Hock Spavins and Bad Backs.

[charlie76]

I have a horse that was being naughty to ride(rearing and napping) so after elimimating teeth and saddle the vet came and saw him.
He said he was very sore across his back so we had him xrayed. The vet said he had 2 vertebrae that were too close together( not kissing however) so he had steriod injections and began a course of physio. The vet and Physio came out last week to assess him under saddle and although he didn't nap or rear he still wasn't staying to a consistent contact and was hollow in the canter. The vet said then that he thought he was lame behind!
So nerveblocks followed which showed he was 2/10th lame from his hock.
More xrays showed that his left hind had a spavin that had already fused and the left hind had another forming.
I have since had injections into both hocks and physio under sedation to work on him with very deep physio.

Has anyone had horse with this problem and have they got over it and back into full work?
Was there a significant improvement in the attitude/way of going?

He is going to have another physio session in 2weeks once he is back in work.

Thanks

 

[ihatework]

it might be worth Pming forrest, she is going through a similar thing with one of her horses.

 

[charlie76]

Will do- thanks!

 

[jojoebony]

Hi
I have a 4 year old TB who was diagnosed with hock spavins in both legs.
It presented initially with him napping and just generally looking uncomfortable. His back was very tense and he looked extremely stiff and uncomfrtable behind. The vet initially thought it was a tendon injury but xrays showed spavin (although my vet still thought it was the tendon making him lame).
He came good for a while but has come back lame again. Unfortunately don't have a positive end to the story as yet although it's still early days with him.
He has been on a supplement called "synequin" which seemed to make a big difference when he was on the loading dose (his lameness reoccured when his dose was halved). I was sceptical at first but he was sound when he was on the highed dose. Perhaps something to look in to?
Good luck anyway, I hope you get sorted.
Jo

 

[aran]

I presume the lameness is only coming from the hock with the active spavin (the one where the joints have not yet fused)? If you can get this one to fuse it will be the same as the other hock and so inactive. If this happens then the horse will become sound (as there is no joint to have arthritis if you see what I mean). If this joint does not fuse then you have a horse with active arthritis - they have good days and bad days and will let you know what work is too much. Some products can help slow the progression of the arthritis but cannot cure it, therefore your best hope is to get the joint to fuse either chemically or by surgery. My horse had surgical arthrodesis a year ago - we are still going through recovery. It has a 70% success rate over 10 months recovery time. I dont think Aran is going to be a total success but the joint has nearly fuse and he is 2/10 on a bad day. With good warming up he is sound but for the time being his competitive life is over.

Who's your vet and what have they suggested?
Good luck

 

[collie]

Both my friend and i had horses with spavin in the hock. The prognosis very much depends on where about in the hock the spavin is. There are several little joints in their. My friends horse had it lower down and she became sound but it did take about 9 months to a year for the joint to fuse properly. It leaves her a little stiff looking but she can do almost all activities. Unfortunatley my horse had it higher up in her hock and the prognosis was very bad and she became so lame she could not get up. In the end i had to do the kindest option for her. But the majority of spavins come right but it does take time.

 

[brighteyes]

I think the bad back is a result of gait compensation - holding and hitching- due to the discomfort of the spavin (arthritis in the joint). It's a bit of a catch 22 as vets usually prescribe exercise as part of the healing process (to aggravate the arthritis and speed up the ankylosis - or fusion- of the two affected bones) after which the horse should go sound. You can use bute judiciously in conjunction with the exercise, but I think the majority of horses will suffer some muscle pain as a result of the altered mechanics.

 

[alb208]

hi there, i know what you are going through, i have had a similoar problem with my 15hh tbxid mare for the last 18 months. we had a series of steriod injections done, along with 8 weeks box rest and regular use of a horse walker, and we decided the best and kindest thing to do for her was to put her out on long term loan as a happy hacking pony and a companion. she has been with her loaner for about 14 months now and the change is amazing, she is calm, much more friendly and generally seems a much happier horse! she also looks a lot more sound now, and we are hoping to perhaps bring her into a little more work gradually over this year. do not worry, all you need is patience and TLC and you'll get there. dancer had a 60-40% chance of being permanently lame and useless, and now things look 100% more positive!and if the bones fuse your horse will be back to as good as new!
Good luck!