Rough day....

SEL

SEL

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I had a rant a while back about how my horse seemed to have drawn the short straw in life - today we had her hocks x-rayed. Obvious arthritic changes in both at the grand old age of 6. Very short straw :-(

Not unexpected. Explains why the PSSM diet wasn't really helping with her stiffness, but devastated for her & for me right now.

Prognosis 'guarded'. She's happy enough in the field and is sound when not ridden so there's options treatment wise but at best we're talking light hack and she's a pretty volatile hack - which may, of course, be pain related.

Feeling very, very sad tonight
 
I know how this news feels (like a blow to the head) but, let me tell you a short story about the foal I bought now 28yrs ago who unfortunately passed away (colic) at 26. She had navicular disease and arthriis at age of 3. 5 vets told me not to bother to try ride her. It was only at 14 when she started being uncomfortable in trot, I had her shod with a break-over shoe, since she was never lame/unsound and I rode her until she was 26 (though no jumping!) she was never on painkillers, only supplements were glucosamine.
 
Six is very young to have significant changes I feel for you it's a horrible place to be .
Fatty has mild changes to his hocks he's sixteen next time and has done than decade of hard graft .
But I am am managing his symptoms with ease ATM.
You need to have a think then a good talk with the vet there are loads of treatment options now .
 
Oh SEL I really feel for you and 100% know what you are going through having had similar news myself last week with my 7 year old although he has multiple joints involved, not just the hocks.

I'm not sure I will ever ride him again but I had the hocks and sacroiliac joints medicated with steroid injections, I'm going to put him on a good joint supplement and see how he goes.

I'm really sorry to hear your news

Did your vet discuss treatment options with you?
 
Goldenstar said:
Six is very young to have significant changes I feel for you it's a horrible place to be .
Fatty has mild changes to his hocks he's sixteen next time and has done than decade of hard graft .
But I am am managing his symptoms with ease ATM.
You need to have a think then a good talk with the vet there are loads of treatment options now .
Click to expand...

What are you doing to manage his symptoms goldenstar?
 
He's had steroid jab to his stifle six months ago which is a soft tissue injury he was kicked about a year ago .
He had very mild changes in his hocks he was not lame we found them on a fishing expedition which I started when he stopped once jumping out hunting and refused to go a second time .
He reacted to Tildren ( excessive drinking ) so we can't go there again
We did steroid into them in August and followed it up with cartofen four jabs a week apart these made a noticeable difference .
I have Danilon for him if I think he's sore he stoic but I know him well .
I have made the desision not to use joint sups because they cost a lot and I can use cartofen when I need it for the same money and they certainly work for him .

One thing I would ask about is Arthimed ( think I have that right ) .
I am not sure if they use it on hocks .
The thing is in a horse like Fatty who has hunted all his life he's attained the performance level he needs ,he knows his job his value is in 'him ' in the things he knows and the experiance he brings to his job I can ( and have ) reduced his work load because luckily three years ago we started off his understudy and he now knows his job so I timed it just right He takes more of the work load so Fatty can enjoy life and his work for as long as possible .
I don't know what you planned for yours as a job but I think it's much harder when they are young and they still need to learn stuff .
 
Six? I was gutted when mine got it at nine, but he'd been a fabulous eventer with a huge heart and conformation which didn't match! Can't help, but so sorry for both you and Wheels :(

Actually, maybe I can add something. Mine went to flat ground (and them to America!) and was happily working until he died of colic at sixteen.
 
Thanks all - we're going to give cartrophen (sp?) a go but no steroids until she's lost weight. She hasn't done much work for 8 weeks and I stopped soaking hay after I hurt my back and it's fair to say she's ballooned! Unfortunately she's got the butt & belly of her draft horse dad but the skinny legs of her mum - so she's going to have to be managed on the thin side to help the legs (pretty poor confirmation behind too). She is a food obsessed good doer so time will tell whether I can manage to diet her without bringing back the ulcers caused by starvation anxiety.

This summer was the first year she's really been worked which I think is why the lameness has shown up. Job wise I'd be happy with hacking right now!

