Stanley's hock fusion journey

[kinnygirl1]

So yesterday Stanley had the hock fusion,or arthrodesis, using ethanol. I was able to take him home a couple of hours after the procedure. He had a sachet of Bute in his tea and then he could be turned out as normal..which surprised me as I thought there may be some box rest. Left him comfortable munching hay in the field shelter. This morning I've been up to give him another Bute and he seems really comfortable. He practically sprang all the way back to the field. My instructions from the vet are 4 days off work but turned out and then commence rehab on Monday with 20 mins walk, 15 mins trot....so quite an intense return to work but apparently the work is what causes the fusion to take place....the ethanol just "sets the scene" as it were. I'll keep you posted (if you're interested lol)

 

[PorkChop]

Yes, interested!

Thanks for posting, sounds positive

 

[Hannahgb]

Very interested! Fingers crossed he continues to do well!

 

[SullivanB]

hope he continues to do well, would love to continue to hear more

 

[applecart14]

and then he could be turned out as normal..which surprised me as I thought there may be some box rest. Left him comfortable munching hay in the field shelter.

Yes as I said to you in my previous reply before that they can go straight away as no steroid is involved in the procedure. Glad you have had it done and sure it will work well as it did in my horses case.

Thanks for the update, best wishes x

 

[kinnygirl1]

Quick update.... Stanley and I have been for our first rehab hack today. 20 mins of walk with a smidge of trot on the way home. He was great and felt forward and relaxed. I am going to build the trot part up to 15 mins over the next few days as instructed by my vet. Feeling quite positive today now that I've been back on him and he seemed chill. ��

 

[spike123]

that's great to hear. I'm reading with interest as one of mine looks to possibly have arthritis of his hocks and this is something I have no experience of at all so it's good to hear how your horse is doing.

 

[Equi]

I would be incredibly interested to know what symptoms made you look into this? I'm going to the vet tomorrow cause my horse is just not 100% but not lame in any way..just not 100%. In my head i have loads of stuff flying round, and have his grave site picked. If it turned out to be hock arthritis, i know this could be a saving treatment for him - but i struggle to find many symptoms apart from just being stiff in the hock (which he is not really but could use them more)

 

[kinnygirl1]

I would be incredibly interested to know what symptoms made you look into this? I'm going to the vet tomorrow cause my horse is just not 100% but not lame in any way..just not 100%. In my head i have loads of stuff flying round, and have his grave site picked. If it turned out to be hock arthritis, i know this could be a saving treatment for him - but i struggle to find many symptoms apart from just being stiff in the hock (which he is not really but could use them more)

Hi, well with Stanley it was an unlevelness when viewed from behind that worried me initially. He has been treated for sacroliliac soreness previously and I though that's what was causing the unlevelness but when my vet watched hi m move she felt it was coming from lower down. He was lame on flex ion on both legs. She suspected arthritic changes and xray confirmed this. He was treated with steroid injections firstly but sadly they didn't last very long for him hence moving forward with the fusion. Thinking back I had also noticed that he had lost power from behind if that makes sense.... He used to be able to do a nice medium trot but his ability to do that had diminished significantly. Hope this helps.

 

[kinnygirl1]

that's great to hear. I'm reading with interest as one of mine looks to possibly have arthritis of his hocks and this is something I have no experience of at all so it's good to hear how your horse is doing.

Hi... It's something I know nothing about too... That's why I thought if I made this thread it might be useful for someone who finds themselves dealing with this in the future. Really hope you find it useful. X

 

[Equi]

Hi, well with Stanley it was an unlevelness when viewed from behind that worried me initially. He has been treated for sacroliliac soreness previously and I though that's what was causing the unlevelness but when my vet watched hi m move she felt it was coming from lower down. He was lame on flex ion on both legs. She suspected arthritic changes and xray confirmed this. He was treated with steroid injections firstly but sadly they didn't last very long for him hence moving forward with the fusion. Thinking back I had also noticed that he had lost power from behind if that makes sense.... He used to be able to do a nice medium trot but his ability to do that had diminished significantly. Hope this helps.

