Steroid injection

[carthorse]

Penfold did this about 5 weeks ago

It seemed to heal very well then suddenly his leg became enormous over night and the vet was called.He has suffered in the past from cellulitis and has had antibiotics and bute and bandaging and reduced diet and recovered in about a week.
He was given this treatment and it has gone well but the area in front of the hock is still puffy and tender[ like a bursal swelling] he is sound and VERY well but it is still a little tender to touch and warm.
I phoned the vet hoping another course of antibiotics but she has said he may need a steroid inject, this filled me with horror, what are the chances of laminitis with these. She is coming at 5pm and of course I will ask the options, but I know you all are so good and may have been through it.

 

[quirky]

My pony got laminitis through steroid injection but I guess you could say he was pre-disposed to it. He was always a good doer, he only had to look at grass and the weight would pile on him. I did manage his diet accordingly (and turnout) but it wasn't enough.
I know a few other horses who have had it and suffered no problems. I was just unlucky I guess.

 

[Law]

my vet won't consider steroid injection for either of the natives i've had

but that is because they are/were lami prone

 

[FAYEFUDGE]

My boy had to have a course of steroid injections last summer for a severe allergy.
I was worried like you, but have to say he suffered absolutely no ill effects.
Your vet will advise you on dosage etc and stop the treatment if they are concerned about laminitis etc.
I would talk to your vet if you are worried.

 

[Paddywhack]

My horse had 4 steroid injections due to internal problems,the onlyside affect was that he became a bit hmmmm thought that he was a stallion,and the same happened to my friends pony who also received steroid injections and he was a lami pony but did not get it and he had 4 injections !
If you are concerned about laminitis maybe you can change his feed and look out for the signs so if/when they appear you are prepared ?

 

[Eaglestone]

My TB had and injection into his fetlock and the Vet said she had to say there was a risk of Laminitis, owing to a particualar Dressage Horse going down with it on one occassion, so now this has to be highlighted as a risk

Obviously there would be a concern, as others have said, if they are pre disposed to the condition, in particular Cushing Horses/Ponies

 

[reynold]

the problem is that you may not know that there is a predisposition until after the steroid injection is given and the horse ends up with laminitis - it is quite common side-effect of steroid injections and n.b. that it was a dressage horse (not pony) in that court case so hardly 'native'

my vet was trying to push steroid injection for an allergic reaction and I refused and gave alternative treatment instead which worked fine if a bit slower - but no risk of lami

if your horse is well and it is just soft swelling I'd be a bit patient before I resorted to steroids

 

[carthorse]

I am worried ,he events and the swelling is causing no problem ,I just wanted to try some more antibiotics but she insisted on coming out to look .Hope she decides the same as me.

 

[reynold]

if it goes down with exercise/cold hosing I'd ignore it for a bit longer and see how it goes

if it doesn't shift with exercise then I'd be a bit more concerned but not enough to consider steroids !!

 

[MrsMagoo]

think it depends on the amount with how much risk there is....Star has just had steriod into her hock and the vet said he had to warn me about poss lami BUT as it was only a minimal amount then not to be concerned....

I would have thought if she wanted to do just a one of injection, it may not be a huge amount so not much to worry about...

 

[kanter]

I don't know my horse's breeding but he defintiley has much native blood and he has had several steroid injections (back, feet, SI) with no ill effect. The practice I use are confident in what they consider to be safe dose, and they wont exceed this. The dressage horse that suffered badly had multiple injections into several sites. Also, I think there is much less risk if the injection is local or into a joint cavity rather than systemic (ie into the blood stream). That said I am always glad when 24 hours have passed after an injection, and keep my horse quiet and on no grain / lush grass during this time. There is always a risk with any invasive treatment, you just have to balance this up against the risk of no treatment. I'm sure your vet will advise wisely, but dont be afraid to express your concerns, and good luck getting your horse better