She's Suddenly Got Old! Help!

chickeninabun

chickeninabun

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My pony had to have the vet out on sunday as she had ripped her top lip open. The vet couldn't stitich it but trimmed the dangly bits of flesh and gave her an antibiotic shot and some powders. He thought she had been bitten by a dog or fox.:eek:
Anyway, she seems to be recovering ok, there doesn't seem to be any infection, she's happy and eating etc etc.
I went to turn her out this morning and she was very stiff. Oh I should point out at this point she is 29yo and has recently developed a large arthritic lump on her near fore knee (vet/farrier all say it's nothing to worry about just old age). She nearly went down twice on the way to the field, was leaning badly to her left and crossing her front legs over. I felt like I was almost having to hold her up! :eek::( She was happy enough once in the field and walking around ok on the grass.
I am hoping it's just the cold snap this morning that's made her stiff etc, but is there anything I can do to help her?? Bandage legs? Suppliments? I feel a bit helpless for the old lass:( She's normally fine, happy, well grumpy and trying to bite everyone but happy in own special way, but she suddenly seems very old. I am worried that the end is nigh, as they say once they start going downhill it happens very fast.:(:(
 
Bandaging might help the blood flow in her legs and stop her being stiff and maybe try a koint supplement other than that i dont know. If she seems ok in the field i wouldnt worry too much she probably just got stiff from not moving much in her stable overnight and the fact it was cold this morning.
 
Is there a chance that she has had a bit of a stroke during the night as that is sometimes how it affects them with a loss of balance. Watch her carefully in the field and see if she is uncoordinated at all when she is moving, it could give you a clue. All you can do is monitor her condition on a daily basis and be totally honest with yourself for her sake. If she's stiff is there no chance she can stay out 24/7, it would help a lot?
 
Agree with above ^^^ Turning Monty out 24/7 gave him a few more years and he went from being on a bute a day to just a supplement. Have you tried Devil's claw?? That worked the best for Monty and made him noticeably less stiff.
 
I wonder if she is stiff because of struggling to get away from whatever bit her? I wonder because last summer an old mare I look after was suddenly lame, I think, in retrospect, she probably tried to double barrel a very annoying horse in the field with her or maybe slipped trying to get away from him. she was stiff for a long time, we tried bute but it made little difference, she lost a fair bit of weight and I began to wonder if it was time to let her go. I thought I would just try devils claw and it was amazing, it helped her a lot, she came through winter really well (too well really!) and is as sound as she has been for many years. She is 31 years old now. Just wanted to tell you her story to show that it doesn't necessarily mean the end when these oldies hurt themselves, bit it does take longer for them to get over it.

Good luck!
 
Yes I think you might be right. She certainly hasn't lost any weight over winter so I don't think she's ready for the off yet! I had her shoes taken off a few months ago (she did have just fronts on) and my friend thinks this is the problem but the farrier doesn't think her knees are up to the hammer of nailing shoes now, so he says, and I agree, that they are best left off.
I might look at getting her a hoof hardener, just to be on the safe side, and will try devils claw. I never thought about her struggling to get away from something that might have bitten her. Poor love :( Fingers crossed she'll be fine. She certainly wouldn't give up without a fight, as she's a feisty lass, certainly a typical chestnut mare.
Here's a piccie of her at the beach last October, just to make me feel better...
046.jpg
 
Just wanted to say what a lovely picture. Agree with the others that it may well just be having been in or having been chased around that has made her a bit stiff/stumbly. As someone who has had a couple of oldies over the years, they do like to have their up and down days.
 
You should definitely get equine answers premier flex... the best joint supplement on the market much better than NAF, Cortaflex & Feedmark.... my oldy (24) was on feedmark when it was on offer but know he has only been on premierflex for 5 days and is bouncing around like a foal!!!
 
My old lad went from being fine to hardly picking his hinds up for me to pick out. He had been on a Danilon a day for arthritis but I started to use Maxaflex. Within 10 days he was picking up his hinds perfectly and was also much more comfortable.
 
I found my 29 year old in the field very lame, no idea how he had done it but it really took it out of him. He suddenly looked very very old and frail and I felt if I pushed him he would fall over He needed a fair bit of TLC for a while but has come back better than ever.

Your mare (she is absolutely lovely by the way :)) must have got into a spot of bother to tear her lip so might just be feeling a bit rough and maybe a bit shocked. Hopefully we will get some lovely warm weather to perk her up. I am still rugging my oldies at night just to give them a bit of help.

Hope she gets better soon.
 
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