Pony with Arthritus....realistic future?

[EmmasMummy]

The wee shettie we got for my daughter as her first pony has arthritis, and bad. Vet says 1 hock is almost completely gone and the other is following closely. She also said that for her to be in gentle work is better than in no work.
She has said that they can have her on the previcoc - which works but she is still a bit lame, and also on joint injections along with a joint supplement - but this is only needed if she is being ridden.

She is/./was out on loan, but is now coming back as we think she really cant be ridden as she has started pulling her rider over her head and its just not nice for the both of them.

So this of course means that she isnt safe for my daughter who is only 3 and a half - we planned to have her back when lo was 4 and her have lessons on her etc.
I have a friend who can take her at the moment as I have no grazing and we move house in a month. This will be to grazing with a number of other shetlands and minis. But she also will not be on the previcoc - she will not be medicated at all.

She is 10 years old. Maybe Im harsh, but my heart is saying to PTS as she will only get worse..........but I know that a field full of grass will make her a happy pony, but she will NEVER be pain free. I feel on one hand that its going to be horrible for my daughter if I have her PTS..............she still cries herself to sleep about my horse being PTS and how she never got to rid ehim again or give Beaubo his carrots.....and keeps asking when she is old and a star can she give him a carrot . She cries cos the pony is on loan and she misses her (she went on loan as Daughter decided she wasnt sure of her!).

I'm not sure my hormonal pregnancy head can deal with more stress. Someone said WHW..........but why give her to them for them to look after then prob PTS in a year or so? Im not materialistic..........but if she is going to be in any pain and at all miserable then surely PTS is better than a life on drugs?

 

[indie999]

Only you can decide and I think if the pony is going out to graze on no medication I think be prepared to make a decision fast as it may end up in pain. From what your vet has said and if the pony isnt going to be monitored closely, it may be kinder to PTS. Can it not have any bute etc

 

[PandorasJar]

I'd pts if in pain and stabled.

Or if as vet said, moving will help, then I'd get her out, with a youngster in the group if possible. As an aside, I've got very poor joints and arthritus medication does nothing... moving does. I was told to quit physical work and the most pain I've ever been in was actually with office work. So absolutely think that moving helps.

 

[Bethie]

It does sound quite severe from the information posted, and at such a young age that is awful for you, your daughter and the pony to have to deal with. You are not harsh, you are being both realistic and altruistic - thinking of the pony's welfare over your own grief. Go with your heart and I am so sorry for you to be facing this.

 

[EmmasMummy]

Only you can decide and I think if the pony is going out to graze on no medication I think be prepared to make a decision fast as it may end up in pain. From what your vet has said and if the pony isnt going to be monitored closely, it may be kinder to PTS. Can it not have any bute etc

It could ,but its not going to a place where it can be checked on daily - every other day yes, but not daily. Unfortunately I cant afford for it to go to a livery where it will be checked daily. I also need to check the insurance as well as she is insured on loan......but my understanding is that I will not be able to have her insured for any leg issues now as well - not that bute costs much. Im not actually sure of the diferences between bute and previcoc or why they put her on that as it was the loaner they dealt with,

 

[NinjaPony]

My welsh a is arthritic. He gets half a danilon a day, a scoop of cortaflex, cider vinegar and daily turnout and walks. You would not know there is anything wrong with him, he shows inhand at county level, places and looks right in a class full of non arthritic welshs.
He is NOT a kids pony however, as he is sharp, spooky and difficult pony. I love him to bits and he has a home for life with me, but I can afford to have him and another ridden pony.
As for putting head down, has her saddle been checked? Back checked? A daisy rein otherwise can stop that. A very lightweight child should not put too much strain on her hocks, especially if she mostly does slow, straight line work. The reason my welsh a isn't ridden is he is waaay too much of a handful for a small child and he cannot take the strain of a larger rider.
I take my welshie for walks inhand, and show, and I am hoping with this routine he can keep going for a while yet.
I do feel for you, its very difficult when your beloved pony has an injury.
Can you afford to retire her? Or keep her as a companion? Shetlands usually dont cost much to keep, and 24/7 turnout would be best for her hocks.
Having said that, if she is already lame, in pain and needs lots of painkillers to be happy, then PTS is the best option.
My pony is actually 11 too, been arthritic since 9, but I can keep him for life and judging by the way he can spin at 100mph, charge round the field be the boss of all the other ponies, he is still pretty comfy.

 

[EmmasMummy]

I'd pts if in pain and stabled.

Or if as vet said, moving will help, then I'd get her out, with a youngster in the group if possible. As an aside, I've got very poor joints and arthritus medication does nothing... moving does. I was told to quit physical work and the most pain I've ever been in was actually with office work. So absolutely think that moving helps.

She is out 24/7 now and thats what she will be going to, near to the sea. And there are definately youngsters there. I do kinda want to see how she fares there as I think she may like it more, as she is with larget animals now so had to keep up with them.

Despite me sounding all doom and gloom.............in the short time the loanee has had her they have had her antering and doing a wee jump............something neither i nor the last 3 owners had managed to get her to do as we just did light work with her..........so it seems a catch 22. Maybe the cold weather is just making her worse.


NinjaPony - She is a weird one.........can be an absolute angel, then a devil in a heart beat.......give kisses to a kid but will then turn round and kick me..haha. But every kid who has her loves her.


I think I will have to keep in my head PTS is a very real possibility, but see how she goes at her new seaside home with some wee native friends. Sods law my daughter will be like me and not rally into the riding, but likes having a pony just to play with! She does have another but he is turning out to be a bit of an idiot and im sure he is a runt and that his head is not screwed on right!

This year is NOT my year for equines!

 

[sophiebailey]

My 21yo has just had a similar diagnosis. If you can manage to get some danilon in him every day and have 24/7 turnout and a few weekly walks then I believe he'd still have a greay quality of life.

If he's going to be left unmedicated in a field to stand and stiffen then that's not too good for him

Hope you can find a situation where you can comfortably maintain him xx

 

[EmmasMummy]

My 21yo has just had a similar diagnosis. If you can manage to get some danilon in him every day and have 24/7 turnout and a few weekly walks then I believe he'd still have a greay quality of life.

If he's going to be left unmedicated in a field to stand and stiffen then that's not too good for him

Hope you can find a situation where you can comfortably maintain him xx

Me to. Unfortunately, we chose a shetland for their hardiness and that she wou d be easy to keep (had one TBX that was a fairy and it put me off the softer types) and with a young child and a baby soon, seeing to a pony every day is not something I can manage - hence why they are out on loan for the time being. If I just had my daughter then it would be easy enough. But after we move, pony will also be about 50 miles away from where we are so no way I can go see her every day.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Awful position for you poppet but you have to bite the bullet and as the adult do what's best for the pony and for your little girl, however hard that may be. You need to be careful about putting a shetland out on good grass as you'll end up with laminitis on top of everything else. If the pony is really in worsening pain that can't be controlled then the kindest and most responsible thing is to put her to sleep with dignity and compassion, before she gets worse. You'd have to find a way to explain it to your wee girl - she doesn't need to cry herself to sleep every night. I explain Sunny's missing eye to little girls by saying it was so sore and the vets couldn't stop it hurting and it made him cry and cry and cry so they took it away and he was happy again. That's all the explanation they need. I'd say something similar that the pony hurt and hurt and hurt and the vets couldn't stop her hurting and she was crying and crying so the vets helped her go to sleep and when she woke up she was in a special happy place called Heaven and she doesn't hurt any more and she runs around in the special fields in Heaven and she plays with (list all other pets she will have known). Thinking of you x