For her it's likely a genetic flaw which has been developing since she was very young. She has always struggled with the farrier handling her hind legs which I assumed was the PSSM. Now I've seen the x-rays I can understand why she cow kicks them when they try to bring get leg onto the stand - it's basically asking her to do the flexion test she failed today.

Interesting to see what else people have tried treatment wise. I notice some articles say to pull back on the level the horse is performing at - so far we've managed a few sane hacks so hard to pull back on that really!
 
Wheels said:
Oh SEL I really feel for you and 100% know what you are going through having had similar news myself last week with my 7 year old although he has multiple joints involved, not just the hocks.

I'm not sure I will ever ride him again but I had the hocks and sacroiliac joints medicated with steroid injections, I'm going to put him on a good joint supplement and see how he goes.

I'm really sorry to hear your news

Did your vet discuss treatment options with you?
Click to expand...

Ah Wheels I'm sorry too. I saw your post and it was a wee bit of an 'oh' moment as I knew mine was heading in for similar investigations. Cartrophen and steroids are on the agenda right now, together with a good joint supplement and movement. I'll start riding mine again but if it's obvious she's lame (& I think some of her unpredictable behaviour was pain related) then it'll be re-think time.

It's so, so sad when they're young. I know they don't have dreams about their future, but we do!
 
SEL said:
Thanks all - we're going to give cartrophen (sp?) a go but no steroids until she's lost weight. She hasn't done much work for 8 weeks and I stopped soaking hay after I hurt my back and it's fair to say she's ballooned! Unfortunately she's got the butt & belly of her draft horse dad but the skinny legs of her mum - so she's going to have to be managed on the thin side to help the legs (pretty poor confirmation behind too). She is a food obsessed good doer so time will tell whether I can manage to diet her without bringing back the ulcers caused by starvation anxiety.

This summer was the first year she's really been worked which I think is why the lameness has shown up. Job wise I'd be happy with hacking right now!

For her it's likely a genetic flaw which has been developing since she was very young. She has always struggled with the farrier handling her hind legs which I assumed was the PSSM. Now I've seen the x-rays I can understand why she cow kicks them when they try to bring get leg onto the stand - it's basically asking her to do the flexion test she failed today.

Interesting to see what else people have tried treatment wise. I notice some articles say to pull back on the level the horse is performing at - so far we've managed a few sane hacks so hard to pull back on that really!
Click to expand...

So many parallels here SEL!

My horse has only ever been in light work too and when I asked the vet what I shouldn't do he said to avoid nothing as his problems are coming from within and not external factors.

How are you feeling today?
 
I totally feel your pain, my pride and joy has just been diagnosed with hock arthritis at the age of 7. I have owned him from a yearling so know his history. I noticed he was unwilling to go forwards but not lame so had vet give him a check over, x-rays clearly show arthritis and one hock has started to fuse.
He is booked in for steroid injections next week so very interested to follow this thread.
 
Marginally more upbeat today. Yesterday poor Podgy (it's her nickname for a reason!) was very, very stiff. She hadn't travelled well back from the vets the day before. She's v sensitive to sedative for a big horse and was rolling around on the lorry like she was drunk. It's country roads so lots of turning and I think trying to balance had taken it's till - plus the vet was thorough with those flexion tests which prob made her site. So on top of the diagnosis I then had a horse trotting round properly lame yesterday morning!

I was expecting stiff horse this morning too after -8 last night but I loose schooled her & after 10 mins she didn't look bad. Not 100% but I have a sensitive radar for wonky horses.

Ordering the glucosamine supplement today. Given I now have 2 horses with arthritis, PSSM & weight issues the ONLY upside to this is they can both have the same feed!
 
taraj said:
I totally feel your pain, my pride and joy has just been diagnosed with hock arthritis at the age of 7. I have owned him from a yearling so know his history. I noticed he was unwilling to go forwards but not lame so had vet give him a check over, x-rays clearly show arthritis and one hock has started to fuse.
He is booked in for steroid injections next week so very interested to follow this thread.
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Oh no - any history of it in the parents? Mine came from a meat herd (her dam was a rescue) so I suppose there's probably interbreeding and all sorts going on there. My vet didn't mention anything about the hock fusing so I think I'm going to have a list of questions when she's back.

