Septic Hock Prognosis

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Frody

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Hi my horse aged 7 got a septic hock 12 weeks ago after being septic for 4 days. He had it flushed then was fine then a few days later the port holes got infected which meant he had to go back on AB's and steroids. He is now off everything but there is still some swelling which the vet calls a bog spavin. He has started to be ridden walking now trotting and all looking sound even after vet did flexion test. However today the livery called to say they decided to lunge him on a tight circle just to push him a bit and he was not sound on leg so went back to walking and trotting around school. Does anyone have a similar injury and will the hock ever stand up to jumping, hunting and how long was recovery back to full work.
 
If there is still swelling there he is still going to have some degree of discomfort, the hock is a complex joint and while exercising him is going to help it all settle, lunging him on small circles is not the best thing even for a horse with no problems.
I would take things slowly, absolutely no lunging to test him I feel that every time you aggravate this type of issue you are potentially putting recovery back, let everything build up and as he was sound after flexion there should be every chance of a full recovery.
 
Prognosis is good for functional outcome including jumping. The hock is notorious for remaining swollen once it has swollen so the outlook for resolution of the bog spavin is much more guarded. Some mild lameness on the lunge at this time is not surprising.
 
Thx. Called livery this morning and it was only a mild lameness like you said and they immediately stopped the lunging. Today he is sound thru his 1/2 hour walk/trot routine.
 
My mare had a septic hock and a chip fracture in the hock (which caused the joint to become septic). She recovered fully and returned to eventing/jumping a year later. There is not a significant amount of swelling left in my mare, but there is a small scar. I would say it did take some time to build up strength again in that leg, and she will probably always remain a little bit weaker on that side (injury occured over 3 years ago now)
 
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