Thanks. I think my horse is even behind, but not in a good way as in he is weak behind on both sides lol but he is definitely a "left" hand horse. Hes always been pretty weak, but i think that comes from the fact he was hunted and just bombed around, he has noticable hunters bump - and had a very u shaped neck when i got him along with being skin and bone so NO muscle. I was only riding him once or twice a week as part loan, so he was not getting the correct work at the time to build him up Hes never had to work properly.. Hes come on a lot since i have owned him, but still very tight behind. A year later he looks like a different horse, but he still has a weak hind. Physio won't touch him without the vet looking first.

 

[kinnygirl1]

Thanks. I think my horse is even behind, but not in a good way as in he is weak behind on both sides lol but he is definitely a "left" hand horse. Hes always been pretty weak, but i think that comes from the fact he was hunted and just bombed around, he has noticable hunters bump - and had a very u shaped neck when i got him along with being skin and bone so NO muscle. I was only riding him once or twice a week as part loan, so he was not getting the correct work at the time to build him up Hes never had to work properly.. Hes come on a lot since i have owned him, but still very tight behind. A year later he looks like a different horse, but he still has a weak hind. Physio won't touch him without the vet looking first.

Bless him.... It's good your physio wants the vet to look first as it could be one of so many things. A good vet can pick up subtle unevenness and my vet could tell where it was coming from more or less by looking which was good as we went straight to xray and nerve block the hock to confirm rather than going through the whole lameness work up from the foot up. In Stanley's case the lameness was bilateral although one was worse than the other so at times he could look level purely because he was lame on both! If it does turn out to be arthritis there are lots of treatment options so don't lose heart. Good luck and let me know what happens.

 

[Equi]

Bless him.... It's good your physio wants the vet to look first as it could be one of so many things. A good vet can pick up subtle unevenness and my vet could tell where it was coming from more or less by looking which was good as we went straight to xray and nerve block the hock to confirm rather than going through the whole lameness work up from the foot up. In Stanley's case the lameness was bilateral although one was worse than the other so at times he could look level purely because he was lame on both! If it does turn out to be arthritis there are lots of treatment options so don't lose heart. Good luck and let me know what happens.

I will. Im terrified but at the same time optimistic, i don't think he is done yet - he just needs a tweek.

 

[kinnygirl1]

Not too much to report at this stage - week 2 of rehab has begun and the bute has finished. This week we are walking for 25 mins and trotting for 20! This is pretty much what I would do on a normal basis anyway, except for rehab I have to do as much as this as possible in straight lines(hacking) whereas when he's well I would pop in the arena a couple of times a week. Weather has been a little inclement so hacks have been freezing cold but managed to stick to it so far. Stanley seems happy to be out and about...ears pricked and a keen bean on the trotting parts so I am hoping that means he isn't too stiff or sore. Will update again soon.

 

[PorkChop]

Do keep going with the updates

Glad to hear all is going well, keep up the good work Stanley

 

[kinnygirl1]

Slight setback....2 days ago noticed that one of Stanley's hind legs was swelling from the hock downwards. Was quite thick but not warm and Stanley appeared to be walking around ok on it. Rang my vet who turned out to be on leave but a vet from the practice called me, said it didn't sound like too much to worry about and told me to carry on as normal. Next day it was no better but no worse....vet said leave it one more day. So today when it was still the same I asked the vet to come out and take a look...... Turns out it's a little buildup of fluid and fibrous tissue, possibly been caused by some of the alcohol from the fusion trickling down from the injection site. I have been told not to worry, carry on as previously instructed and have been prescribed some potassium iodide to help break down the fibrous tissue. Very relieved! The best news though is that I trotted him up for the vet and he is only 1/10th lame... Which is the least lame he has been since original arthritis diagnosis!

 

[spike123]

Sorry he's had a slight setback but good that it doesn't sound too major. Still reading this with interest. Vet came out to mine earlier this week for a lameness work up and he's lame on a circle on his near fore and a little short in his right hind but totally sound on a straight line. Vet thinks arthritis of coffin joint and just stiffness behind so he's going to have some adjustments made to his shoeing before we go down the medicating joints route.

 

[kinnygirl1]

Sorry he's had a slight setback but good that it doesn't sound too major. Still reading this with interest. Vet came out to mine earlier this week for a lameness work up and he's lame on a circle on his near fore and a little short in his right hind but totally sound on a straight line. Vet thinks arthritis of coffin joint and just stiffness behind so he's going to have some adjustments made to his shoeing before we go down the medicating joints route.

Thank you... Hope yours gets better with the shoeing too. Let us know.

