Old arthritic horse struggling

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poppyblossom

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Hey all,

My old highland has arthritis and is really struggling in these absolutely freezing temps....it’s the first year she’s genuinely struggled

She’s 22, fully retired due to old suspensory injury and her arthritis. She currently living out 24/7 unrugged (she hates rugs) she wasn’t coping being in over night the other year and the decision was made by the vet that she should live out. She’s not been getting hard feed up until now, I gave her bute for a few days to give her some relief and it did help, but the temperature has dropped again and the ground is hard so she’s stiffening up again.

I’m going to put her back on supplements but I’m just wondering if there’s anything else I can be doing? Would she benefit from being rugged? Or are turnout boots any good for keeping the joints warm??



Any tips would be appreciated

Thanks in advance 😊
 
Daily bute and a scoop of turmeraid my Highland is 24 still in work and had leg surgery when young so prone to arthritis in that joint. She is sound just on the turmeraid but if she needs it I would give one bute per day.
The old cob on the otherhand was crippled couldnt walk far and couldnt get up when he arrive he came for a few months before being PTS he is still here three years later still a bit odd moving but he can gallop full tilt up the field for his dinner bucking and kicking so seems happy he is on one bute per day and a scoop of turmeraid they are both rugged though and kept warm
 
Defo getting the vet up this week to see her, I’ll get her rugged up tonight too hopefully that will help warm up get joints a little. I’ll keep the bute going as well until the vet gets a plan in place.
I hate to think about her getting older and stiffer...I suppose realistically every year she’s going to get a bit worse :(

thanks for ur replies
 
Is she lame, or just stiff? my 22 year old had suspensory issues, and has arthritic hocks/knee. He needs to be gently worked, especially in winter, or he gets really stiff and sore. If she could do a couple of walk hacks a week, even in hand, that may help keep her mobile
 
poppyblossom said:
Hey all,

My old highland has arthritis and is really struggling in these absolutely freezing temps....it’s the first year she’s genuinely struggled

She’s 22, fully retired due to old suspensory injury and her arthritis. She currently living out 24/7 unrugged (she hates rugs) she wasn’t coping being in over night the other year and the decision was made by the vet that she should live out. She’s not been getting hard feed up until now, I gave her bute for a few days to give her some relief and it did help, but the temperature has dropped again and the ground is hard so she’s stiffening up again.

I’m going to put her back on supplements but I’m just wondering if there’s anything else I can be doing? Would she benefit from being rugged? Or are turnout boots any good for keeping the joints warm??



Any tips would be appreciated

Thanks in advance 😊
Click to expand...
 
Hi I think you should look into the use of
Equine Cortaflex. I found it to be good for a horse with Bone spavin in the hocks, after being treated by the vet.
I gave regular daily. and he moved without showing any sign of pain or stiffness after two months.
Hope this helps.
 
I would want this horse on daily bute, with magnetic leg wraps to see if she is one that they help (I have had one who responded well but others didn't) and if no better in a few days, I wouldn't let this go on - it's not fair to the horse, so I owuld pts.

I hope the daily bute works to keep the poor old soul comfortable and she has a quality of life worth prolonging..
 
Cinnamontoast said:
I do wonder if these actually help. I’ve got my boy”s bioflows out tonight, I’m just a bit sceptical about their efficacy.
Click to expand...


I might have told posted before about my WelsjDxTB, aged 24 who was very stiff and hobbling even on 2x bute daily. As a last resort, I followed a friend's recommendation and got her some Bioflow magnetic leg wraps, left them on for 24 hours the first day, as directed and she *trotted* in, sound as a pound for her tea. I truly couldn't believe my eyes, I was ready to pts as she hadn't been able to keep up with the herd. They gave her another 3 comfortable months, then unfortunately she had some kind of seizure/TIA in the stable and had to be pts.

I have used the legwraps with other horses without having the same miraculous results, sadly, although none of them were as badly affected by the arthritis either.
 
From what you say it sounds like daily bute would be a lot more helpful than supplements at this stage. I'm a fan of boswellia but compared to bute it doesn't touch the sides much.

Mine is now retired but tottles round the village in hand every other day and gets daily bute as has been much more himself with that helping.
 
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