Spavin - keeping horse comfy

[noblesteed]

Hi all,
Horse had xrays last week and was diagnosed with moderate bone spavin in both hocks. He had steroid injections there and then.
Vet prescribed box rest for a few days mainly to make sure he doesn't get lami (steroid can lami this so our vets ask all owners to do this after steroid injections as a matter of course). Then back to gentle hacking and turnout as usual. Unfortunatley the YO has now decided to shut the fields due to the rain So all horses are in. We only have a schooling field so can't turn out there either.
I am going up twice a day to walk him out and/or ride but it's not ideal. He has also now become very loose in his bowel movements so his stable is a mess and he's drinking tons of water. I wondered if the water was making his poo loose? Or just the lack of grass...
Anyway I am off to the feed shop today to look for something that will give him the vits and mins that he needs and maybe something to help his tummy. Vet said not to bother with joint supps as glucosamine 'doesn't work on horses'. He currently just gets a handful of light chaff to go with his hay but I think he needs something more as he's lost weight too. He is a good doer so I have to watch what I feed. He's nearly 15 so I thought maybe a veteran supplement?
I also wanted to have a look at magnet boots. Or hock boots to keep his joints warm? And anything else I can do to keep him comfy and prevent him stiffening up too much? His back end is rather stiff.
Any advice on keeping a spavin horse through the cold winter please???!

 

[Goldenstar]

I would get him some Protexin or similar .
Some horse drink excessively die to boredom .
Some drugs cause excessive drinking ( Tildren definatly does ) so it maybe worth mentaining to the vet .
I think you just need to keep him moving as much as you can the turnout thing is not ideal but it's a terrible wet winter and moving yards may not get you any further forward .
A physio could show you how to passively flex the hocks which may help I did this with a horse with spavin who was inbox rest for another reason.
Don't let him get fat that's something you can do .

 

[Achinghips]

Try topspec joint balancer, also stick some veg oil in feed if you are worried about weight but bear in mind the leaner and fitter the less strain on joints. Walk out in hand?

 

[Pidgeon]

Search on here as lots have had it. Pink powder will help settle his stomach with changing to in 24/7. Joint supplements do work, again search on here. Keep him lean and as much exercise walking out as possible.

 

[Kokopelli]

I would recommend magnet hock boots or normal ones to keep him warm, especially in cold weather.