I hate May, done some research on Hock Spavin and not happy!

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Pidge

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What a **** day
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2 years to the day I had Higgs PTS, and then 27th May its 4 years since Dave died I HATE MAY!!!!!
and I find out Pidge has hock spavin and could possibly never be right. Ok so was having a seriously blonde moment earlier, the euphoria of finding out what is wrong with Pidge has worn off now
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Can't believe he has osteoarthritis and he has just turned 10. Have actually scared myself reading some of the info on the web about this condition. It is degenerative and will progressively get worse
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He is on bute and Newmarket supplement and light work in walk and trot for 4 weeks. Sat here crying
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Hi
sorry to hear that, my mare is only 12 and she was diagnosed with it at 10 yrs old..... luckily we are not on medication yet.. but she's only a light hack, dont usually go out more than twice a week....
 
So Sorry
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....Just remember that if you were on a euphoric high earlier it will feel like you have hit rock bottom now more so. Chin up and huge hugs x
 
the more I read articles on the internet the more down I get
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Someone up there must really hate me
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Try not to read too much - when I was going through it with my TB, I read a number of things about his condition which left me feeling like the grim reaper was just waiting round the corner! Every horse is different x
 
Hi
Know how you feel! I was like this last week when my girl was diagnosed with sacroiliac disease! Phew at least I know what the problem is, then misery, then well what am I going to do! Now, a week on I have accepted the situation and am looking at the best ways to manage it.

Give it a week and Im sure you will have decided how to manage the situation. If hes a lovely horse then give him the best for as long as you can! Enjoy him and let him enjoy life!

If its any consolation at all one of mine was written off with arthritic changes in his feet at six. Hes just gone lame again at 29! Although he has been feeling his feet for a few years now. So things can go well if you manage the situation and find out what can cause more damage and how you can avoid it.

Good luck

L
 
Oh no, now I feel bad for telling you to read things!! Honestly I don't think your vet would have been that optimistic about it unless he thought it was at least manageable. Now if I were you I would have a really good talk to him tomorrow and tell him you've been reading up and can't see the up-side, and hopefully if your vet is decent he'll give you the low-down on how he is hoping to help you manage the problem. That's what vets are for, helping you help your horse! So there's still hope if the vet thinks there is. Chin up!
 
Is so easy to do! I'm sure others on here will be able to give you positive stories of having a similar diagnosis. When I was struggling with my horse's chronic urticaria, I had a new vet call me to say he had a breakthrough as he thought it might be something called erythema (sp?) multiform. I said - great - what's the prognosis - he said "there is nothing we can do -it's a very rare and very serious condition"
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. Turns out it wasn't - just various food allergies
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.

I know that this has nothing to do with your diagnosis, but just trying to illustrate that it is so easy to depress yourself with a worst case scenario when you read about it.

Is so difficult to tell at this stage, but try not to think the worst.
 
Really sorry for you..... you have had the relief of a diagnosis and now the depression of the reality..... you will hopefully soon have the resignment to the future.

I have been through all of this from October last year when my then 8 year old was diagnosed with serious arthritis in one hind fetlock. Nothing will ever 'mend' him but he is still Merlin and that wont change. I still cant do a decent dressage test on him, but I can at least now blame it on the arthritis!!! (even if he couldnt do one before either)!!!

I have been told that I can jump him if I am careful and obviously no hard or boggy ground.... sadly that leaves little time for good ground inbetween.

Sorry I am waffling now... seriously, you will feel better as time goes on, the hard cold reality of the worst case senario is what you are feeling now, it will be replaced with resignment and hopefully hope!!

Ask your vet about Tildren... a horse on my yard has just had it done and at 19 with sidebones, arthritis in the pasterns and also spavins is coming sound after the treatment.

Good luck for you and Pidge...
 
Im really sorry to hear this. Just remember people who post on the internet are likely to be those in a desperate situation, and are likely to be examples of extreme cases! Remember vets can do wonders these days, such a diagnosis is by no means the end.

Thinking about you

Jess xx
 
So sorry to hear the news, I hope the reality isn't as bad as it first feels. I'm so sorry to hear that these things always happen in May, lets hope next May is better.
Sending the best vibes I can.
 
Oh Sue Im so sorry you are going through this, I know how much you love Pidge.

Yes you have had some bad news, BUT it could be worse, AND at least you know what is wrong and are doing EVERYTHING you can for him.

You will find all sorts of scary information on just about every condition going, but a lot of it is worst case scenario. A few people on here have already said how well their horses are doing after having bone spavin, I know its easy to say and hard to do, but please dont try to worry too much.

Its just one of those things that is going to take time.

((huge hugs))
 
Come on Pidge, my lad got it two years ago and we have been fine until recently when I overdid some XC jumping and he's now not at all happy. However, I am pretty sure that with rest he'll come right again. Then he's off on free loan to a hacking home. I'm sure, that with yours being sound so soon and with little rest, he'll come right in no time. OK, so spavins are all different, but I reckon I have been unlucky. It'll all seem better tomorrow and at least it's not one of those tendon and ligament things where they are off for ever. You can keep riding
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(((((((((((((HUG))))))))))))) Cercs was diagnosed with arthritis in his hocks at about 10 (can't remember now) - I was still jumping 1.30m tracks with him at 15 so all is not lost!!!
 
