Hock joint injections

[milz88]

Hi just wondering if anyone can help/offer experiences.

My horse was diagnosed with bone spavin in both hocks 2 weeks ago, 1 week ago (tomorrow) he had his first joint injections and today was the first time I went to 'school' him, (I only trotted) he did feel a bit better but still I didn't really have much 'engine'. Do the injections sometimes take longer to work? or perhaps he needs a higher dose? as he did feel better but still not near 100%.

I took him for a walk and trot on the gallops and he honestly had the best trot you would ever want before a test and felt amazing, now I thnink this was probably just pure excitement and adrenalin as he was very pleased to be on grass and watch other horses xc schooling this evening, then back to the school and no power behind again, and its not laziness I know the horse well enough to tell that.

He does have 2 more sessions of shockwave to go, could this help show a bigger imporvement? if not I guess we will be looking at more options.

Any thoughts much appreciated

 

[flaxen]

My 18yr old mare has been diagnosed with bilateral bone spavin. On trot up she was lamer on rh than lh and on flexion was almost 9/10 lame on the right. My vet medicated both her tibialtarsal and tarsometatarsal joints in both hinds with long acting steroid. She had a couple of days rest and then walking for a couple of weeks and then i started to work her. The improvement is huge, she is much more willing and forward and she has the huge arab trot she used to have.

However, under saddle and rider is a different story, she is still crabby and awkward and has a sore back and needs some physio. Having a sore back is very common in horses with bone spavin, so i'd get your vet back out and get them to re-assess him on the ground. I would also try lunging your horse as you may well see a big difference in his way of going with out you on top.

My horse is insured so physio is covered under her insurance on my vets reccommendation. It all depends on how bad the spavin is and only xrays will tell you this- my mares is pretty bad so its a case of how long she will be sound for but there are other options if she goes lame again.
Hope this helps

 

[milz88]

Hi thank you for your reply, I have a feeling, from doing a little more research it just not have had its full effect yet, I have read that it can show most improvement on day 10 or up to 14! he is only on day 6, he had the day he was injected off, then 2 more days in the field, then 2 days hacking, another day off then today, short hack and some trotting in the school, initially he did feel better but when I asked for a contact and to 'work' he became a little more reluctant\crabby, so maybe it needs a bit longer to work.

In general he does seem so much more like his old self, cheeky, chirpy, interested and is feeling brilliant in walk out hacking, so I can only hope!!

 

[Ella19]

could it just be that he is lacking muscle? If he's had this or been lame for a while it's likely he will have lost muscle. A joint injection in that case won't be a mirical cure, he'll need to build the muscle to give you the "drive" you want.

 

[ALO]

I had my horse injected after spavin diagnosed in 1 hock,he was in for 48 hours and then allowed controlled walking exercise for the next 10 days.he trotted up sound after this. But I then had another issue 6 months after this so he was injected again,which wasn't as successful so he also had tildren,he now still isn't sound but there is a possibility there are other problems going on also.

From the research I did, I think providing you have no other issues the injections work well!it's also worth getting a Physio check his back as often you get back pain from compensation.

Hope this helps, I hope your horse recovers!

 

[nokia]

Hi my horse has been on bute now for about 7 months due to spavins, she was due her 6mts check up and the vet did a flextion test..and she was lame.

So into Ashbrooks she goes..full lameness work ups completed, stayed at the vets 4 days, also had tildrin...came home 7 days bute..light work..then no bute back to full work.

All i can say is the diffrence in her is amazing...she is like a new horse...loving life and i wish i would of done it 7 months ago.

Its funny though as my friends horse had spavins...diffrent vet and totally diffrent treatment..her boy was injected at the yard (which my vet was not happy to do ) 7 days box rest, then just walking in straight lines for 2 weeks, no circles ect. And her horse is no way as sound as mine.

I am really pleased with the results