Hock Spavin surgery - anyone had it done?

[Hossrider]

I have a horse that has been diagnosed with bone spavin. his hocks are fusing and he has had 2 injections into the joints to help him.

While the injections have helped his right leg they don't really seem to have done anything for his left and after 2 injections (6 weeks apart) I'm still convinced he isn't comfortable in the left hind.

I have been told I can ride him gently to encourage fusing but the vet says that it is quite rare for the fusion to happen all on its own and that if the injections don't work then we may have to consider surgery.

I'm really gutted and am hoping for some success stories. He is only 5yo. I was hoping to do some riding club, hunter trials and maybe a bit of eventing.

 

[Hossrider]

bump

 

[putasocinit]

What surgery is the vett alking about, if it is the ethanol (think thats the stuff) then they need to xray and as long as there is no drainage between the 2nd and 3rd metatarsal they can do the drainage which will fuse the joint but if there is drainage then the whole joint will be fused and the horse will not be able to move his leg. Natural fusion takes place with movement, so the more you do the quicker it will happen, but can also take a while, why dont you just give him a bute a day to help him during this fusion stage, it really wont do him that mich damage, damage comes from years and high doses of bute, one a day wont hurt, you could give him one every other day, that is what i did with my cob, now he has no drugs and is moving fine with bone spavin in both hocks. Hope that helps.