OCD in horse

[izzyjo]

My horse is a 6 year old gelding, he is 16.3 hands and was diagnosed with bone chips at the age of 2 but my trainer told us to wait to get the surgery. Right before we moved him cross-country his right hind hock was swelling up, the same place the bone chips are, and she suggested surgery. Now we are facing surgery and I wanted to know if anyone has some experiences they can share to ease my mind? I love my horse a lot. He's competed first level dressage last summer and is training into second and third at the moment. He also abruptly and randomly stops and is off in the right hind. Some X-rays were taken a few days ago and no bone chips could be seen!

 

[annunziata]

humm I have had three horses with OCD one of which had it in his hock, we had it opperated on when he was a year old and he made a full recovering and competed and jumped and was fine and full of the joys of spring, we could have waited but we did not as my vet and trainers thought it was best to get it out of the way. It sounds like the bone is floating around in the joint?!?! What has the vet recommened for the next step??? Hocks are easier to sort out so dont dispare xxx

 

[dreamcometrue]

Surgery is the best option for a young horse with initial stages of ocd. Vets call the bone chips "joint mice" which I thought was quite quaint.

Wish you and your horse all the best.

 

[Birker2020]

My horse is a 6 year old gelding, he is 16.3 hands and was diagnosed with bone chips at the age of 2 but my trainer told us to wait to get the surgery. Right before we moved him cross-country his right hind hock was swelling up, the same place the bone chips are, and she suggested surgery. Now we are facing surgery and I wanted to know if anyone has some experiences they can share to ease my mind? I love my horse a lot. He's competed first level dressage last summer and is training into second and third at the moment. He also abruptly and randomly stops and is off in the right hind. Some X-rays were taken a few days ago and no bone chips could be seen!

If bone chips are small enough the body absorbs them so that is maybe why they can't be seen. Or maybe they are not small enough to be seen, or maybe they are actually in the joint inself as cartilage can form in the joint and this is the term 'joint mice'. I believe I have read somewhere that young horses are better at recovering from OCD due to the bones ability to repair dead or damaged tissue and cartilage in a process called bone remodeling. But if he is still not right on this leg then there is obviously a problem. Presumably there was no sign of arthritis in the joint so spavin can be ruled out?

Here is good link for you to read including treatment options. http://bvec.co.uk/ocd.htm