Jack spavin

CinnamonChristmasCookie

CinnamonChristmasCookie

Fais pas chier!
Joined
6 July 2010
Messages
38,320
Visit site
Beau had an x-ray which showed arthritic bony changes on his hock some years ago when he was lame. He had a cortisone injection into the joint some years ago which seemed to stave off the discomfort for quite some time. I asked the vet about another injection today. He says no, because he now has a jack spavin over the hock, so getting a needle in would be very hard and long term might actually exacerbate the issue.

The vet says he’s not fat and is looking good for his type (hw cob) but could do with losing 25kg just to alleviate the pressure on the joint. He has a handful of chaff to get supplements down and has been prescribed danilon for now as he appeared to be 4/10ths lame today. The vet says he’s ok to be used as a hack. The joint has not yet fused, according to the vet, or he wouldn’t be lame, but surely it could be a mechanical lameness?

The boy is 15 and light exercise is good, apparently, no lunging. Does anyone have a success story? If he gets much lamer, I’m going to have to consider options, I don’t want him in constant pain.

Pic of the boy, it’s the offside hind that’s affected. They’re huge anyway :(

23843569_10156861205489377_5791294030210010124_n.jpg
 
Last edited:
Sorry to hear this CT. If it is mechanical then bute will not bring him sound. If it does, I'd pop him on bute for a year and then see if he's sound, and carry on exactly the same way until he can't cope with bute any more.
 
No, but the size of the affected hock indicates a big difference since the x-rays. The two are clearly very different, the horse is clearly lame. The protrusion is obviously bony. Classic signs, unfortunately, of a jack spavin.
 
ycbm said:
Sorry to hear this CT. If it is mechanical then bute will not bring him sound. If it does, I'd pop him on bute for a year and then see if he's sound, and carry on exactly the same way until he can't cope with bute any more.
Click to expand...

Jack spavins tend to interfere with the ligament, unfortunately, so likely to worsen and the central and third tarsals are affected, so mechanical plus ligament, bit of a swine, tbh.
 
cinnamontoast said:
Jack spavins tend to interfere with the ligament, unfortunately, so likely to worsen and the central and third tarsals are affected, so mechanical plus ligament, bit of a swine, tbh.
Click to expand...

Bummer. So sorry. Worse fates for a horse than a humane end, CT, though I hope it doesn't come to that.
 
Can you not wait until the joint has fused and in the meantime give him danilon or bute to alleviate any discomfort? He could also be on bute/danillon long term, its not a problem for most horses provided its low dose. Remedial shoeing will help relieve discomfort if his foot placement is exacerbating the situation.

I assume he can't have ethanol fusion (chemical arthrodesis) because your vet has said it would be difficult to get a needle in, otherwise this would be a long term pain free solution. Again this is suitable for quite a high percentage of horses presuming the contrast dye shows no connection between the lower and top hock joints.

I think your biggest problem is not the spavin which is usually treated quite successfully but this tendon that is affected by the spavin. I freely admit that I don't know about Jack Spavin having never heard the term before today, I know from what I have just googled that the prognosis seems to be guarded with this. I have also read that there is an operation for cutting the tendon where it is affected by the spavin but it doesn't seem to have a favourable outcome either.
 
My 18 year old went suddenly lame behind last year,after loads of box rest advised by one vet I got the senior vet out and he was sure she had arthritis and a jack spavin. He said he could cut the ligament over the tiny bony prominence quite easily and all sorted pain wise. He is old school. We decided to try homeopathic treatment first. The mare is sound now thank god. I know most people would have gone down the joint injection route but this was not possible for me.
 
I'd be questioning vets advice to hack what sounds like a lame horse unless the bute makes him actually sound to be honest - I don't think anything can be assumed by feel alone - but depending on if I wanted to try everything I'd get a second opinion on injecting it or be prepared to retire him as long as hes field sound ish
 
I’m curious about the idea of cutting the ligament, OLDGREYMARE, but I’d need to discuss consequences. I might see what a different vet says and talk about more x-rays.

Is this what you’re talking about, hopscotchbandit? You say tendon, OGM says ligament? I’m not sure so I’ll need to talk to the vet. I’ve never heard of the ethanol fusion. I’m not bothered if he’s retired, I just want him out of pain.

