Hock Injections lasted eight weeks...experiences please.

[Welshiefan84]

Hi Guys,

My gelding as felt like a new horse after his Hock Injections. All was going great, he had his feet trimmed Sat, I rode him all good, Sunday he was lame. Fine again Monday, Tues, offish on Wednesday so I have the vet coming back out. I've asked if it can be topped up? He wants to see him first. Definitely same issue, lame in the same place/ on same side. Gutted for him as he was loving life after he realised he was no longer in pain. Done everything slow and by the book. What are your experiences of hock injections? Thanks.

 

[Pinkvboots]

On my previous horse they lasted 3 months max in the end so I didn't bother, I managed her with a low dose of Bute and she became a light hack.

My current horse has mild hock arthritis his were medicated last summer and his been fine, sometimes comes out a bit stiff but fine after 10 minutes I use boswellia and msm daily.

Vet did say to me they sometimes use osphos for some arthritis now and have had good results, maybe something to consider if steroid isn't working.

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

By hock injections I'm assuming you mean steroids? My horse has his hocks injected with steroids two weeks ago on Tuesday, followed the vets advice ie two days off then build up walk to 20 mins straight lines etc.

He felt great in his walk and did our first short trot Tuesday which felt good. Yesterday he felt and looked dog lame again. He does have potential other issues going on too.

 

[doodle]

Minto has them once when he was 13. He was 21 when pts and had never had another lame day with his hock.

 

[oldie48]

The old TB had both hocks done when he started showing signs of mild hock arthritis. The first ones kept him happy for about 8 months, the second lot about 6 months. I retired him to light hacking after that and used a sachet of bute if I felt he needed it. I think if your horse is lame again after 8 weeks, I'd be thinking it's not worth doing the injections.

 

[gunnergundog]

Check precisely what it was that the vet injected; there are a variety of steroids - short term acting and long term acting. Also, check if they included HA in the mix.....that can make a BIG difference to a lot of horses.

Two years ago I had a horse injected - newbie vet hadn't read case notes properly and the short term acting ones lasted all of three weeks. Previously horse had gone 12 months. At the time I was horrified, but call to senior vet soon highlighted the mistake.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Steroid injections used to last my mare around 6 months. I’ve now had her done with gel injections, which are more expensive but last a lot longer - two years plus according to the literature. Plus no lami risk.

My vet says that gel injections have been beneficial in each case that she’s used them. Worth an ask?

 

[Merrymoles]

Following with interest because my horse had his first steroid injection a fortnight ago and starts in-hand work tomorrow (ie me leading him down the village and back so all straight lines).

It's a long and sorry story but basically he has broken a 1.5cm piece of bone off the point of his hock which was not spotted by the original vet and then it was too late to operate because of the scarring. Vet is not massively hopeful that he will ever be sound enough to hack but is coming back to reassess in another couple of weeks.

Since the injection the long term swelling has reduced greatly and he is comfortable enough to canter around the field when the mood takes him that way. He is also on one bute a day. The vet said that a month was the optimum time to see if the injection had had any affect so I have been resisting the temptation to trot him up.

My main concern is that he is a stoic type who loves his work and that, as we have said in the past, he would carry on working even if he only had three legs. However, I have got everything crossed that the injection will work so will follow this thread.

 

[jenniehodges2001]

Maybe you could look at alternatives like hock fusion, I found a web site about this if it helps

Because hock fusion is a precursor to DJD, it is not reversible. With that in mind, there are three types of hock fusing (arthrodesis) and treatment options:

1. Natural Fusion: The horse can be worked with pain management while the joint fuses naturally. This can be a slow, painful process and there is no telling how long it will take. It is estimated less than 25% of hocks will fuse naturally.
2. Surgical Arthrodesis: A surgeon will drill away the cartilage lining between the joint’s bones leaving the subchondral bone exposed and free to grow together. This procedure is performed under general anesthesia. Fusion is estimated to take a year to complete. Your surgeon will recommend pain management options during that process.
3. Chemical Arthrodesis: An alcohol solution is injected into the hock destroying the cartilage lining. The subchondral bone is exposed and free to grow together. This is a standing procedure done under local anesthesia. Fusion is expected to take place within a year.

Surgical and chemical arthrodesis is recommended by surgeons when pain from fusing can no longer be managed through injections. If your horse is suffering from hock arthritis, contact your veterinarian.

Bisphosphonates are also a good idea, they can be costly but once injected will got around the whole body and target any arthritic areas.

 

[SEL]

I found gel injections a lot more effective

 

[Welshiefan84]

Vet came out last night, bute and box rest for a week. Doesn't think its hocks, everything else was checked in his work up. If not improvement after week, back to the clinic for a full investigation xx

 

[jenniehodges2001]

Vet came out last night, bute and box rest for a week. Doesn't think its hocks, everything else was checked in his work up. If not improvement after week, back to the clinic for a full investigation xx

Hey that's really good news. But I think I would have wanted the vet to have had some sort of idea as he had a lameness workup, so surely something should have shown up?