Odd vet advice re bone spavin treatment - thoughts please? Also in NL

S

sfward

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 June 2007
Messages
1,214
Location
York
Visit site
Hi
My 5 year old has just been diagnosed with bone spavin (osteoarthritis) and had her first steroid injection yesterday morning. The vet says she needs to be kept quiet for 3 days which is fine, but after that he recommends I start lunging her for 15 mins a day starting from Monday, building up to 15 mins twice a day in the second week, then up to 20 mins thereafter when I can start riding. But with no turnout?
confused.gif
I don't understand why it is ok to lunge her, which obviously puts quite a strain on the joints, particularly as she has been on box rest for over 5 weeks) but not to turn her out? Apart from the fact that she is really fed up with being in her box 24/7 and it would do her the world of good to have a bit of freedom, it is going to be really difficult to manage for the first week as I'm going skiing on Sunday (had the trip booked for months). It puts all the responsibility on the yard owner, who isn't the most experienced and doesn't offer a full livery service anyway so is doing it out of the goodness of her heart. I just feel it would be much better if Missie could just go out for a few hours each day and get all her muscles moving again walking in the field grazing, rather than cracking straight on with lunging straight from the box. But that's just my feeling and obviously I'm not a vet...
I spoke to a friend of mine who is a vet, who said she wouldn't recommend this course of action, normally they advise quiet turnout for 4-5 hours a day for a couple of weeks, after which you can start gentle work, preferably hacking to build them back up.
Just wondered what other people's opinions are, particularly those who have been through this with their own horses? I have a call in to the vet to try and understand his reasoning better, but would love some other views?
S
PS. also posted in NL...
 
Hi
I have just replied to your earlier post .I have a 6yr old tb who has left hock bone spavin we are going for x rays on wed.My vet and others (See hock fusion and arthritis supplements) have all said straight lines and hacking definitely no lunging.You could get another opinion from a different practice.
 

Oh poor you, and poor missie - just logged on and seen this.

(((((((((hugs))))))))))))

No real experience of it but would she be more succeptable to infection in the field?
Also, do you know which 'type' of spavin it is/which bone?

J xxx
 
[ QUOTE ]
No real experience of it but would she be more succeptable to infection in the field?

[/ QUOTE ]

I know, this had occurred to me too as our fields are pretty muddy at the moment. However by Monday when she goes out it will be 4 days since the injections so the actual injection site should be ok by then I would have thought, and obviously her legs will get a good clean down plus I have some antiseptic stuff I can use to clean the site as well... I did get second opinion from a vet friend who advised quiet turnout for a few hours each day after the initial few days and my vet agreed to this, neither have really mentioned infection so I'm assuming it's ok.
It's so hard to know what to do isn't it? It'sa balancing act, as I'm away next week I'm trying to minimise what the yard have to do, and woudl rather do the lunging myself in case she's an idiot as yard owner is not desperately experienced riding wise though she knows her stuff re stable management. Plus I think Missie's brain needs a bit of time out after all that time in her box, I think it would do her the world of good just to have a bit of freedom and relaxation for a couple of hours each day.
 
Ok first of all by lunging what do you mean, ie, at walk, at trot or at canter? Maybe at walk it wouldn't be too hard her?

Not sure exactly what is wrong with him, but I know a horse that is on boxrest/very small paddock rest, but can do some ridden work at walk? Not sure why but it could be for similar reasons to you:p

And also if you turned her out might she not get excited and gallop round and hurt her self more?

Im not to much help but doing my best
laugh.gif
 
My horse had to be stabled for five days after his injections (he had two) but then went out 24/7. I wasn't to ride him though until the vet had seen if the injections had worked. The second one did so then he was worked on bute. Was advised to lunge as well as ride as it gets the hock really working. Was never advised to keep him in though, and like you I would have doubts about how beneficial that would be when you want to work the hocks. Have heard of people turning horses away for a year to let the spavin fuse itself as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top