More lameness, groan. Supplement suggestions?

stencilface

stencilface

High upon a hillside
Joined
28 February 2008
Messages
21,078
Location
Leeds
Visit site
So my bf, ddft, psd, rockley rehab horse is lame somewhere different. The vet acknowledged this when I had foot xrays done 6 weeks ago to check for any lami rotation (there was none) but said working within his comfort zone (ie walk) would be fine. He's 17, uninsured and I'm not paying for yet more investigations.

Had the chiro out today who looked at him trotted up. Now Norman can appear lame in front but this is just a symptom of back end issues. Anyway, he did a hock flexion which he was uncomfortable with and dog lame after. There was also some bony changes visible on the inside of the hock. So I'm looking at arthritic changes/spavin I think.

I was going to ring the vet to discuss possible options like danilon etc, but wanted to ask if there's any supplements people recommend. He's on devils relief, but only been a couple of weeks, but looking at other buteless alternatives and joint supplements (vegetarian ones).

I can work him sound in the arena, but going to stick to long rein and ridden walk hacks and whole arena lunging in walk (ie not circles)

Never again will I buy something over 15h!
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Not a supplement but I had really good results with magnetic wraps on an arthritic horse. They saved her from pts.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I do have some of those somewhere and have a magnetic rug too, so i should dig them out. He's not stables though so he long do they need to be on to make a difference?
 
I have F on boswellia, I think it helps, it doesn't help as much as bute would but he can't have that so best we can do :p. I've not tried say devils claw/turmeric to compare though. Will the vet jab the hock speculatively? we did as I said if we xrayed we'd be sure to find something anyway ;)
 
I don't think the vet is a fan of injections, but I will ask him. I don't mind short term real painkiller use but want to avoid if I can. That's a good attitude with the x-ray too. Did you inject to fuse it or was it cartrophen or similar?

I'm just debating with myself if I can lose enough weight to ride a 12.3 :D
 
stencilface said:
Thanks, I do have some of those somewhere and have a magnetic rug too, so i should dig them out. He's not stables though so he long do they need to be on to make a difference?
Click to expand...

I was told to leave them on 24 hrs for the first day and then 12 hrs each day after that. Unless your ground is very wet he should be ok out in the them.
 
stencilface said:
I don't think the vet is a fan of injections, but I will ask him. I don't mind short term real painkiller use but want to avoid if I can. That's a good attitude with the x-ray too. Did you inject to fuse it or was it cartrophen or similar?

I'm just debating with myself if I can lose enough weight to ride a 12.3 :D
Click to expand...

steroid, he had one 18 months ago and I would have given him another by now (and potentially other side too) but vet wants to hold off and think he looks ok enough given we can't use bute. 'Lets save it until we really need it' was his response.

Essentially with previous vet (only changed due to Frank moving) it has been niggling a while, responded to flexion he said lets give it a go and essentially use it as a diagnostic in place of a nerve block, job done.

rollerskates.
 
Thanks, it's nice to know what others have done. Do you know what frank has, just arthritis? So he was 22 when he had the injection?

Rollerskates could work. Think the chance of me getting to 8.5 stone is slim (but not as slim as I would be :D )
 
23, presume arthritis but never worked up (but old big welsh hocks ;) ) That hind had certainly been questionable for a bit longer than that (wonky hoof too ;) ) but tended to only show when he needed some physio. He looked pretty lame a couple of years before that and I sent videos to the vet but by the time he had some body work and the vet came out he pronounced him too sound to worry.

Knowing how well it worked in hindsight (it was a cycle I wasn't keen to get on too quick) I'm not sure we got the 'treating time' sweet spot as suspect it contributed to the annular issue on his other hind, about a year before that I started him on the boswellia and that did seem to make a noticeable difference so stuck with that for a bit.

Now he just trots rather wide behind and the more welsh he goes the wider he gets!

Just get yourself a nice pony :p.
 
Thanks both. I'll finish this devils claw and if no better try something else.

Ester, this is the same leg as the psd and his wonky hoof so I think it's probably been coming. Think with riding I'll stay in walk and dismount going down steep hills as this is where he's uncomfortable. And do more long reining than lunging.

Hopefully all his lameness will now not be blamed on his feet. Although clearly overloading the fronts isn't helping me deal with the lami risk :rolleyes3:

I'm considering buying mini sf a larger lead rein pony so I can ride it too :p
 
Have a look at an omega oil supplement called ahiflower.
Its helped one of mine who has stifle issues and he actually got up the other day with out half locking up
 
Thanks. I quickly googled it, just wondering to myself how much difference there would be between that and micronised linseed that he's already on.
 
Another vote for boswellia. Makes a big difference to my wb, he has side-bone and ring-bone. I also take it, find it as effective a painkiller as ibuprofen. There are some trial results somewhere which showed that it can slow the progression of arthritis, a bonus!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top