I understand what the vet means about an injection being hard, the spavin (if that’s what it is, I doubt it could be anything else) is large. You’d need a pneumatic drill! He is hacked a couple of times a week max, short distances. I’ll see how he looks on Friday, that’ll be day three of double dose of danilon.

Given the original x-rays were some years ago, I can’t see the joint fusing as it hasn’t yet.
 
I confess I can't remember the name of the structure needed to remove the pain but my vet said it was a ligament/ tendon that the horse could manage without. But not needed now anyway as the horse has gone sound.
 
cinnamontoast said:
I’m curious about the idea of cutting the ligament, OLDGREYMARE, but I’d need to discuss consequences. I might see what a different vet says and talk about more x-rays.

Is this what you’re talking about, hopscotchbandit? You say tendon, OGM says ligament? I’m not sure so I’ll need to talk to the vet. I’ve never heard of the ethanol fusion. I’m not bothered if he’s retired, I just want him out of pain.

I understand what the vet means about an injection being hard, the spavin (if that’s what it is, I doubt it could be anything else) is large. You’d need a pneumatic drill! He is hacked a couple of times a week max, short distances. I’ll see how he looks on Friday, that’ll be day three of double dose of danilon.

Given the original x-rays were some years ago, I can’t see the joint fusing as it hasn’t yet.
Click to expand...
Hi CT. A tendon is where muscle attaches to one bone , a ligament is where it attaches from bone to bone or that's my understanding of the difference. Without looking at the anatomy of the hock and where the jack spavin is (believe its on inside of hock) I am not sure if its a tendon or ligament involved.
http://www.equinespot.com/bone-spavin.html

Jack Spavin is the term when the lesions on the tarsal and carpal bones is large as does another explanation I've seen - no mention of tendon/ligament involved on either website.

Look on here 2nd photo/paragraph under 'bone spavin'
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/76-071.htm
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Medial tendon of cranial tibia muscle is therefore the one to be cut? I’m not sure how they’d get to it given the size of the spavin. I need a big chat with a vet who won’t just throw danilon at it.

My worry is that masking the pain means he may cause himself damage, he’s quite playful and can sometimes get carried away galloping round with others.

Thanks, hopscotchbandit, this is all very useful.
 
Last edited:
I’m going to speak to my vet about options once he’s finished the danilon, or preferably before. I want a second opinion, my vet is very experienced, but I think a second opinion from someone with some experience in this area is the next step.

Thanks, all, especially OLDGREYMARE and hopscotchbandit.
 
CT - I’m not sure if you know that Diego has bone spavin in his hocks. Was found when he was at WHW because he went lame when lunged.

This winter things have def flared up and he’s struggled some days, his right hock esp has played up and has been very hot.

I spoke to vet and she said to use bute as and when and to monitor it, she hoped he would improve with better weather and ground.

I’ve started him on a different supplement so he’s now on Maxavita Maxaflex alongside his Global Herbs Alphabute and so far I’ve noticed a difference for the better.

I won’t put him through any surgery/procedures because I’m so limited with him management wise, he can’t be confined at all and is only happy being out 24/7

Like you I won’t let him suffer and currently he is fine again with no bute and in fact has been like tigger on blue smarties ;-)

He’s so feisty normally that I know when he’s sore, he’s very withdrawn and just loses his sparkle :-(

Hope your boy improves xx
 
cinnamontoast said:
I’m going to speak to my vet about options once he’s finished the danilon, or preferably before. I want a second opinion, my vet is very experienced, but I think a second opinion from someone with some experience in this area is the next step.

Thanks, all, especially OLDGREYMARE and hopscotchbandit.
Click to expand...

No problem. I hope you get some good news with a second opinion, I think this is the way I would go with this.
 
Hey Supertrooper, no, I had no idea! I don’t think your boy is ridden? Mine is, lightly, but I really want him to have some exercise and he can’t be lunged either. I’ll have a look at that supplement. He has linseed oil in a supplement, plus rosehips.

Thanks, HSB. I stumbled across the technician who does x rays for my practice today. I told her I’d be seeing her soon!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top