Hock Spavin and Steroid injections? Any advice/experiences please?

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PonyPower1980

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Can anybody offer me any advice/reassurance/experience of the above.
Scenario is... 18yr old gelding, noticed something wasn't quite right with one of his hind legs for a while but numerous people told me 'it was all in my head' and if there was something wrong he wouldn't be jumping ( we don't jump big..2ft 3-6 max) and would be lame and he is just lazy and he had a back problem.... I decided not to listen after a lot of agonising and vet checked him out and after X-rays it shows moderate borderline bad hock spavin, the hock is about 70% fused, vet thinks prob been going on for a while, and the poor lad bless him has coped with it for a while, we have done everything and he never complains, and to look at he only looks slightly unlevel, not even 1/10 lame the vet said, only due to my paranoia I spotted it. Anyhow vet said he should be far far lamer for the hock being how it is. Treatment was low dose steroid injection in October, cortavet HA, and gently bringing him back into work, walking straight lines, increasing ridden time, trotting on soft surfaces only and gradually introducing school work which he is going very well on. No jumping, and No trotting on roads unless its a short burst to give way to a vehicle and I have to say he is looking pretty good ... however, one person in particular disagrees with steroid injections, and vets in general.. Stating that as he has had these injections he WILL get laminitis and it will be my own fault and then he will be of no use so may as well be put to sleep. I am trying my best to ignore this comment as my understanding is that the steroids, 'if' they cause it bring it on regardless of the usual lami factors, therefore we are now 4 months on from the injections and I still have a horse with four very good feet ( and legs :-) ) ... However apprehensive over further injections ( if needed, hocks being re xrayed in march) and would appreciate and details of any bodies experience in relation to hock spavin treatment please?
 
My daughters pony has this in one hock, started by him unwilling to load, and i noticed at a competition he went across the area, still looked active but wasn't really going forward, and he is a pocket rocket. He was diagnosed soon after. We went down the old route, he came to me on grass livery, wasn't nice to see him holding hiis leg up and basically operating on three legs, but he had bute to keep him comfortable. She had the vet down for his jabs in the autumn and his ailment was exlpained, the answer rather surprised me as i was sure he would suggest injections. Best thing you can do in my opinion wouldn't bother with hock injections. He is on veteran insurance so external injury only. Ten months later he is now field sound and no bute, it can take up to two years for the hock to fuse. I realise if he is your only horse you would like to get him up and running asap. We are going to see if we can get him back to being ridden this autumn. Good luck with your boy
 
Thanks for the reply, yes I've only got the one, but prepared to do what he needs to be comfortable., ridden or not ridden, he deserves it :-)
Had the one injection already after a long discussion with vet, hours of research online, but I'm being made to doubt myself! My boy's hock is 3/4 fused so fingers crossed it should continue to fuse well and then I would like to hope just regular work and joint supplement will maintain him until his ridden days are over :-)
Good luck with yours and thanks again.
 
I had my horses hocks injected and Tildren. I didn't see much improvement. Turned him away in September. He looks much better already. I did buy another horse at the time, so am going to leave the other one living out and see how he goes. He is only 9 and is field sound with no bute.
 
Hi, sorry, can't help with your specific q but our harry was diagnosed with hock spavin both sides aged 8. He had an op to fuse the hocks and made a brilliant recovery. We now keep him on 1 bute a day and don't jump him. He is still only 10. I guess I think that if your guy is 18 what is the harm in giving him bute if it keeps him comfortable?
 
Mine had a spavin diagnosed in September, had tildren and a steroid, jumped 1.20 yesterday and should start eventing in March. May need another steroid jab but I have no qualm about him having it.
 
He appears sound now, looks better than ever although I am very careful with him ridden wise, and he isn't a crackpot in the field so all good I guess, it's more the case of if he needs another steroid injection? The first one plus joint supplement seems to of worked but know possibly there is the chance they may need repeating in future. Got my bute at the ready should he appear in discomfort ever, fingers crossed it doesn't happen for a long time . Just worried re all the scaremongering about steroids and laminitis really?
 