I do sometimes think I could sit down and sit the vet exam after just 18 months with this horse. Facebook has kindly reminded me that it was 12 months ago today she was scoped for ulcers.
 
Wheels said:
So many parallels here SEL!

My horse has only ever been in light work too and when I asked the vet what I shouldn't do he said to avoid nothing as his problems are coming from within and not external factors.

How are you feeling today?
Click to expand...

Are you going to keep working your horse? I saw from your other post that you were considering retirement. I used to have on long term loan an ex-showjumper (german warmblood) who developed arthritic changes in his shoulder. The vet told me to keep riding him and if he'd been in at night he used to come out of the box on 3 legs. I was that girl at the yard that everyone gave snooty looks to when I mounted my lame horse for a hack!

He went back to his owner when I moved house and he's now 27 and has been living out 24:7 for the past 10 years and she's only just stopped taking him for potters around the lanes. So whilst my head knows it can be done I just wish my horse had the history that justified arthritis rather than being a genetic mess!!
 
Going thru similar - my 10 year old was diagnosed in June. Steroids in the hock worked well for a couple of months but then wore off and he was lame again. We are now going down the fusion route. Interestingly mine has also had ulcers which I thought were related to a sacroiliac problem at the time but now wondering if this issue was rumbling on beneath the surface even then(2 years ago).
 
Nothing in Dams lines as she is a very well bred welsh D whom has shown all her life but his sire was only 3 and I have no info on him so possibly something a bit dodgy on that side!
Interesting about the fusion operation route, my lads have started to fuse by themselves which seems to be a good thing.
Fingers crossed the steroid injections work for a bit, although having googled there seems to be a few other types of injection that possibly last longer. I suppose only time will tell as to what he is capable of doing in the future.
 
I know the feeling! Mine was diagnosed with hock arthiritis at the age of 5. Along with PSD in both hinds. That was a year ago, he has his hocks injected every 5 months. Now found he has PSSM and a lumbar/SI issue which is being investigated.

He is hacked daily, be it mainly in walk. He had also started a bit of school work before the SI problem was found when the surface isnt too soft. Still only going round the edge. He has better days, and days he just goes for a wonder. Its just finding the balance between his PSSM and all his other issues!

Always there for a chat if you want to!
 
Hannahgb said:
I know the feeling! Mine was diagnosed with hock arthiritis at the age of 5. Along with PSD in both hinds. That was a year ago, he has his hocks injected every 5 months. Now found he has PSSM and a lumbar/SI issue which is being investigated.

He is hacked daily, be it mainly in walk. He had also started a bit of school work before the SI problem was found when the surface isnt too soft. Still only going round the edge. He has better days, and days he just goes for a wonder. Its just finding the balance between his PSSM and all his other issues!

Always there for a chat if you want to!
Click to expand...

What breed is yours? I got the PSSM diagnosed before the arthritis but no idea whether it contributed to the hock problem or whether its just coincidence / genetics. I'm hoping we stop there with the medical issues - my wallet and insurance premiums can't deal with any more!

How are your boy's hocks coming along? Was it steroid injections?
 
SEL said:
What breed is yours? I got the PSSM diagnosed before the arthritis but no idea whether it contributed to the hock problem or whether its just coincidence / genetics. I'm hoping we stop there with the medical issues - my wallet and insurance premiums can't deal with any more!

How are your boy's hocks coming along? Was it steroid injections?
Click to expand...

Dutch warmblood. His parents were both about 16hh and hes way over 18hh so we think his height and rapid growth have played a massive part in all his issues!
Hes doing ok, the PSSM and lumbar/SI Issues have only been found in the last 2 weeks, but he had been doing really well. I'm lucky that hes really laid back with hacking etc so if thats all we ever achieve and hes happy then thats fine by me.
His hocks are doing ok- need to XRay again soon. Its so hard to know which bit is affecting what tbh! He is having steroids injections- cant remember the name but been told we still have options with other injections if he needs them.
 
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