Joint Supplements for Very old ponies

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spottydottypony

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I am confused what to give my 36 yr old pony whose Arthritis has worsened. He is currently on 200ml of Linseed oil daily with half a sachet of bute (advised by Vet). With the weather being so damp he has stiffened up. I have looked at loads of joint supplements and i am confused by the vast array of availability. I cant spend loads of money but a good one that works any advice? My friend recons Rosehips he cannot have Devils Claw as it doesnot agree with him.
 
I'd say look for something with glucosamine, MSM, chrondroitin and HA in it, alternatively have heard good things about green lipped mussel. I'd also have a chat with the vet about upping his bute dose.
 
Sadly SDP no supplement in the world can reverse the damage to bone and cartilage caused by age and arthritis. The best you can do is continue to give pain relief for as long as it is helping your veteran. There will come a time though when all the pain killers in the world won't be enough to give your pony a quality of life.
 
Equimins flexijoint has many of the ingredients listed above.

Can the bute be upped, thats what I'd be doing, in all honesty it sounds like off the counter supplements are no longer going to offer the level of help the pony needs. Given the ages of the pony its a sad fact that any of the long terms side affects of bute are likely to be irrelevant in this case.

I started a thread a few weeks ago about bute and the safe levels etc, I'll try and find it for you as I had some very useful replies.

Here it is http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=541061

All the best.
 
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Thank you for all your replies. I had a horse on bute for a couple of years before he was PTS recently so i know that is an option. I know it cannot be repaired just more to be made comfortable. He still potters around the field, is well looked after, in a warm stable at night its just a shame when they get old and stiff. I have some magnetic boots too i can use on him was also thinking about turmeric as its anti inflammatory but i suppose so is the bute.
 
spottydottypony said:
Thank you for all your replies. I had a horse on bute for a couple of years before he was PTS recently so i know that is an option. I know it cannot be repaired just more to be made comfortable. He still potters around the field, is well looked after, in a warm stable at night its just a shame when they get old and stiff. I have some magnetic boots too i can use on him was also thinking about turmeric as its anti inflammatory but i suppose so is the bute.
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Did you look at the website and reviews??:)

This website was created to save all the useful ideas and success stories and treatments to help others as well as reviews.
This one was a a success after I told her about flexijoint . (members name withheld)


Hi there,
A couple weeks ago you recommended Equimins Flexijoint to me for my arthritic mare.
Just wanted to say thanks!! It has made a massive difference. Way more so than the 2 sachets a day of danilon did! She started on the danilon when the devils relief she was on seemed to stop having much effect and tbh it hasn't really made much difference, she was still totally lame just in the field, and I have been debating THAT decision.
But!! She has been on the flexijoint about 2 weeks now and she's gone from trotting like a cripple to only just noticeably lame which is fine for her, she's retired and I just want her to be comfortable to potter round the field.

She travelled to her new home like a beaut and of course had a hooley round in the field so she's probably sore from that, but she looked ok doing it and didn't seem in pain. When she's settled I'm thinking of taking the danilon down to 1 a day and see if it makes any difference, I doubt it will and there's no point pumping her with stuff she doesn't need.
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At that age I would simply up the bute to keep pony happy, it's the best thing, as the degeneration will not get any better, it's a case of keeping comfortable and being able to offer a quality of life. Xxx cracking age for a pony by the way, well done sounds like you have looked after said pony very well :)
 
I agree with maybe talking to vet and increasing the bute.

For a cheap supplement to try, Turmeric powder seems to have helped my old loan mare. If it doesn't help it's not a lot lost as you can pick it up cheap most places.
 
Personally I would not up her bute unless on a good joint supplement.


I look at it as its just like having a knocking noise or noise in the car and you just turn radio up so you don't hear it.


Equimins said to me

* if you don't have lubrication you have pain*
*if you have lubrication no pain ...... No pain = no bute*


I don't like the idea of my horses joints / bones rubbing on other bones causing pain without trying a good supplement first.

Bute will only disguise the pain meaning damage is still being done while the horse can't feel it.

Using bute when the horse IS on a joint supplement is a different matter IMO:)

Alll I can say is Equimins Flexijoint gives you a 100% guarantee money refund if the product does not work for your horse. That to me is worth a go depends on how much you want to keep the ponies going really

OP: I have tried many supplements all but 3 on my yard are on flexijoint including the dog and donkey.

ATEOTD its up to you all we can do is advice and give you results on what we independently use. :)
 
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I'd agree with boxoffrogs, I think it unlikely that glucosamine/ha/chondrotin would make much difference to him if he is struggling now. Yes they are all the ingredients that will lube the joints but there is a lot of discussion as to whether they can actually get there via digestion.

