OCD Stiffle Joints

BeepaStar

BeepaStar

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Hi, I just thought I'd share this as I know how heart breaking OCD can be ... the only thing that has helpd my 9 year old gelding who has OCD in both stifle joints has been tildren injections. Cortizone and adequan made no difference, neither did time off, restricted t/o or box rest. The tildren made a huge difference, he can now walk, trot and canter and strike off on the correct leg, prior to the tildren at one point he could just about walk. Hope this is of help, however, it may not work for everyone :-)
 
How often do the tildren injections get given? And did he have any surgery before? My 8yr old gelding has OCD in his stifles and if worked reglarly stays sound with no stiffness. I got him towards the end of last year and hes not had any ops to remove chips as far as Im aware
 
my 8yr old has just had arthroscopy to clean up OCD lesions in both stifles and also a cruciate ligament injury in his right hind. he's had 8wks box rest and now on 6mths field rest.
 
Having once had a yearling with OCD, which was successfully operated on, and having done some research, but only from a layman's viewpoint, I've always thought that lesions formed in the still growing animal. Without surgery, it would be obvious that there was something amiss, for the rest of an animals life, and it would certainly be noticed before the age of 8 or 9, as in the examples given above. I've always thought that the risk of OCD had passed by the time that an animal had finished growing. I've obviously been wrong.

Presumably, lesions can form, or flake away from the main joints at any age. Am I right in this? Perhaps those with more experience can enlighten me.

Alec.
 
As posted above I too have been looking it up, spent alot of time trying to find out about it before I agreed to take on my boy, but dont know anyone personally who has experienced OCD. the main question I have is because my horse hasnt had an operation and appears ok and happy in his work, how long he will continue to stay sound for or need treatment?
 
hi, to cut a very long story short I bought my gelding just as he'd turned 6, he was very green and hadn't done very much at all. His ocd came to light 5 months after I'd bought him and after gradually building up his schooling work, he was a bit sticky behind and couldn't strike off on the correct canter lead, so he probably had it from a foal but it hadn't come to light because he hadn't really done anything (at time of purchase he passed a 5 stage vetting....) anyway he couldn't have arthoscopy as he didn't have any bone chips to flush out. He went on box rest, had adequan, steriods, restricted t/o and eventually after many months I could start his ridden rehabilition programme, but it didn't really go that well. Eventually after 14 months of not much improvement I spoke to my vet about giving him a tildren injection and we decided that it was definately worth a try. OMG the difference in him was unbelieveable, he didn't look lame the day after he was given the injection and he literally skipped up to the field when he was turned out!
For my boy, we've had great results, but I'm not expecting too much out of him, he can hack at walk, trot and canter and goes in the school once a week and can canter large if I want him to, but I don't push it as it's not worth it, he's also coped with going over some trotting poles.
He had his first tildren injection and then 6 weeks later had a booster injection and then had another one 6 months later. The drug is expensive, but worth it IMHO. In some cases only 1 injection a year is required and others, it could be more. The injection has given him to opportunity to really build up his strength and muscle behind and he's been sound, so I hoping he will keep him going strong so he doesn't have to have another injection until it's been a year since the last.
Hope this quick overview of his history has been of help!!!

I don't know what the long term side effects of tildren are, but I'd rather he be comfortable and sound for a couple of years than not be with me at all by not giving him a chance....
 
What did they say his type of OCD is, ie lesions or roughening etc? My horse has problem with load bearing part of cartilage, it looks like crazy paving. His OCD is bad, with not much hope of any job of work for him. Saying that he has been backed since the op, not had the injections yet due to a dispute with the vets bill. He isn't 100% sound but isn't as lame as he was. I'm hoping the injections, when he finally has them will help a great deal. What exactly does Tildren do?
 
One of mine had OCD in the stifle 2 years ago, it showed up as slight lameness as a 4 year old after she had been backed. Xrays showed the problem.

She went to Liverpool and had the operation on both stifles. The ends of the bone had roughened and chips were floating in the joint.

After 4 months box rest and a very gradual return to work she has been sound since, touch wood.

Liverpool advised not to do injections in addition to the surgery, just to keep her on Cortaflex.

Its possible that the OCD could have been missed as she was not very lame and then arthritus would have been more likely.

From my point of view I can recommend surgery
 
vabell said:
Hi, I just thought I'd share this as I know how heart breaking OCD can be ... the only thing that has helpd my 9 year old gelding who has OCD in both stifle joints has been tildren injections. Cortizone and adequan made no difference, neither did time off, restricted t/o or box rest. The tildren made a huge difference, he can now walk, trot and canter and strike off on the correct leg, prior to the tildren at one point he could just about walk. Hope this is of help, however, it may not work for everyone :-)
Click to expand...

this is very interesting, just going down same route, we are just starting and after reading this am now more hopeful.
 
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