Believe for how fused the hock already is Tildren wasn't a option, unless when we re X-ray it , it has stopped fusing, it was coming along quite nicely on its own, it's all such a worry tho :-(
 
Did you do a bute trial on your horse when investigating him being "off" did it make a difference? What investigations did you do? I'm asking for my own benefit I'm currently investigating :D
 
Hi. My boy is 15 and similar to you i had him up at the vets last year as felt he wasn't quite right and has had some back issues... Diagnosed with hock spavins. He's never been really lame, just lacking "umph" and a bit toe draggy. Anyway he's had three lots of steroid injections in the past year and it has really suited him - we do dressage, enjoy a sponsored ride and jump on the odd occasion (he is also rather good of jumping out of places he shouldn't!). A happy horse that likes working and I think with his supplements, plenty of turnout and keeping up injections/treatment in discussion with my vet then hopefully we have years of fun ahead. I wouldn't let 1 persons opinion put you off steroid injections - I have, and know several others who have had positive experiences. It is for you and your vet to decide how to treat your horse ;) Good luck!
 
My horse doesn't have hock spavin but she was diagnosed with ringbone, DJD and sidebone in the RF over a year ago. She wasn't lame at all and people were telling me it was in my head also but went ahead and had X-rays which found the problems.
She had steroid injection when first diagnosed and was on 1 bute a day to keep her comfortable. Vet said the outlook was very bleak and she would probably be no more than a field ornament/light hack.
She didn't cope not working so we decided that working was the way forward. She eventually became sound with the bute and a glucosamine supplement.
When we went back in September for a follow up we found slight navicular changes in the LF so the vet suggested Tildren. He said it is mainly used for spavin but could help her.
I can safely say I now have a new horse! She is off the bute and worked as any other horse is, we just watch the ground and don't jump, although vet has now said that she is doing so well that the odd jump on a good surface would be fine. Just to ad, she just turned 15!

So when you go back suggest Tildren to you vet and see what they say. I know for some it doesn't work, but for my mare it really has been the best thing we could have done!

Good luck :)
 
I noticed he was unlevel behind, he wasn't lame and nobody else could see what I was referring to , anyhow called vet, who was brilliant, said best to do full lameness exam and also X-ray ( he is fully insured so nothing to loose), only bute I had was a few sachets after injection to assist swelling.
I'm really happy with outcome, think a better joint supplement has helped, say this as he has been on cortaflex and superflex and I think Newmarket in the past ( he is quite a stiff pony unless you work him properly, then goes beautifully, he is just lazy bless him!) and he is the supplest I have ever seen him, cortavet HA is what I've used, pricey but it appears to of helped!
What stage are you at with yours?
 
Thanks Linmog & Baker :-) I was gutted to start with but Vet really positive, and truth be known all I really do is hack now and get more enjoyment from that than competing, so does he ( I think?! ) so worst case scenario ridden wise nothing to loose, a nice stroll round the block cures any worries :-)
I've got more X-rays in march for the ponio so we shall see, vet very positive and said the good bit is that he should be v lame for the degree of hock fusion so I'm taking that as a positive. I was just concerned about causing more probs ( laminitis ) from trying to do the right thing ( steroids )... Esp when steroids appear to be working, but at least Tilden is a option.
Hope it all goes well with your two :-)
 
Sounds very similar scenario to me - you know your horse best after all!! Mine has quite low level - but he's a big horse and think he feels it. I discussed Tildren but vet didn't think appropriate in his case / at the mo, but I will keep reviewing. I don't use bute, but make sure I warm up / cool down properly and am careful witb the surface I ride on and all fine to date! He tends to tell me he's starting to feel uncomfortable as chucks in the odd buck when I push him - and after the injections he's like a spring chicken! Other thing I have added is turmeric to his feed - cheap in bulk and has anti-inflammatory properties (apparently)... He likes the taste so it can't be doing him any harm!!
 
I have bought large-ish bags from tesco/asda but normally off amazon. Someone I know goes to an Indian wholesalers to buy hers which is prob cheapest and can buy big bags but I can never be bothered to drive there! I give him 30ml (3 little scoops) a day - but he's a chunky 16.2 :) I personally think it's worth a try as doesn't cost the earth. Stains your fingers though - I sometimes look like I smoke 100 a day!!!
 
