Nine year old walks like an old man :(

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My boy has very severe stiffness. He is a nine year old ex racer, who showed successfully as a 6 year old and from the photographs (previous owner) had a fabulous canter with hind leg really stepping through. After progressing nicely with his schooling following a hock operation to remove a bone chip he became increasingly stiff and reluctant to work. His canter is now awful (if he will even do it at all) and he is tense in trot and doddery in walk. He has been diagnosed with bone spavin in both hocks but no lameness, and kissing spine in nine places. Both hocks and spine have been treated with cortizone but there has been no improvement :( He will most likely now be referred to Rossdales. But I was wondering what else could it be? The vet is surprised that he has not responded to the injections at all and this makes me wonder if his problems stem from somewhere else. I don't want to put him through an operation on his spine if there is something else going on. I would have thought that if it was just his spine and hock there would have been at least a temporary improvement? Any ideas what else it could be? Other symptoms are not being willing to pick up feet (especially hinds) - he used to be fine.

I am perfectly prepared to retire him, but wonder if he is in pain just being in the paddock? He seems very content and interested in things and is boss of the herd, but when I lead him in, he looks like an old man walking. I am beginning to wonder if he just has too many problems to even attempt to mend them? He is the second horse I would have had to retire, but never had one this young before. I really don't think that I could just have him PTS as he seems happy and interested in life, but just very doddery. :(
 
If he has kissing spine in 9 places and hock spavins, then I'm suprised that your vet is suprised that there is no response to the injections.......
 
amymay said:
If he has kissing spine in 9 places and hock spavins, then I'm suprised that your vet is suprised that there is no response to the injections.......
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Ditto this and he most likely could have Sacroilliac region dysfunction/soreness as a knock on from the KS. Has your vet suggested that the hock spavins have been caused by the KS?
I am a great believer in finding the source of the problem and not just treating the symptoms.
May I suggest you pm karen.close on here as her horse has KS albeit mild, SI dysfunction and hock spavin, so similar cases. I know her horse was medicated in the hock.
Good luck! :)
 
YasandCrystal said:
Ditto this and he most likely could have Sacroilliac region dysfunction/soreness as a knock on from the KS. Has your vet suggested that the hock spavins have been caused by the KS?
I am a great believer in finding the source of the problem and not just treating the symptoms.
May I suggest you pm karen.close on here as her horse has KS albeit mild, SI dysfunction and hock spavin, so similar cases. I know her horse was medicated in the hock.
Good luck! :)
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Thanks. My horse was injected in the hocks first, and then when there was no improvement I asked her to xray the spine and the KS was found. Hocks are excluded from his insurance policy so I don't want them linking to his spine for obvious reasons. Vet has not suggested the two are linked, though it does make you wonder which came first and if they are, in fact linked. I was thinking SI area too. I am just beginning to wonder whether he is beyond fixing though. I expect the operation would be a very major one when he has such extensive problems, and a lot to put him through if there are other compounding issues that would inhibit recovery. If I knew he was suffering in the paddock then I would probably just PTS, but he is such a sweet boy that I could not bear to do it if he is okay. He SEEMS okay, but how do you really know these things?
 
I have no experience of what you are dealing with but I'd say get the referral at least for their opinion. If there is no hope they will advise you of that. Best of luck.
 
age of the horse shouldnt be anything to do with your decisions regarding your horse. ks is extremely common in ex racers and also hock and leg problems, youve done so much to investigate your horses problems but ultimately dont let him continue to suffer just cos hes young.if you can retire him and he can stay comfortable then great -if you cant keep him pain free then its time to think carefully.x
 
Hi

Just felt I had to pop a quick note on your post as I have a horse that is 5yrs post op for KS. (thankfully doing well)

The stiffness that you mention to me is an absolute basic sign of KS, my horse still has stiff days and with no disrespect to anyone intended, if he were human he would look like an old man with a prostrate problem when he has an odd bad day, which is normally at the start or end of summer when it is warm and damp. Having extensively researched this condition, I have come to realise there are many secondary symptoms that can lead you down the wrong path. I am not for one moment saying that KS is your problem as for sure I am no vet, but with 9 spines crossing he has probably spent a long time compensating by using himself incorrectly which can lead to an odd gait just for starters. My horse had genetic KS and therefore learnt to walk from the hip not the hock almost from birth, it has taken a very long time to persuade him to move like a horse!

I don't know if this helps at all but hope it might help explain a little of what you are seeing, my horse didn't look lame so much as short and stiff in the stride (mainly because he was bi laterally lame so hard for vet to see) and he also suffered splints as a baby and a locking patella which he also still gets maybe for a day or 2 each year again when the weather is warm and damp which I am sure were caused by the underlying KS.

I am not sure how fit your horse is, but if you were able to long rein him in a long and low outline to try to build muscle to support the back that would help, usually the anaesthetic and steroids are injected to help the horse cope with this type of exercise in the hope it will avoid the op, usually though it doesn't work long term for the average horse owner.

Please feel free to pm me if you think I can add anything further, but i wish you best of luck to both you and your horse.
 
Hi, my lad has similar things going on and he has everything thrown at him. He had a bone scan showing up, arthritis in his right fore, neck and hock, 1 impinging vertebrae in his back but pelvis and si region were given the all clear. He has had regular physio and shown improvements in the si region along with tens treatment and with lengthy treatments if tildren and injections started to look more comfortable. I'm afraid though he has taken a step back and it has all now re appeared and am left with the option of bute. The vets won't operate on his back given the other problems he has going on which all stem from this and I don't think I'd actually put him through it tbh. Like yourself if I thought he could go out and be sound and painfree in his field then I would with out a doubt. Question u have to ask yourself and I'm asking myself is a lifetime on bute for my lad who has travelled abroad and led such a colourful life would this be fair for me to continue.

