Natural pain killers/anti-inflammatories

RubysGold

RubysGold

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My mare has a long term injury to both her front legs.
Its been 3 years since her surgery (which didnt really help) and Im looking for ideas

In summer she tends to stay pretty sound and happy. But in winter, if the ground is a bit muddy, she doesnt cope quite so well (bring on the cold hard frosts, the hard ground helps!)
Anyway, Roo is turned out through the day and in at night, in a morning, having worn her bandages all night, her legs dont look too bad, but when she comes in on a night they have swollen up.

Ive ordered some boots for her to wear in the field, Im hoping the added support will help her.

Im trying to avoid putting her on bute, because I worry about the side effects. Does anyone know what natural options there are? Ive tried a lot of joint supplements, but I think things like glucosamine and MSM etc are more for aging joints that dont have actual problems, to prevent issues rather then help with pain. She has been on Devils claw liquid by NAF (I think) for quite a while but I stopped that a couple months back as Im not convinced it does much (not sure if thats a weakened solution??)
 
How about magnetic boots? There are some suitable for wearing in the field (on a thin webbing strap) and they are supposed to increase the blood flow to the area?
 
She has some magnetic boots that she wears in the stable (sometimes she has bandages and sometimes magnets) :)

I bought some ice boots (put in the freezer) but it says don't apply direct to the leg, put something under. When you do that no cold gets to the leg :/
 
How old is she and what sort of injury was it?

I've not used them myself but people have recommended magnetic boots. My old lad was on Devil's Claw, but not sure if it made that much of a difference. When it was decided he would be retired (and the long-term became less of an issue) he went on two butes a day, and was almost sound on that, though the lameness was to some degree mechanical and so he was never 100%.

I have arthritis which I don't notice in the summer but gets bad in the winter, and putting something cold on the joints would be the worst thing ever. I know it would reduce inflammation but even the thought of it makes me cringe! Very gentle exercise is the best thing, is she able to be out 24/7?
 
Very interested in this as your in a similar position to me and my horse op. I've had him on Equine America buteless which worked well for a long time and might be worth a try for you? It's not doing the job now though and I've had to have a rethink.
I, against my wishes really gave him bute last night as recommended by my vet but I'm not happy giving it regularly either.
I will look up Boswellia as I've heard several good reviews.
 
I tried devils claw, I think it helped a little but as he got worse I put him on bute.
Near the end a high dose.

I saw I as making him comfortable until I knew I could do no more, instead of skipping around the use of bute and trying other things no guaranteed to work.
 
She is 19 now.

Ok. Our history (Ill try not to go on too much!)
I bought her (my first horse) as a 14 year old because I wanted a been there done that. Not knowing much I didn't realise she had large windgalls. I am glad I didn't know, for all the expense and heartache I wouldnt be without her.

After 2 years, she suddenly was lame one day when I rode. I gave her a gentle week and then when she was still lame I got the vet.
She had scar tissue in her fetlock, which causes friction when she moves as everything in the joint rubs together (or something :S ) She was sent to surgery in Newmarket where they cut the annular ligaments and removed as much scar tissue as they could. They also "tidied up" a tendon as it had a few tears.

Afterwards I followed the piece of paper they gave me religiously "walk for 5 minutes. walk for 10 minutes etc" I did everything by the book and then started to ride her and things went well for a time.

But overtime we have ended up back at square 1. Shes had steroid injections and things but they work short term only.

The vet is happy with her, few months back she even said I could ride agian (gently!). Roo was 1/10th lame, think its mostly mechanical (but the swelling doesn't help)

As far as Im aware there is no arthritis. But she definitely cant stay out 24/7. A) Its against yard rules. B) She is soft and is far happier in her stable and C) The mud is what makes her lame.

She'd probably, if anything, be better in 24/7 but I wont subject her to that :/
 
Just because something is 'natural' doesn't mean it's beneficial or without drawbacks. Any substance has the potential to cause unwanted effects ('side effects') - with drugs such as bute these are at least moderately well understood. For most substances marketed as natural alternatives the only information you will have to go on in terms of efficacy and side effects will be the experiences of people from t'Internet... valid though many of those are, I'm sure.
 
My ponies love to scoff willow trees (leaves, twigs & bark). I assume they're getting the benefit of the salicyclic acid it contains (aspirin!), or maybe it's just tasty.
 
At 19 you're looking at quality of life - not quantity.

