Struggling, even on bute.

[SueandSplendida]

My 21 year old mare has quite advanced arthritis in all limbs. She is barefoot and has been a happy hacker until recently (4 or 5 times a week). She is very lame at the rear and has pain in her fetlock where there is also a bone cyst which she has had for a couple of years. She is on 1 Danilon a day and a Glucosamine/MSM supplement which doesn't seem to work anymore. Should I increase the Danilon to make her more comfortable, or resign myself to the fact that she should become a paddock ornament. No vet seems to be able to offer any help and I have even resorted to acupuncture which was a complete waste of time and money. I just feel like giving up but she is alert and seems otherwise very healthy and I love her loads!!!! I just want someone to tell me what to do for the best. PLEASE

 

[rockysmum]

This sort of thing was discussed on another thread.

I can only say that if she was mine I would be retiring her on enought painkiller to keep her comfortable.

If a horse has got to the stage where 1 a day isn't helping then I wouldn't be riding.

Sorry if thats not the answer you wanted.

I have mentioned before that I think the key to managing arthritus is warm and dry. So I would also be trying extra rugs, leg warmers, I use magnetic boots. I also dont believe in 24/7 turnout in winter. In at night and out during the day works for my oldies. The length of time they are out depends on the temperature and how wet and muddy it is.

Good luck with your girl

 

[misst]

For me it would be unfair to ride her if she is "very lame" especially on bute. I would talk to the vet about pain management and stop riding her. Some are able to carry on longer than others but it sounds as if she has reached the end of her reasonable working life. What did the vet advise about work?
Retirement can be still be fun! It doesn't stop you caring for them and loving them.

 

[Mancha]

Depending on her size i think 2 a day is probably a more suitable dose, if this makes her more comfortable i would say to keep trying to exercise her gently as movement will ease some of the stiffness.

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

well i would have a proper talk with your vet. you have scope to increase her danelon/bute to make her comfortable BUT she is lame. if it were me i would up her NSAID s with vets advice AND retire her to being a paddock ornament. and enjoy her as a pet .. brush her, spend time with her etc.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

My 21 year old mare has quite advanced arthritis in all limbs. She is barefoot and has been a happy hacker until recently (4 or 5 times a week). She is very lame at the rear and has pain in her fetlock where there is also a bone cyst which she has had for a couple of years. She is on 1 Danilon a day and a Glucosamine/MSM supplement which doesn't seem to work anymore. Should I increase the Danilon to make her more comfortable, or resign myself to the fact that she should become a paddock ornament. No vet seems to be able to offer any help and I have even resorted to acupuncture which was a complete waste of time and money. I just feel like giving up but she is alert and seems otherwise very healthy and I love her loads!!!! I just want someone to tell me what to do for the best. PLEASE

go here to arthritis on this web site created to put all previous useful tested experience to make it easier to find than searching through hundreds threads

http://equinecare-and-control.weebly.com/a.html there are lots of previous help from H&H readers as well as products.

my mare is on Flexijoint, they give you 100% money back guarantee, see the review of the reader who listened to me and her mare was moving to a new place, i have 7 animals on it here all made 99% difference , i also use harpley magnetic boots which are gr8 for joints and keeping them warm on cold nights this reader did and wrote a review



don't listen to the PTS gurus please try it tell David about the bone cyst he will tell you what to give for to help her

 

[Birker2020]

My 21 year old mare has quite advanced arthritis in all limbs. She is barefoot and has been a happy hacker until recently (4 or 5 times a week). She is very lame at the rear and has pain in her fetlock where there is also a bone cyst which she has had for a couple of years. She is on 1 Danilon a day and a Glucosamine/MSM supplement which doesn't seem to work anymore. Should I increase the Danilon to make her more comfortable, or resign myself to the fact that she should become a paddock ornament. No vet seems to be able to offer any help and I have even resorted to acupuncture which was a complete waste of time and money. I just feel like giving up but she is alert and seems otherwise very healthy and I love her loads!!!! I just want someone to tell me what to do for the best. PLEASE

I'd ask the vet if she could have more bute, even another half sachet might make all the difference. Otherwise I think you probably have your answer. Is it fair to put her through another winter (this one coming is meant to be particularly harsh)? Only you can answer this question as you know her better than anyone - if you love her loads maybe its time to let go for her sake. Having said that I can understand how you feel, and don't know if I could trust myself to do the right thing at the right time for the sake of my horse. In that situation, with a vet I totally trusted, I would ask them what they would do if it were their horse and take it from there. The bone cyst would be quite painful I would imagine. Horses are quite stoic and often appear to be happier than they are, some are very genuine and will continue to work even in quite a lot of pain. I was told by the vet the other day that my horse has quite a strong pain threshold which makes me wonder exactly how obvious it would be to me if he were in a lot of pain. Maybe a physio would be able to make your girly more comfortable?

