please watch these vids of my horse being lunged, I don't know what's wrong with him!

[sophiebailey]

Today's the day the vet comes sat waiting now. Going to ask for a cushings test as well as lameness work up .... He's been so strange the past week, really miserable and has started biting the fence posts (although not wind sucking) and shying from me when I'm trying to catch him he's also scratching himself on anything and everything and his ripped the tailflap off one rug and torn the shoulder out of another! I despair but hopefully today will bring some answers xx

 

[TrasaM]

Big hug Sophie .. Hopefully it'll be something straightforward to fix. Keeping my fingers crossed for you. Off to physio now . Horses eh!

 

[SadKen]

Best of luck, hope it all goes well.

 

[Twinkley Lights]

Big hug you are such a good mum to him for trying so hard to get to the bottom of his issues. Everything crossed it's a straightforward fix.

 

[Twinkley Lights]

Spooky didn't see TrasaM's post and we both said straightforward fix - thinking that is a positive jinx

 

[Waffles]

Best of luck and keep us all posted! x

 

[sophiebailey]

Fingers crossed for straightforward!! Did the worst thing ever and googled cushings last night, holy moly

 

[Gracie21]

Fingers crossed for you today OP, lots of hugs xxxx

 

[Wundahorse]

He looks short in front to me.Have a look at the difference in his action in front,both fronts are uenqual which makes me wonder if there is something going on in his feet which is creating a problem behind as he decompensates.I would get a lameness work up and nerve blocks to try and isolate the problem.He does look uncomfortable and the spooking could well be a reaction to pain.

 

[TrasaM]

Spooky didn't see TrasaM's post and we both said straightforward fix - thinking that is a positive jinx

I noticed that too! And though how strange we used the same words ,, def positive jinx

 

[AntxGeorgiax]

To me the vid in canter it definitely looks like he's lame (I may be wrong as it could be stiffness) best idea is call out a different vet, and add some oil to his feed or glucosamine to help stiffness

 

[sophiebailey]

Its not good news

He trotted out lame on 3 legs after flexion test, left fore is the only leg that was ok.

Vet suspects arthritis in both hock joints and right foot, have to decide if I want to take him to horsepital and have him nerve blocked etc, or just manage him on bute and some sort of cartilege (sp?) Supplement

She's ordered the cushings test (which is free - silver lining!) And will call me on Monday to arrange a day to test him and see what I want to do about his lameness.

Either way his competition days are over and he'll be a light hack from hereon out if he becomes sound again. I'm absolutley gutted and so upset. Thank you all for the kind words + comments, I'll let you know how he gets on xxx

 

[AmyMay]

So sorry, lovely.

I'd probably go with the Bute and supplement route, and save your money.

 

[Gracie21]

So sorry, lovely.

I'd probably go with the Bute and supplement route, and save your money.

Totally agree.

Lots of hugs x

 

[atlantis]

Oh Sophie. I've just read this whole thread and I'm really sorry that he is unsound on the three legs. He did look sore all round to me.

To help you decide what to do I would ask the vet what he would be expecting to find with the nerve blocks and if what he finds will change his advice to you for future management. If it won't then there's no point really.

Big hugs to you and your lovely boy!!

 

[shellonabeach]

Only just read this post but wanted to say that after watching your vids of him on the lunge I was then drawn to the vids of him doing dressage in March this year. In the dressage vids he looks like a different horse, full of energy, shiny coat, younger looking.

I'm glad you have a diagnosis for him and hope he comes sound again for you to enjoy hacking out together

 

[sophiebailey]

With nerve blocking and scanning they can isolate where the arthritis is and give him joint injections to repair the cartiledge (sp?!) With the bute route it'd just be masking his pain until it doesn't work anymore and he has to be pts

 

[kirstykate]

Big hugs, my thoughts are with you xx

 

[dotty1]

My old cob has articular ringbone in both fronts so she is lame on both fronts. She is kept sound enough for gentle hacking maybe 3 times a week on 1 sachet of equiplazone a day and good shoeing. She could have the joints medicated but my vet said that the injection may last 6 months or 6 weeks, so to me it was only another temporary fix. I don't give her one every day, if I know shes not being ridden I sometimes miss a day. She lives out so we weren't concerned about the side affects that coud happen with bute ie ulcers.
I do know people who have hocks sucessfully injected but it is a regular thing to keep them sound.
If you do decide to use bute, get a prescription from your vet as it is half the daily cost if you buy online.