 

[spike123]

will do. Finding it quite hard to come to terms with at the moment as had him for 8yrs and brought him on myself and been through alot together.

 

[kinnygirl1]

will do. Finding it quite hard to come to terms with at the moment as had him for 8yrs and brought him on myself and been through alot together.

So sorry....I feel the same. Owned Stanley for 6 years almost and he is my "special one". But I'm starting to see that with good management and timely treatment there is light at the end of the tunnel. Xx

 

[LovesCobs]

Can I ask how much the fusion was? My daughters pony has had the injection which is still working (alongside riaflex) for 12 months now but I'd look at this in the future, she's obviously now not insured for it

 

[kinnygirl1]

Can I ask how much the fusion was? My daughters pony has had the injection which is still working (alongside riaflex) for 12 months now but I'd look at this in the future, she's obviously now not insured for it

yes....it was around 520 for the procedure.... There were some additional costs added on...overnight livery, sedation etc.

 

[Equi]

Glad this came back up cause i could not find it. OP thanks for all your helpful words - turns out we dont have ANY sort of arthritis thankfully - we do however have another issue that could have never been diagnosed without xrays, which means his way of going will never change and i just have to accept it and work with it, but we have been cleared to work as normal but avoid certain movements as much as possible. I wish you all the best with yours.

 

[kinnygirl1]

Glad this came back up cause i could not find it. OP thanks for all your helpful words - turns out we dont have ANY sort of arthritis thankfully - we do however have another issue that could have never been diagnosed without xrays, which means his way of going will never change and i just have to accept it and work with it, but we have been cleared to work as normal but avoid certain movements as much as possible. I wish you all the best with yours.

n

Great news re the arthritis and it's good that you found out what the issue is. Thanks for your kind words too.

 

[PorkChop]

How is Stanley today?

 

[kinnygirl1]

How is Stanley today?

He's loads better thankfully... The swelling has all but gone.. Had a gentle walking hack and a little trot round the edge of the arena and he felt very forward so I'm hoping we are back on track to carry on with the rehab. X

 

[PorkChop]

He's loads better thankfully... The swelling has all but gone.. Had a gentle walking hack and a little trot round the edge of the arena and he felt very forward so I'm hoping we are back on track to carry on with the rehab. X

Fab

 

[applecart14]

Can I ask how much the fusion was? My daughters pony has had the injection which is still working (alongside riaflex) for 12 months now but I'd look at this in the future, she's obviously now not insured for it

it was just over three hundred for my horse in about 2012. The actual injection was about two or three pounds as all it is is pure alcohol. the cost comes from the contrast dye insertion, xray imaging, interpretation and technique, experience and of course sedation. my horse was in and out in under 1.5 hrs. if anyone wants to know more about this technique just type'ethanol fusion' into the search bar on this forum. there is tonnes of info on the subject some of which dates way back four years ago to my own experience and some of which dates back more recently to the lesser known complication some three to four years post fusion which can effect around 4-6% of horses of which mine was one although swiftly treated and dealt with. lots of people have had thic procedure carried out and it has been very affective for the majority that i have heard about.

 

[LovesCobs]

Brilliant thank you both

 

[kinnygirl1]

So week 3 was 20 mins walk, 25 mins trot and 2 mins canter. We were a little bit behind schedule due to a couple of days off in week 2 with the mysterious leg swelling. That has gone down significantly now as the vet predicted although still very slightly more filled than the other hind leg. He seems unbothered by it but I am keeping a close eye on it. Sooo, we were quite unfit and found all the trot this week quite hard work, especially as the pants weather meant that there weren't that many places dry enough to do it and therefore not much variety in our rides but we soldiered on and did a lot of it around the edge of the arena. The canter went very smoothly...just let him break into it on straight bits of our hacks and let him come gently back downto trot after a few strides. Probably more like 30 seconds per ride than 2 minutes but I will build it up this week. He feels nice and loose when I ride him....have only had a very slight feeling of stiffness on the left rein when trotting around the corners of the arena...again I will monitor this closely. Left was the worst leg in terms of arthritic changes on the original X-Ray's so not sure what that means in terms of fusion....should it fuse faster or slower than the other? Also it was the left leg that swelled so this could be contributing to the slight stiffness. Will update again in week 4.... Hope I'm not boring you all to tears!