My pony has felt "off" for a while and has stiffness in back. It's very hard to see but it's something I feel and it's worse when I'm on a certain rein. Vet said recurring back prob can often be a prob in the leg. Both hind legs are stiff and one slightly lame on flexion. Bute trial= no difference. It is so mild though I wonder whether to wait for it to get worse so we have more indicator of what it is. I'm now trying to decide next step to do...
 
Conniemara, mine was only slightly unlevel, not even half of 1/10 lame, however I picked up more on it as he started to square off one back toe badly .a X-ray later solved my worry and all going ok. I too thought oh he has a back problem, was told his hip was out, but from doing my research sometimes back problems are a secondary problem from a leg problem so if you are insured i would get it looked at if it persists, I'm really glad I did as I've stopped worrying :-) good luck and let us know how you get on x
 
Not insured don't mind spending the money but I've had blood tests suggested but think x ray would be more helpful but not sure where we are x raying. How did u narrow that down? Thanks for your replies :D
 
I'd say have a good long chat with your vet. My pony was diagnosed with arthritis at age 12 and we tried tildren with not really much success. Then went down the route of buting him and working him through it starting with walking straight lines and building up from there. After several years of trial and error managed to get him back to full fitness and jumping small fences on 1/2 a bute a day and kept him there for a couple of years. He then went out on loan for a few years whilst I studied for a degree and at some point things started happening again with his joints. After messing around with increasing doses of bute for a bit we tried steroid injections which gave dramatic improvement for a few months but the effect wore off pretty quickly. Eventually he got to the stage where he was still very lame on a high dose of bute and vet said there was nothing more to be done for him and that whilst there was still the chance of fusion occurring we couldn't predict how long that may take and in the meantime he'd be in pain that we didn't seem to be able to touch. My boy had the injections in the summer time and never showed any signs of coming down with lami and I've known other horses whose owners have gone down the steroid route who've been fine. The reason we didn't think it a good option for mine was it not lasting very long not the risk of lami. From what you'd describe I'd say it's very worthwhile keeping going with him. If he seems comfortable and happy then I'd say what you're doing obviously suits him and keep on with it.
 
I do not understand why vets do not offer chemical fusion more? I tried steroids on a horse, it was a waste of time so buted instead and 6 months later was fine without Bute.
 
I have read about chemical fusion and would be interested in that. From what I've read it's relatively cheap. Perhaps that's why the vet recommend steroid injections and Tildren as its much more expensive.
 
We have A 15yo TB who had one hock done with steroids Aug last year and will have the other done in the next few months. His mobility in the hock was better almost instantly but he was still unlevel slightly due to years of compensating for his hocks. It was only after a course of acupuncture, specifically to his SI area, that we really saw improvements. Horse is now off bute, moving better than he was when we bought him and gradually returning to full work inc jumping.
 
Had my boys hocks injected 6 years ago when he was 16. Best thing I've ever done. We're still happily competing all RC activities and some BE :).

Will be getting him done again next month as it worked so well last time, on vet's advice as I ve felt him tiniest bit off again recently.
 
Conniemara, unfortunately we xrayed both hocks, mainly to see what was going on in both , however it was obvious the one was potentially 'bad' from the toe dragging, from what I recall whole thing cost £700-800, pricey but at least its affordable for me once insurance ends if I stash the money! Luckily one hock looks perfect, the other as I said isn't too good but he appears ( fingers crossed ) to be responding well, my answers will come when we X-ray again.
As far as I understand once hock fuses I'm guessing you don't need steroid injections anyhow? Something I need to ask vet when she comes out next
 
A friend of mine 14.3 16 year old cob had a very similar lameness. She was 2/10ths lame and when x-rayed both hocks had spavins. She was injected with HCA and box rested for a month. The vet said she would be fine to jump and ride as normal. She was sound for 10 months but she is again lame as before.:( I think her hocks were too bad for the treatment to last.
 
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