 

[seoirse]

Hi,
Just to say, our pony was diagnosed with quite severe arthritis in hocks, knees, coffin joints, just about everywhere, when she was about 20. We decided to give her bute and supplements rather than medicate and she had another 5 happy years hacking about and even going to a few local shows (a little too enthusiastic at times, especially out on hacks too, she was famed for her 'rocket launches'!!). She was put down at easter aged 26 just 8 weeks after being retired when she broke her very stiff hock in the field.
So don't give up hope. Once you get him comfy and moving about you might find he is a much happier boy and he will tell you what he feels up to. Amber amazed us by going on for so long after her pretty dire diagnosis.
Superflex is amazing stuff too, I always thought you had to feed it BEFORE they got arthritic but she had it and it really helped and after her initial few weeks of bute we only gave bute when she needed it.
Good luck and don't despair.
xxxx

 

[Black_Horse_White]

I've been where you are, I am so very sorry. Hope the bute and supplements work. My horse ringbone the injections & supplements didn't work for him I had only owned my horse for a short time so he probably had it for years before I bought him. So it was too late for him. Hope your prognosis is better x

 

[TrasaM]

We have a 20year old who is arthritic but it does not stop him being a very happy hacker. From what you say yours is a lot worse but if they are anything like humans then there will be flare ups which is probably what's happening right now. I'm sure that once he gets some anti inflatory medication that he will be back to being your friend again. It does seem like he's trying to avoid you and he's worried you will ride him or exercise him. So he's telling you how unwell he's feeling. Best of luck with his treatments and hope the test of his tests come back with good news.

 

[AmyMay]

With nerve blocking and scanning they can isolate where the arthritis is and give him joint injections to repair the cartiledge (sp?!) With the bute route it'd just be masking his pain until it doesn't work anymore and he has to be pts

Unless they're using platelet rich plasma, or PRP, injections then you can't replace cartilage as far as I'm aware.

 

[mytwofriends]

I am so sorry ...... you obviously care for your boy deeply. My big oldie was diagnosed with bone spavin in both hocks and coffin joint arthritis in both fronts at the beginning of last year, and I've kept him comfortable with a joint supplement and devil's claw. I only ride him sporadically and he's fine for a relaxed potter, but to be honest he's mainly retired and is considered my big pet.

I did try all the injections/Tildren etc at the outset, but due to his age (20) and the cost involved once the insurance had run out, I decided not to continue the medication. That, of course, is your call with your boy, as there are plenty of good treatments out there and you may find one which works.

Good luck with whatever route you choose, and big hugs for you and your boy in the meantime.

xx

 

[sophiebailey]

Thanks everyone, got a bit of thinking to do I think!

Amymay repair may not be the right term, but vet told me a fair bit of info when I was still in shock mode so correct terminology may not have gone in lol!

 

[lottie940]

Hi,

My twenty something Anglo Arab has just been diagnosed with arthritis after been found on 3 legs back in June. I seriously thought that as he was in so much pain I was going to have to do the kindest thing and put him to sleep. I was advised to take him to Newmarket to have further investigations and surgery to tidy up the joint but decided against it. He's not loaded for years and is a stress head at the best of times and I wasn't sure he would be able to stand on 3 legs for a 4 hour journey in a box. Sooo after much thinking I went down the bute route. He started off on one a day to get him comfy again and he is now on one every other day. I had his back sorted and got weight back on him and I am pleased to say that I am now gently hacking him again- something I had written off!

Re supplements I feed him Devils Claw and Blue Chip Dynamic. I have to say that by the end of the first bag of Dynamic I noticed an incredible difference in him. Good luck

 

[sophiebailey]

Thanks everyone. At the moment I'm leaning towards the bute + supplement route as if these injections need to be given regularly then that's going to become very costly if it would yield the same results as bute.

But I think I'm very confused still and need to do a bit more reading up

 

[partypremier]

If you want a definitive diagnosis, get x-rays & nerve blocks.
If your vet's general feeling is that it is age related arthritis & could be managed with Bute & supplements (msm glucosamine) then do that & see how it improves his lameness & behaviour.
With degenerative arthritis you really only manage it as it is irreversible.
What you try to do is stop it progressing further & manage the pain.

Ask your vet what they think would be a suitable long term plan with regards pain relief, exercise & perhaps how he could be shod to alleviate pain too.

Good Luck, you have lots to think about & try, don't write him off, you may have years of fun together still to come.

 

[meesha]

Sorry to hear its not better news it is hard coming to terms with having to retire or semi-retire a horse - I have a lovely field ornament in my field who was retired age 10 - now 18 and looks flippin lovely, gleaming coat - very content etc !! I was gutted but she is happy as larry tootling in field and acting as companion to my other horse. If insured you may as well get a full work up but either way once you have had a chance to come to terms with the news a bit more ring the vet for another chat - have a pen and paper ready before making any decisions.

Just to mention - I tried to keep riding my mare when she was diganosed as suggested by the vet as it wasnt going to get any worse but in my situation found it frustrating as she wasnt keen on going downhill etc and it was a relief when I decided to retire her and get another.

 

[Wagtail]

Sorry to hear about your boy. Some horses manage to go a year or more between hock injections and it saves feeding bute or danilon daily. If your boy had colic (not sure if you said he had) then feeding bute is not so good. Then if you consider the cost. One bute is around 60p and one danilon (if he won't eat bute) is around £1.10. So this mounts up to around £300. Injections are around £250. Personally, I would want to have the full diagnostics done if insured, just so I knew what I was dealing with.