.3o a week in the school. The school is not massively deep as it's used a fair bit. there is 2 on the yard and I try to keep him out of the full one. There is also a field to ride in but I'm not sure he can get his head around working on grass as he normally easts the stuff. ha

thanks for your help so far!!

Read more at https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...vestigative-costs.779583/#DrO43hr0C50jTpUz.99

Just a thought - I as a human have had surgery on my shoulder, which has not worked 100% and have had to now move to steroid injections at the age of 28 - sigh - which i guess is kind of equivalent to a hock, although not so weight bearing! The physio and continuous use of the shoulder, without over stressing it is an absolute must, in horses I would say it is so similar, the moment I start doing less it deteriorates and I would apply the same to horses. I have recently been on a beach holiday for 11 days and the difference is immense. With the horse I started the post about the less she does, the more noticeable the slight reduction in step through is. My personal opinion for my horse is that based on myself, that continuous activity is absolutely key and schooling in a horse is similar to the movements I have to ensure my shoulder makes, although caveated with the not overdoing it all the time and ensuring you have a good physio (alongside the vet) to ensure all is well and reenforce what you are doing.

Thank you for all the responses so far, very interesting to see the massive variance in costs - we shall see what my vets end up charging - the horse in question deserves it after giving me her all for over 10 years.