racebuddy
Well-Known Member
Anybody experienced neck artitsis , treatment ect thanks in advance ??
Neck arthritis
- Thread starter racebuddy
- Start date
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Oh, was this the outcome for your boy?
One of my mares had a diagnosis a few years ago, hers was the result of an injury before I got her. It caused some spinal cord impingement and she's currently a grade 1 wobbler. I was offered to have it medicated and the vet said she could remain in work, but at that point we were only doing basic schooling and i didn't feel it would be fair to her as I would always want to progress her training.
She lives out now, unmedicated, basically untreated and looks wonderful, she plays in the field and is a happy horse. Bred a lovely foal (with vets blessing) and as yet has not deteriorated at all.
One of my mares had a diagnosis a few years ago, hers was the result of an injury before I got her. It caused some spinal cord impingement and she's currently a grade 1 wobbler. I was offered to have it medicated and the vet said she could remain in work, but at that point we were only doing basic schooling and i didn't feel it would be fair to her as I would always want to progress her training.
She lives out now, unmedicated, basically untreated and looks wonderful, she plays in the field and is a happy horse. Bred a lovely foal (with vets blessing) and as yet has not deteriorated at all.
racebuddy
Well-Known Member
We aren’t sure as yet it’s on the possible list ?? it’s something like this xx he’s improved so much since Monday and stable
To travel to leahurst now xx so going in tomorrow xxx
mariew
Well-Known Member
Mine had it and it was retirement for her at 11, she was lame ridden in front but happy enough grazing. Fate intervened and she got grass sickness 6 months later and was PTS.
mariew
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't expect neck arthritis to improve whilst stabled unless on Bute maybe. However I'm not a vet so this is just under the common sense umbrella. Mine gradually got worse, in hindsight over a year maybe with things like the odd trip etc. but there was definitely a turning point when it was obvious something was wrong when she was ridden.
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
Like what?
mariew
Well-Known Member
She was lame in front which kind of came and went and started tripping regularly in trot in an arena, especially on one rein with no obvious swellings of legs or sore feet. If I remember right also really reluctant to strike off in canter. It didn't help I had a human baby around the same time and had some time off so it was more obvious when I tried to bring her back in regular work. I can't remember all the details now though. She was sore in her neck when the vet was poking and prodding. It sounds like I waited ages to get vet out
I didn't, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. In addition I had saddle issues which added another lovely dimension. There was possibly a really risky operation but the vet adviced against it at the time for good reasons.
chocolategirl
Well-Known Member
Mine was diagnosed with moderate degeneration of c6 &7 approximately 7 years ago. Neck was initially medicated (done 4 times now up to now) and worked well, went back to competing BE, but dropped down a level. Last event finished with a DC which was about 3 years ago. Just hacks now. It’s very important to feed everything off the floor, lots and lots of turnout and regular physio sessions/vet checks. Good luck!
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
Interesting thank you.She was lame in front which kind of came and went and started tripping regularly in trot in an arena, especially on one rein with no obvious swellings of legs or sore feet. If I remember right also really reluctant to strike off in canter. It didn't help I had a human baby around the same time and had some time off so it was more obvious when I tried to bring her back in regular work. I can't remember all the details now though. She was sore in her neck when the vet was poking and prodding. It sounds like I waited ages to get vet out
There was possibly a really risky operation but the vet adviced against it at the time for good reasons.
So mine trips, some days constantly. Rarely badly just little stumbles, all round. He’s also randomly but not badly lame all round.
Stiff, one sided, drifts into the road constantly.
He’s had his neck injected twice, his back once, hocks once. Nothing helps.
He’s now having 6 months off. I feel this is the end though as his personality has changed so much since being off so I take that as absolute proof he was miserable and in pain.
rabatsa
Confuddled
One of mine was already a field ornament when diagnosed. He found lifting/lowering his head painful and was treated with a lead bullet as I was told he would only get worse.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Mine cheered up a lot when I stopped working her. She also stopped the splatty poos that I'd been unable to improve. The vet told me she wouldn't put herself in an uncomfortable position at leisure and I think that, and the full time turnout has taken a degree of stress and discomfort out of her life.
