Severe hock arthritis/bone spavin in 5yo

[mynutmeg]

I have a 5yo pure Irish draught mare, she showed some lameness last year when being back so was worked up and ended up with a diagnosis of slight ocd with very mild changes to tmt joint. Had both hocks injected with steroids. Ideally would have come home and gone into work but brain was fried so was turned out into a 25acre field with friends for the winter with a plan to restart last spring...then covid hit and I'm a Dr so crazy at work. She looked really good all winter/spring.
A couple of months ago we started rebacking her and she's been excellent and going really well but as we've started to ask more (introducing trot etc - we've gone very slowly) she started backing off and refusing to move forward so we went back to vets and she has severe arthritis to both hocks with partial fusion to the left (right side is her weaker side).
We are out of insurance time frame which doesn't help but plan is iv hylonate and work on bute to try and fuse them.

I'm unsure how likely this is and what chance we have of her coming sound - her future was supposed to be low level endurance/fun rides, no jumping and little schooling with a long term plan to breed.
She will now never breed as to be so severe so young there has to be a genetic element to it, but I am worried she doesn't have a future as she's such a big girl (16'2 and approx 750kg and not overwiegt) that if they don't fuse so shes comfortable then its not fair to her to keep her alive.

 

[IrishMilo]

Sorry you’re facing this - just been through it myself with a youngster. I did a lot of reading on the subject after my horse was diagnosed, and everything I read suggested that natural fusion either rarely happens on its own, or if it does it is an extremely long and painful process. I chose to have mine PTS.

 

[Frumpoon]

Can you inject again?

The steroid wears off after 6-12 months, I used to do my big mare roughly every 9 months

i know it seems a lot for a young horse but worth trying for a few cycles if the alternative is pts

 

[Pinkvboots]

Some vets also use osphos now for some bone changes might be worth a try, my horse had it when diagnosed with mild navicular that was 3 years ago and his been fine since.

 

[Red-1]

I know personally of 2 horses who became sound after joints were fused. One was my old pony, retired for a few years, but was then sound and loved work, so came back to work and was ridden until he was around 35yrs.

The other was a heavy cob X, 17hh, injected then worked in walk on Bute, came sound for many years after.

They were both older when it came on, but I imagine the principle is the same.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would get her lighter my ID’s are lighter than that and two of them are bigger .
Even Fatty at 16,1 is 690 and he’s retired .

 

[mynutmeg]

I would get her lighter my ID’s are lighter than that and two of them are bigger .
Even Fatty at 16,1 is 690 and he’s retired .

I know it sounds a lot but she really isn't fat - no crest and can feel ribs easily. She weigh tapes about 650kg but when she was 4 weigh taped at 600 and weigh bridged at 700kg. She's an old fashioned chunk. In 7'3 rugs and xfull for everything
She only gets a balancer and hay

 

[mynutmeg]

Sorry you’re facing this - just been through it myself with a youngster. I did a lot of reading on the subject after my horse was diagnosed, and everything I read suggested that natural fusion either rarely happens on its own, or if it does it is an extremely long and painful process. I chose to have mine PTS.

I'm going to have a long conversation with the vets on Tuesday and pts is very definitely on the cards :-(

 

[sherry90]

My boy is 16.2 and only 625kg (after quite a bit of dieting) would agree with above comment about weight but understand that won’t necessarily cause the hock issues but certainly won’t help.

 

[mynutmeg]

Can you inject again?

The steroid wears off after 6-12 months, I used to do my big mare roughly every 9 months

i know it seems a lot for a young horse but worth trying for a few cycles if the alternative is pts

I don't think the vets were keen to inject again as its to far gone for that - her only hope is that it fuses really but I will ask about it when they're out on tuesday

 

[Frumpoon]

I don't think the vets were keen to inject again as its to far gone for that - her only hope is that it fuses really but I will ask about it when they're out on tuesday

definitely try a second opinion

clinical governance of vets is v poor compared to medics and the nhs and many practices are clinically isolated

what about ethanol fusion if it’s dragging on?

 

[AmyMay]

Really tough one. I’d probably pts, unless you keep her at home and can afford to have a good looking field ornament ??

 

[mynutmeg]

definitely try a second opinion

clinical governance of vets is v poor compared to medics and the nhs and many practices are clinically isolated

what about ethanol fusion if it’s dragging on?

The vets I use are very good and I fully trust them (I also do a lot of research and she is always happy to have discussions about what I find and any questions) and I'm really fussy about vets having had a previous practice nearly kill my older girl by negligence

Ethanol fusion is definitely something I'm going to ask about but there will be an element of cost of that as shes not covered by her insurance for this as its more than a year

 

[mynutmeg]

Really tough one. I’d probably pts, unless you keep her at home and can afford to have a good looking field ornament ??

They're at livery yard and I already have one of those ? as I got my 5 yo to be my riding horse when I had to retire my 15yo due to injury and defiantly can't afford 2 field ornaments :-(