I and other forum users can't really tell you what to do for the best. This is for you to decide and your decision and your decision alone.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

This sort of thing was discussed on another thread.

this is why this site was created so all previous useful help and threads are easy to find in one place http://equinecare-and-control.weebly.com/a.html

I can only say that if she was mine I would be retiring her on enough painkiller to keep her comfortable.

If a horse has got to the stage where 1 a day isn't helping then I wouldn't be riding.

that's as maybe but arthritis gets worst without movement gentle exercise is best .
I have tried and tested so many joint things, my mare was on bute till i put her on Flexijoint then weaned her off it still sound after in fact she did a sponsored ride 2 months later , trouble is that only masks it and joints still rub on joints causing more damage , what you need is fluid.


if you have lubrication you dont have pain , no paint no bute
the quote from Equimins Flexijoint .

please try it even just small pot , speak to David there he has been wonderful . If you do try it and when it makes a difference please post here to show others its making a difference

also try this product


http://appliedequinepodiatry.org/perfecthoofwear/Silvetrasol.html

 

[AmyMay]

You need to speak to your vet about having more Bute. In your shoes I'd have her on at least two a day (she may need more initially) and then look at maintaining her on 2 a day. If that keeps her comfortable, brilliant. If it doesn't, time to say goodbye.

 

[SueandSplendida]

Thank you all for your interest and support. I have decided to give her 2 Danilon a day for a while to see how she goes and gradually reduce it over the winter because of the effect on her stomach and my pocket! She will be rested, rugged and left to wander around the farm at will while I am attempting to retrain an ex racehorse so I may be needing some advice on that too!!

 

[AmyMay]

Thank you all for your interest and support. I have decided to give her 2 Danilon a day for a while to see how she goes and gradually reduce it over the winter because of the effect on her stomach and my pocket! She will be rested, rugged and left to wander around the farm at will while I am attempting to retrain an ex racehorse so I may be needing some advice on that too!!

There are no issues with Danilon on her stomach.

 

[Mancha]

As she is an older mare i really wouldn't be worrying about her stomach, particularly with danilon. My horse is only 14 and is on a bute a day, but i would rather he was comfortable and lived a shorter life than went without and suffered but perhaps lived an extra few years. I know bute is not cheap but i personally feel your money is better spent on that than supplements!

 

[rhino]

don't listen to the PTS gurus please try it tell David about the bone cyst he will tell you what to give for to help her

Why do you have such a bee in your bonnet; when you wrote that no-one had suggested pts?! As an aside, and not being rude, but your posts are very difficult to read with all the bold/colour changes and lack of punctuation.

Personally I would not ride a horse on bute, by all means let her move about herself in the field as turnout is beneficial for arthritic conditions. AFAIK no joint supplements have proven efficacy but may be worth a try. Magnetic boots do have an effect.

Good luck, it is hard when they are getting on a bit.

 

[Mancha]

Vets often recommend bute and light work for horses with arthritis/bone spavin/similar, my horse lives out but isn't very active in the field so the only way to really keep him moving is to go for a few light hacks a week. That's like saying people who need daily doses of paracetamol should be pushed around in a wheelchair. I agree that if a horse needs bute to be comfortable it shouldn't be doing much work and i definately don't agree with horses being jumped but i see no harm in light hacking.

 

[rhino]

That's like saying people who need daily doses of paracetamol should be pushed around in a wheelchair.

Hardly People have the ability to understand why they are in pain and they can stop if they have enough. Some horses show a greater response to pain than others and would keep going until they injured themselves even more. I won't take the risk. I would be happy if my horse was out in the field with company and moving about happily.

I know some people are happy to continue to ride with their horses on painkilling medication, that's why I said personally in my post

 

[Maesfen]

Hardly People have the ability to understand why they are in pain and they can stop if they have enough. Some horses show a greater response to pain than others and would keep going until they injured themselves even more. I won't take the risk. I would be happy if my horse was out in the field with company and moving about happily.

I know some people are happy to continue to ride with their horses on painkilling medication, that's why I said personally in my post

Snap, agree entirely.
Whatever you decide, it must be with your horse's well being at the heart, not your own however hard that may be; she must come first. If you can't afford the extra satchets then you must seriously consider if she has a future at all as winter is the time when she'll need the extra help to make her comfortable to cope with the bad ground.