Steriod injection in the Hock

[MardyMare]

I was waiting to get the xrays off my vet to post on here but have not had time to go pick them up. I have a TB (19) who sustained an injury to his hock. On the xrays vet thinks looks like a kick. He had a steriod injection into the joint and after 3 weeks was 3/10 lame (was classed 6/10 lame before injection).

He is on one bute a day and mostly box rest although can go out in a pen we made him but weather has been too awful. He gets walked around the yard morning and night.

My question is : vet said no haylage and no grass so he is on hay, his paddock is bare and he gets no carrots. I have him on a small scoop of happy hoof to put his cortaflex and bute in. On last check I asked if he still has to keep to this and was told yes. Does this mean for the rest of time he cant have grass or haylage or is there a time limit? I always have so many questions for the vet they must be sick of me asking.

Edited to add: Also wanted to ask: Vet has suggested cartrophen injections next - anyone used them after the steriod injections - did they help?

 

[TicTac]

For what reason is your horse not allowed haylage or grass? I would have asked why in the first place!

Many years ago I had a horse that sprained his suspensory ligament and he had a course of adequan ( or similar, can't remember exact name) but it was given during the period of box rest which was about 6 months. The horse came back sound after his injury and he was 15 at the time.

 

[MardyMare]

They said he was at risk of laminitis now after the steriod injection.

 

[GoodyGoody]

If it was a kick then I assume he means from another horse? Did the other horse have shoes on? If so, then I would expect some external, visible damage. Do you know within a few hours when the injury happened? Steroids are rarely the answer but it does also depend on what sort of work you are doing with your horse.

 

[Pidgeon]

There is a risk of laminitus after having cortisteroid injections but would have thought after 3 weeks he would be ok to have haylage and grass. My boy has had his hock injected twice and was on the grass 2 days after the injections both times.

 

[sanchob]

They said he was at risk of laminitis now after the steriod injection.

This has just happened to me ...Pony had steroid injection in stifle . 1 week later crippled with laminitis. I was aware of the risks but because he had had steroids before thought it would be ok.
I think you just have to be careful and they are erring on the safe side which is good. hope he gets better soon

 

[Kenzo]

Yes there is always a risk of lami with steroid injections, mainly due to the dose which will vary depending on what is being treated, my horses steroid injections last about 3 months max, he's also on a course of Catrophen injections which he has weekly for bone spavin.

 

[MardyMare]

Many thanks for all your replies. Never dealt with anything like this so I have been looking up other peoples replies but couldnt find an answer re the laminitis / grass timeline. I realise each case is probably different.

I really need to put the xrays up (and I will this week hopefully) as I would like some views on it. The xrays will explain why they thought injury. He was kicked but not much flesh wound and they said it could even have been a knock - if only horses could talk - the main wound was on front knee which was quite bad and took a while to mend and because of box rest perhaps we took longer to notice the hind leg lameness.

He raced, evented and has had a busy life so as you would expect there are signs of arthritis (is that the fusing of the bone?). I had more than one opinion so I am happy with the treatment and at his age just want him to be comfy. He has already shown an improvement and I am hoping the cartrophen will help.

Kenzo - did you notice a lot of difference with the cartrophen?

He loves grass and I just feel bad if he cant ever go out in a grass paddock again. We are collecting the cartrophen this week and will speak with vets again although I think they are just taking it week by week as are we.

 

[Kenzo]

Kenzo - did you notice a lot of difference with the cartrophen?

Not really noticed any difference as yet, he only had his second one last week and is due his third this week, the vet said it takes a few weeks for you to notice anything if it is going to show any real difference but he did say it will vary with each horse, however he did trot up sound last week for the vet but we didn't do a flexion that week, probably be doing one this week.