I would have no hesitation on putting a horse on a daily dose of Danillon. And I can neveru understand people's reluctance to do so.
 
pennyturner said:
My ponies love to scoff willow trees (leaves, twigs & bark). I assume they're getting the benefit of the salicyclic acid it contains (aspirin!), or maybe it's just tasty.
Click to expand...
Was going to say Willow as well. Meadowsweet is another that contains salicylic acid and horses like it. Both free if you have them growing near you!
 
my horses love eating willow, which like others have said, is meant to be a natural pain killer and clearly yummy! also rosehip- think we have some bushes with it according to my friend her old horses like to eat it.
 
amymay said:
At 19 you're looking at quality of life - not quantity.

I would have no hesitation on putting a horse on a daily dose of Danillon. And I can neveru understand people's reluctance to do so.
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Agree with this.

At 19, I would be thinking about putting her on danilon as it's proven to reduce inflammation and reduce pain. IMO, there is no point in messing around with things that may or may not work. Go for something that does.

Danilon is kinder to the stomach than bute.
 
amymay said:
At 19 you're looking at quality of life - not quantity.

I would have no hesitation on putting a horse on a daily dose of Danillon. And I can neveru understand people's reluctance to do so.
Click to expand...

This. For a six year old I would hesitate, but at 19 I think you'd be better putting her on one or two doses a day.
 
Long term NSAID use can cause colitis/ulcers and over-stress the liver and kidneys - at 19 a horse has quite a few years ahead of it and I would hesitate to start on drugs unless I'd tried some alternatives first.
Don't discount herbs - most modern medicines are taken from plants, usually to their detriment as the plant as a whole works together to give a greater effect than just synthesizing one of their active ingredients.
For the leg filling you could try cleavers and marigold (calendula) which helps the lymphatic system. Devils claw can be a bit harsh on the gut so I'd try willow bark and meadowsweet for pain relief. You can get them online in dried form and can either put it straight in feed or make an infusion/tea and wet the feed with it.
 
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amymay said:
At 19 you're looking at quality of life - not quantity.

I would have no hesitation on putting a horse on a daily dose of Danillon. And I can neveru understand people's reluctance to do so.
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^^ this, there's no evidence that 'natural' pain killers have any less or more side effects than ones that work ;) like Danilon. Actually, with something like DC, they probably have a similar side effects because the active compound has a similar action but with bute etc, you know what you are buying and what the actual dose consists of.
 
Not necessarily true MotherOfChickens!
Take aspirin (salicylic acid). Well known to cause ulcers. Even though white willow bark contains salicylic acid, it does not cause ulcers; in fact, it can be used to help treat them. This is because white willow bark also contains other constituents that buffer the effects of the salicylic acid. The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts!

Pennyturner you're lucky, wish we had it growing near us! I keep trying to grow meadowsweet from seeds but I'm not doing too well!
 
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Ive recently started feeding turmeric to my arthritic horse. Hes been on it for two weeks and all I can say is....WOW! He has 20g per day which is mixed with olive oil and freshly ground pepper. The oil and pepper aid absorption. It can be used for a number of different ailments.
 
I am not convinced the alterative treatments work and in fact made my old boys legs worse.I did a bit of research on bute and a satchet a day 4 times a week was not going to cause adverse effects , used it 1 week on and whenI could see the relief after that stopped for several days then on it for a week. Painkillers lose their effectiveness when constantly used, Ican vouch for that,having to take paracetamol for osteoathritis on a regular basis.One week on and two off really helps me and I can take a smaller dose as well.
Bute is the most effective painkiller for horses and pain is what we want to block.
I have used the Bioflow boots and have had some sucess.Washing the leg down with witch hazel in the summer helped but I have found bute to be most effective.
 
tedmunster said:
Not necessarily true MotherOfChickens!
Take aspirin (salicylic acid). Well known to cause ulcers. Even though white willow bark contains salicylic acid, it does not cause ulcers; in fact, it can be used to help treat them. This is because white willow bark also contains other constituents that buffer the effects of the salicylic acid. The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts!
Click to expand...

show me the data. then show me the data in equines please :)
 
I agree with amymay and JustKickOn. Danilon has been proven to be gentler on the stomach (and, no, it's not bute with a coating of sugar, it is suxibuzone, not phenylbutizone). I have a Shire mare who is on a daily dose of Danilon pretty much for the rest of her life. There is a not widely known protocol in administering the drug. It is recommended that hay should not be fed immediately prior to or after a dose because it inhibits the absorption of the drug.

I would be cautious giving Danilon AND allowing the horse to eat any part of willow. This is because willow contains salicylic acid and is an anti-inflammatory, as is Danilon. The combined consumption of Danilon and willow could have serious effects on the horse's gastrointestinal tract.

I have tried alternative treatments, but came to realise that my mare's comfort was being compromised by my initial reluctance to go to prescription drugs. She has had joint injections, which were helpful, and two courses of Cartrophen over the last 18 months, which were invaluable.
 
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