Asha
Well-Known Member
My homebred was PTS after the diagnosis. He had an accident which resulted in an impingement on his spinal cord . He was struggling to lift his head up and down . Vets told me he would deteriorate quickly and would collapse . So we sadly had him PTS before that happened .
there are some more positive stories out there.
hope your lad recovers ?
there are some more positive stories out there.
hope your lad recovers ?
mariew
Well-Known Member
I'm so sorry to hear that
it's never easy when you can't fix it.
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
It’s not but it’s also really lovely seeing him chilled out and happy now we have “given up”I'm so sorry to hear that
I don’t think we have complete conclusive proof it’s his neck hence being interested in yours!
mariew
Well-Known Member
Did you/the vet take x-rays? My horse's arthritis was visible on them. Fingers crossed it's not and it's something else! I think it was c5/c6 but can't 100 percent remember.
Nudibranch
Well-Known Member
Mine had a number of issues, one being some x ray changes (in my mind I have C3/4/5 but I may well be misremembering). Lots of tripping, clumsy but not clearly a wobbler. We knew there were also hock changes, and possibly some SI stuff going on too. Intermittent and shifting low grade lameness behind.
Anyway he was pts when he was 7. He started getting up like a cow, back end first, and seemed to struggle at times. The final straw came when he went for the farrier one day. He was the kindest, most forgiving boy and clearly it was hurting despite a high dose bute trial. I didn't want to risk him going down in the field one day and not being able to get up so we called it a day.
As I remember in the early days there was discussion of injecting, but he had so many issues it was never going to be successful. I hope you have a better outcome OP.
Anyway he was pts when he was 7. He started getting up like a cow, back end first, and seemed to struggle at times. The final straw came when he went for the farrier one day. He was the kindest, most forgiving boy and clearly it was hurting despite a high dose bute trial. I didn't want to risk him going down in the field one day and not being able to get up so we called it a day.
As I remember in the early days there was discussion of injecting, but he had so many issues it was never going to be successful. I hope you have a better outcome OP.
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
He’s had a bone scan and a huge amount of X-rays yes. There are dodgy areas c6/7 and a small area under the saddle (also can’t 100% think!)
But not that looked bad enough to be causing the issues however it’s all we have found and I’m told the symptoms are just classic neck arthritis/impingement
racebuddy
Well-Known Member
just a update for you all , ufortunately he got worse as the week progressed and became ataxic on four legs and was depressed also , medcine checkd and all ok from that point of view , xrays showed arthrtsis in his neck which have now been injected , was much brighter the day after , came home at the weekend , much more comfortable and walking well , rest and can go out and given him time to work and settle , but this week much brighter and happy to go out in the field hes glad to be home x
nicola2019
Active Member
If a horse has suspected neck arthritis do they struggle with carrot stretches?
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
It was the only real sign in mine, that his carrot stretches were totally different on the right than on the left. The x rays were so bad I had him PTS, but he had been schooling well and hacking brilliantly.
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nicola2019
Active Member
Thank you. The reason why I ask is because I have an advanced dressage horses who has shown signs of poor performance in the last few months. Extremely stiff on the right in particular, rearing, bucking. It came on very quickly and has progressively got worse. Had her scoped yesterday and she has ulcers grade 2/3. The vet thinks this is why I have had issues.
just wondering if it is secondary. She has been sore on her neck but it could be the way she is carrying herself due to ulcers?
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
Mine struggles yes. Better after injecting but previously he was unable to go right at all and would walk backwards and sideways in any effort not to bend that way. He wasn’t as bad the other way.
dixie
Well-Known Member
mine was brilliant at neck stretches and was very flexible. He wobbled all over the place, which was the issue. And the tripping behind.
lynz88
Well-Known Member
We found arthritis in the neck years ago with mine. We suspect has been there for a while and doesn't seem to bother him too much but I have him on Cartrophen to help with all of his arthritis issues including in the neck.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
I would definitely get her neck x rayed. Mine was working well at the time but I caught him hanging his head on the top of a door frame to take the weight off his neck and found him in the same place several hours later as if he hadn't moved. And he could carrot stretch a foot further to the left than to the right, so i had him x rayed. His x rays showed severe arthritis in the whole bottom half of his neck. He had also been treated for ulcers. The ulcers were obviously because of the neck pain.
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