A friend has had good results feeding Boswellia which is an anti inflammatory, an alternative to devils claw
 
Thank you for all your replies i have looked at the Equimins Joint supplement and it looks pretty good so i will give it a go. The turmeric idea is good too he was on that last year but i dont think i gave him enough.
 
You have to ask yourself this: if joint supplements CAN reverse the damage that age and arthritis brings then why aren't doctors prescribing it as a cure for humans? In humans, the only thing that will "reverse" the effect of arthritis of say the knee is a new, artificial knee. We can't do that for our horses so we provide pain relief for as long as that gives a quality of life. It's not remotely like turning the radio up to block out the sound of a knocking noise. That implies a can't-be-ars*d cover up. Providing pain relief when there are no other alternatives comes at the end of careful diagnosis and discussion of options. It is NOT a cover up!
 
Agreed with box of frogs. When they are old and knackered the best thing to do is give pain relief, supplements may 'helP' but at the end of the day when the joints have degenerated IMO there isn't anything you can do to reverse the signs of ageing, just like in humans.
 
Box_Of_Frogs said:
You have to ask yourself this: if joint supplements CAN reverse the damage that age and arthritis brings then why aren't doctors prescribing it as a cure for humans? In humans, the only thing that will "reverse" the effect of arthritis of say the knee is a new, artificial knee. We can't do that for our horses so we provide pain relief for as long as that gives a quality of life. It's not remotely like turning the radio up to block out the sound of a knocking noise. That implies a can't-be-ars*d cover up. Providing pain relief when there are no other alternatives comes at the end of careful diagnosis and discussion of options. It is NOT a cover up!
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I would say that is pretty obvious than nothing can reverse arthritis:rolleyes:

No one is trying too say that it can be reversed. What we are trying to do is make the horse more comfortable and improve mobility and if joint supplement can do this.
Then to me its worth a go that in itself can prolong the horses work / lifespan.

I don't think any of us can say with confidence that a joint supplement wont work on OP horses only trial and error can do that, and that decision is up to OP.

(know for a fact that it has helped every horse on this yard)


I am not getting into an argument, I am merely saying that when a horse is in pain with arthritis, Joint supplement can reduce the pain in the way of lubrication.

I personally would rather give my horse and extra 5 years off the bute but with joint supplement than not and give and extra 5 years of bute thus


A. increasing damage to internal organs due to long term bute
B. possibly shortening the horses life due to increase wear and tear without lubrication.


OP its up to you , the feedback on the website are all 100% percent feedback from Equimins Flexijoint users that are ALL members of this forum.

What I will say is OP if you do go along this route of Equimins please post here and your review will be added to the rest :)
 
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There is a place for Bute for elderley horses, however completly ruleing out a joint supplement because they are old IMO is a mistake.
You cannot reverse existing damage, but a high strength joint supplement will, in a lot of cases, ease symptoms significantly, and most importantly provide joint comfort without the heavy use of bute.

I have had a huge amount of experience with joint supplements, and without a doubt they do work, and are not harmful long term on the horses internal organs.

The key is to ensure you feed one that provides very high levels of active ingredients.
I know a lot of people rate Riaflex. www.riaflex-equine.co.uk.
As previous poster siad which ever you try post on the blog that is running as it is useful for others to read.
 
how do you know that without a doubt they do work when all valid research has shown otherwise?

I do think the only way of providing lubrication is I direct injection of HA into the joint.

(ps despite the scientific evidence I started my boy on a high spec (same as riaflex I think) joint supp at 17.. at 19 he has arthritis anyway.. )
 
Personally I did my own test with my animals, and my liverires, my donkey has a raised concrete step. She had difficulty getting down when not on the joint supplement once on it she got up and down easily. (Did this a few times).

My mare was supposed to be on bute for arthritis for the rest of her life ( extensive vet tests)

was on bute 6 months before the joint supplement , once started on the joint sup , i weaned her off bute never been on it again for the joint.

They stand by their name 100% guarantee refund so i think that is faith in their product In my book, I have 8 equines and one canine on it EVERYONE has improved on it.
 
I've had 2 older horses with arthritis & joint supplements had absolutely no effect whatsoever. Same with my neighbours oldie. Bute, on the other hand, made them all much more comfortable. I pony is only on 1/2 a day I would talk to the Vet about upping the dose.
My Dad has bad arthritis & has tried all the human versions. He has dropped them & is back on painkillers alone. They were a total waste of money in his book.
 
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