Realistic expectations/lameness.

[Lintel]

Posted the other day about little older WHW companion being lame in the hinds when he gets up. I didn't feel it was an 'emergency' to have the vet out at that point given the current climate.
At one point today he got up, walked a few steps very stiffly then lay back down before getting up a short while later, so I got them out.
He is a difficult wee thing to examine due to being very "vetophobic" but she was very good examined as much as she could and watched him flex with myself and walk/trot. She came to the conclusion it is likely to be arthritis so he has been started on danilon for two weeks and then to review. I have also started him myself on tumeric/linseed in the hope it helps.

Now I'm left musing over what ultimately would be the correct thing to do for him in the future.
Am I correct not to even contemplate investigations? The trauma it would put the little man through just to confirm what we probably already know seems unfair to him?
What if the danilon etc doesn't work? Of course I will try other supplements etc but as the vet stated it can be difficult to get something to target the cartilage specifically.
I realise ultimately I will have to decide what is the right thing to do for him but we are certainly not at that stage yet.
I'm sure plenty of you on here will have been in similar situations, any advice would be greatly received!

He says thanks in advance!

 

[chaps89]

Oh he's sweet isn't he? He has a look of mischief about him too!
I think once they get old a bute or two a day to keep them comfortable is perfectly acceptable personally.
For me, once they reach their twilight years or have multiple issues it does become about quality of life not quantity.
Hopefully the danilon will work, if not I'm sure there will be other options, it will just be a case of talking with the vet and weighing up the short term pain of investigations vs what benefit they might bring.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’d agree, there’s no harm in a bit of pain killer to help him out. I don’t think for a pony his size you’ll need 2 long term.
You may even find he has good times and worse times. My old boy was once on bute daily for a year or more, then nothing for the following year. I just gave it as and when.
Maybe try Boswellia?
He is super cute!

 

[ycbm]

He'll probably keep going for years on a bit of Danilon. When it doesn't keep him comfortable any more, let him go. I wouldn't be doing any more investigations if he was mine.

So cute, look at that devilish glint in his eye ?

.

 

[Flicker]

Gentle exercise and Danilon are usually pretty effective in managing arthritis. Keep him moving, keep his weight down and keep an eye on him - he will let you know when the Danilon stops being effective.

He is adorable.

 

[Lintel]

Thanks everyone, he is a little rascal! I'm fairly weight obsessed with them both anyway so that should help and they have 24/7 turnout at the moment and can do through winter. Fingers crossed the danilon works and I will have a look into bosweilla thank yoi?

 

[BBP]

I’d also add something like magnetic ‘bracelets’. They shouldn’t do any harm and my friend swears blind by the ones she’s put on her old boy, saying he had a new lease of life with them. We had similar with our old dog.