Should he be on box rest, and is cortaflex any good?

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Scheherezade

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My horse has just been diagnosed with osteochondritis, and is on one sachet of danilon a day. The vet said that he should just go on paddock rest, so he is out in the day, and in at night and weekends.

He is young, and likes to have a little run about in the field when he is turned out or if the others are running about.

I've been doing a lot of reading up on the condition, and everything I read states that the horse should go immediately on box rest as exercise only increases the swelling and the chemicals which lead to arthritis, or DJD.

Should I ring the vet to check? I've already asked him and he said just turn him out, but I'm new to the area and don't know the reputation of this particular vet, only the practice (which is very good). Should I ring my old practice at home and get a second opinion, would they even let me?

Also, just wondering what people thought of cortaflex and whether it can be used in conjunction with bute.

Sorry for being so long with so many questions.
 
What I'd be wanting to know from the vet is whether the horse will improve if he was box rested or if it would make no difference. TBH if it was my young ned and he faced 20 years of box rest, I'd turn him out and let him be a horse for whatever time he had left for as long as he was still comfortable.
 
The vet has given him an 80% chance of returning to a normal full workload (granted he won't be doing the grand national or badminton!). It's a bit more complicated as he has developed arthritis as a result of the OCD, but he seemed cautiously optimistic, depending of course on how well the treatment(s) work.

He's being re-xrayed in about 3/4weeks to see what effect the bute has had, then it's injections or surgery.

Thanks
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My experience with OCD is that it requires prolonged box rest. Maybe get a second opinion on the turnout question?

Also, how did your vet diagnose OCD? My ortho surgeon when my horse had OCD said that x-rays were not very helpful as they did not show the damage to the cartiledge, only loose bone fragments if there were any, and the only real way of knowing what was happening was the arthroscopy.

Good luck with it all and I hope he makes a quick recovery!
 
I think if you had a good repoir with your old vet, then ringing to have a chat is an option.

My mare has just recently also been diagnosed with osteoarthritis as well as silent OCD (nothing showed up on xrays and ultra sounds, so was found with arhroscopy). As she also has laminitis, her maintenence is a bit trickier in the long term. But they've given her Seraquim in addition to the danilon. Should think that cortaflex would be okay.
 
I did a fair bit of research into paddock rest v box rest when my mare had unidentified lameness (I knew it was the stifle but in spite of £hundreds my vet couldn't identify it and eventually had to agree I was probably right)

My conclusion was that all paddock rest gives you is time. If you need an injury to heal there is no real alternative to box rest
 
Thanks guys - I might ring my old practice then.

He did a scintigraphy and xrays because at first they thought there might be a fracture in the hock bone.


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RE: Cortaflex- I find its really good in conjunction with bute especially the HA version I have seen really help arthritic horses...
 
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RE: Cortaflex- I find its really good in conjunction with bute especially the HA version I have seen really help arthritic horses...

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Don't you think it's simply the bute masking any discomfort then though? Surely if you're giving the horse painkillers then you can't be objective about whether the joint supplement helps...
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Re the box rest. If the horse has already developed arthiritis then maybe the vet is thinking that total box rest might make that worse, as he will stiffen up. It might be that he's trying to comprimise. I would query it though, maybe a chat to your previous vet?
 
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My horse has just been diagnosed with osteochondritis, and is on one sachet of danilon a day. The vet said that he should just go on paddock rest, so he is out in the day, and in at night and weekends.


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Did x-rays show a chip - or fragments? I have had a couple of cases of OCD in fast growing big youngsters and in every case had an excellent result with box rest and restricted feed, although one needed surgery to have a large chip removed.

One Danilon for OCD is like one aspirin for a raging headache (unless your horse is a Shetland pony!) I would be seeking a second opinion from a specialist practice (I use Three Counties Equine Hospital - but there are others just as good in many parts of the country.)

I don't rate Cortaflex - one old boy was on it for 5 years and his arthritis got steadily worse - we finally changed to Riaflex Complete and it took 5 years off his age!!
 
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