Horseowner123
Active Member
Hi all long post so please bare with me.....
I have a thoroughbred cross 20 years old that was my showjumper and I love him dearly!
He has been retired now for over 10 years due to bones spavins in both hind legs, he underwent extensive treatments, injections, rehab etc but unfortunately he just didn't recover well enough for me to get back on. Since then he has lived the best life and has wanted for nothing. However, the past few months he has become more stroppy, unpredictable and sometimes aggressive to the point where only we handle him as I do not want anyone getting hurt.
Now he has become lame in front. He has always waddled behind due to arthritis and he's a pacer but this has worsened but I appreciate with the spavins this won't improve but his front right is a new thing.
He went lame on this a couple of weeks ago and I gave him a couple of days as I was hoping perhaps he had pulled something or just tweaked a muscle, but this wasn't the case so last week I asked the vet to come out and check him. The vet did the usual tests trot ups, flexion tests, checked for abscesses etc and was shocked how lame he was on a hard surface and said if he had to guess he would say it's arthritis of the knee or shoulder and suggested a bute test for two weeks to see if the inflammation can decrease and therefore reduce the pain and lameness.
8 days on still no change and I'm worried where we go from here. I have a great vet who I trust but I would just like other views of people who have been in similar situations. Further investigations are not really an option 1. he's not insured 2. he doesn't load anymore to get him to a vet
Thank you
I have a thoroughbred cross 20 years old that was my showjumper and I love him dearly!
He has been retired now for over 10 years due to bones spavins in both hind legs, he underwent extensive treatments, injections, rehab etc but unfortunately he just didn't recover well enough for me to get back on. Since then he has lived the best life and has wanted for nothing. However, the past few months he has become more stroppy, unpredictable and sometimes aggressive to the point where only we handle him as I do not want anyone getting hurt.
Now he has become lame in front. He has always waddled behind due to arthritis and he's a pacer but this has worsened but I appreciate with the spavins this won't improve but his front right is a new thing.
He went lame on this a couple of weeks ago and I gave him a couple of days as I was hoping perhaps he had pulled something or just tweaked a muscle, but this wasn't the case so last week I asked the vet to come out and check him. The vet did the usual tests trot ups, flexion tests, checked for abscesses etc and was shocked how lame he was on a hard surface and said if he had to guess he would say it's arthritis of the knee or shoulder and suggested a bute test for two weeks to see if the inflammation can decrease and therefore reduce the pain and lameness.
8 days on still no change and I'm worried where we go from here. I have a great vet who I trust but I would just like other views of people who have been in similar situations. Further investigations are not really an option 1. he's not insured 2. he doesn't load anymore to get him to a vet
Thank you