All horses are different I had a 5k limit to throw everything at him, it was worth a shot and now I have difficult decisions to make. If you are covered do what u can it may work it has for others on here, you have to try and hold onto hope.

X
 
BethH said:
Hi

Just felt I had to pop a quick note on your post as I have a horse that is 5yrs post op for KS. (thankfully doing well)

The stiffness that you mention to me is an absolute basic sign of KS, my horse still has stiff days and with no disrespect to anyone intended, if he were human he would look like an old man with a prostrate problem when he has an odd bad day, which is normally at the start or end of summer when it is warm and damp. Having extensively researched this condition, I have come to realise there are many secondary symptoms that can lead you down the wrong path. I am not for one moment saying that KS is your problem as for sure I am no vet, but with 9 spines crossing he has probably spent a long time compensating by using himself incorrectly which can lead to an odd gait just for starters. My horse had genetic KS and therefore learnt to walk from the hip not the hock almost from birth, it has taken a very long time to persuade him to move like a horse!

I don't know if this helps at all but hope it might help explain a little of what you are seeing, my horse didn't look lame so much as short and stiff in the stride (mainly because he was bi laterally lame so hard for vet to see) and he also suffered splints as a baby and a locking patella which he also still gets maybe for a day or 2 each year again when the weather is warm and damp which I am sure were caused by the underlying KS.

I am not sure how fit your horse is, but if you were able to long rein him in a long and low outline to try to build muscle to support the back that would help, usually the anaesthetic and steroids are injected to help the horse cope with this type of exercise in the hope it will avoid the op, usually though it doesn't work long term for the average horse owner.

Please feel free to pm me if you think I can add anything further, but i wish you best of luck to both you and your horse.
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Thank you. Yes, I was hoping the injections would at least be enough for me to work him long and low in the pessoa, but he would not tolerate the constriction of the gadget before the injections and as he has shown no improvement ridden I don't expect he will tolerate it now. I have not tried long reining though.
 
karen.close said:
Hi, my lad has similar things going on and he has everything thrown at him. He had a bone scan showing up, arthritis in his right fore, neck and hock, 1 impinging vertebrae in his back but pelvis and si region were given the all clear. He has had regular physio and shown improvements in the si region along with tens treatment and with lengthy treatments if tildren and injections started to look more comfortable. I'm afraid though he has taken a step back and it has all now re appeared and am left with the option of bute. The vets won't operate on his back given the other problems he has going on which all stem from this and I don't think I'd actually put him through it tbh. Like yourself if I thought he could go out and be sound and painfree in his field then I would with out a doubt. Question u have to ask yourself and I'm asking myself is a lifetime on bute for my lad who has travelled abroad and led such a colourful life would this be fair for me to continue.

All horses are different I had a 5k limit to throw everything at him, it was worth a shot and now I have difficult decisions to make. If you are covered do what u can it may work it has for others on here, you have to try and hold onto hope.

X
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Really sorry to hear about your boy. I am currently (after a recommendation from a member here) in communication with Donna Blinman who rehabilitates horses and is based near Newmarket. Prices seem very reasonable indeed for what she offers. I am going to chat with my vet to decide whether to send him to Rossdales first for further diagnostics or go straight to her for assessment and treatment. I will keep you posted with what happens. It doesn't take long to use up £5k when treating horses. Also I have to pay a 15% excess on my policy which is no small amount! :(
 
Don't forget the possibility of sore hooves as well. I have a pony prone to laminitis and a mare prone to low grade laminitis and they both walk as if they are stiff, deliberately and carefully when their lamina and sole corium are inflamed from dietry issues.

Might be worth a strict two week trial of only soaked hay, feeds of unmolassed beet, salt, magnesium and vitamin e. Some micronised linseed added as well if you are worried about protein (amino acid) intake. The linseed will help joints too. Oh and no fruit or treats at all.
 
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I swear that learning to properly long rein saved my horses life, he too absolutely wouldn't tolerate the pessoa, he never had more than 2 legs on the floor in it - not so good for his back, he was recommended PTS as he was so unmanageable ridden, on the ground, even leading in hand to the field, it was the most awful feeling.

I put the long reins through the bit and fed them through to a d ring tied to a roller on his belly ( i used an old flash from a noseband put the d ring on it and then buckled it around the roller as he ripped off the one sewn on the roller - all an experience I have to say!) that way I could be flexible with the giving and taking rather than him having the sensation of feeling fixed - I think the KS meant he felt horribly claustrophobic about life and couldn't cope with restrictions, but because the long reining body language was more like horse language, after a few hissy fits he got on really well with it and is now a complete school master on the ground - I use him to teach other people the techniques now amazingly enough!

I do really feel for you with this and I would not have put him through the op had anything else been wrong with him, but I do believe they tell you what they can cope with in their own way. He is still a young horse so would most likely cope well with the op but 9 spines is a lot and if there are other problems, that may well hinder a full recovery. I used Svend Kold at Willersley Equine in Gloucestershire, he is reknowned at this type of thing and may well look at the xrays for you if you think it is worthwhile. He would be honest with you and tell you if you should go any further with your investigations.

I sincerely hope that your boy is comfortable, there are many horses that can cope with KS, mine was just one that was completely over sensitive and couldn't manage the niggling pain, I do also think the back can deteriorate without correct muscling, so the long reining would be a good way of strengthening him even if it was to keep him happy in the field and it is something I have come to really enjoy doing with my horse.
 
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