Hock Spavin isn't the end of the world, it can take years to become fully established, and I know you turn out (have done) fully in the summer, this will help believe me, i know it sounds silly!
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He will become less stiff if turned out full time, if left in say overnight, he would potentially stiffen up, so turning out is a good way to keep his joints moving if that makes sense!
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There are some good good supplements out there for osteoarthritis, to both control and prevent worsening of the condition. A simple one being apple cider vinegar, cheap and helps with joints and coat condition, another being glucosamine which is very very good, and also devils claw root can be used as a herbal alternative to bute!
Being ridden will help alot, I know you like to ride, so light work building upwards will help also as keeping the hock moving will prevent stiffening, pidge will let you know how much he can do, I think all is not lost!
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I am sorry to hear of this diagnosis
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however I believe that he will be ok, he is fairly young and in very good shape, and looked after well, also it has been caught early which is good as you can set to work in controlling and preventing further onset of his condition.
Although it is not curable, it is controllable.
Hugs
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Zadie x
 
Pidge, if you're looking for info, I really wouldn't rely on the internet, as it will scare the life out of you.
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Just as in humans, osteoarthritis can vary greatly in it's severity, and it could be that, with correct treament, Pidge could go on for years once this initial flare-up has settled.
My old WB had OA in the coffin joint (really bad - you could eventually see the outline of the calcification under his skin), yet he carried on working for years afterwards.

Your vet is the best person to discuss this with, as having done the tests/seen the xrays, he will have a much better idea what the prognosis is.

Big hugs xxx
 
Oh Pidge, try not to get too down. Whenever I've read up on something a horse of mine has got, I've been convinced they're going to die!! If your vet was positive and upbeat, that is an excellent sign as vets are NEVER, EVER upbeat unless they are absolutely sure they have cause to be; they tend to err on the side of caution.
 
WTF have you been reading??God all sorts of top eventers and comp horses have spavins !! it is not the end of the world!
Stop reading all this crap, work the horse in a proper exercise routine ( yes, I mean hard work,no flaffing about, you need to keep that hock moving- the less exercise you do the stiffer the hockgets and then you are in a vicious circle)

Do not medicate the joint with cortisone or steriods on any account, but HCL injections are good,as are a good joint supp and plenty of linseed oil, and a good farrier.

Your horse, if managed right, should have many happy competing years ahead of him, admittedly he will have a different action behind, and will have good days and bad days bbut he should be able to do whatever you want him to do....
 
thanks for all the replies much appreciated and needed. Still feel like crap this morning but have decided not to search for any more articles on the internet on his condition as its just too depressing.
Vet gave him a Depo-Medrone injection into his distal inter-tarsal joint.
So when I start his light hacking and schooling on Thursday do I get him to work properly then as opposed to slobbing along? Was thinking he'd just have to be a happy hacker (absolutely no offence intended to anyone who is a happy hacker
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) but he would hate it as he loves his work, canter is his favourite pace and he would go all day if I let him, and as for jumping he adores it
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hence his nickname of cruise missile when jumping!
 
If he is happy working properly than he is happy working- definately do not slop along and carry on doing exactly what you have always been doing- if he likes jumping and cantering as long as pos he sounds as though he is already in 10 times better nick than the other horses that Ive known at the start of their bone spavin. Reducing the work load is the worse thing that you can possibly do really because they just get stiffer and stiffer .
 
You want the joint to fuse so carry on riding as you would (just let the horse dictate a bit). Any joint supp (chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine) - Newmarket joint supp is just one of many. None are licenced and none have been scientifically tested to be better than others - choose one that works for you. Add omega 3 oil (linseed or cod liver oil).

I chose to have surgical intervention as Arans hock wasn't fusing naturally (and as I only had a year on the insurance I didn't want to wait too long). There are 2 types - chemical and surgical. I chose surgical. Aran was diagnosed with active spavin in the september. He was half a tenth lame. He had adequan and joint supps etc and hacking but he got progressively worse. He went in for surgery in the december and was 3/10ths lame. A year on and he is LOU as he is a bit stiff (1-2/10ths on a bad day but he's fine when he warms up - and its not going to get any worse - it can only improve as there is no joint left to degenerate and cause pain). I ride him and he is a very happy boy.

Don't dispare - there are millions of horses with spavin. once fused he'll be fine.
 
thanks Forrest, even when he went lame on the hack 2 weeks ago he didn't want to stop trotting at all despite there being a problem! He's just too damn genuine for his own good, so am a bit concerned that even if its hurting him he'll still go on as that is his nature?
 
Thanks Aran, daft question really but how will I know when its fused bar taking him back for xrays? Am waiting for vet to call me back as have numerous questions for him!
 
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