Surgical options for Bone spavin

[nicnag]

My mare had steroid injections into the hock for minor changes at the metatarsal in August this year, she has improved a bit but is still showing signs of being unlevel. I have spoken to my consultant again today and he is considering the option of surgical fusion. Does anyone have any experience of this and what sort of prognosis did they receive?
Any info gratefully received!

 

[keeperscottage]

Had surgical fusion carried out on our then 6 year old 15.3hh IDxTB gelding three years ago this month......to date, he's sound, working normally and is great! Took him about 9 months post-op to become sound though! PM me of you want!

 

[seabiscuit]

IMO its very early days yet for your mare, they do take a good while to fuse, from 6 months to a year, do think surgery is something that should be considered at a much later date if the fusion is just not happening.
Would carry on working her gently to help fuse the hock,along with a good joint supp, once fused it *should* be ok.
As your mare only has minor changes, it seems to early in the day to be considering surgery...

 

[JANANI]

My mare has a bone spavin. We have rested her for two years (field rest) although I think she may still be unsound. I take it still hasn't fused and that the surgery is an option. What is involved in the surgery? The vet initially talked about cutting some tendon with 70% success.

 

[nicnag]

Thanks for the replys guys.

I agree Christmas -Derby, it does seem to be really early, the consultant I originally spoke to had said the injections may need to be repeated but she felt that the chances were very good. I have seen an improvement in Ellie and she does appear more comfortable although I am very careful on how much I ask for and have really only taken her on level surfaces, she has become quite stroppy at times but my gut feeling is that this is boredom not pain. She was only ever assessed at 1/10 lame so she has never been drastically lame however they are keen to see her again, just had confirmation of a date on 13/11.
Thanks Keepers Cottage as well - I had visions of never being able to work her again!

 

[mickey]

My boy was diagnosed with bone spavin approx 5 yrs ago (when he would have been 5/6). He was at Bell Equine under Tim Mair and they did scintigraphy and x-rays. The prognosis was 'guarded'. We did discuss surgical fusion. Personally I felt that my horse was not of the character that could cope with the amount of box rest required. The surgery is not to be taken lightly, it is evidently very painful for the horse.

I thus decided to take the conservative approach. He had time off due to back strain secondary to spavin. I think he had around a year at pasture. Then I brought him back into work very gently. Some yrs on he is fine......not unsound at all. He's on a joint supplement and has the physio out fairly regularly. I did try tildren on him and some steroid injections but neither seemed to work for his stage/type of arthritis.

My advice is be cautious when considering surgery. For me it would be a last option.

 

[aran]

Hello

Aran was diagnosed with bone spavin in the September - half/10th lame on his left hind (fused on the right). He had steriod injections - worked for a couple of weeks and then came lame again. Between the September and December he got worse and on the day of surgery (beginning of December) was 2/10ths lame. I research osteoarthritis and my supervisor operated on him. Horses of Arans age (8 at the time) should have fused - if not the likelihood of them doing so is very small - therefore to get my horse back arthrodesis was the only option. I opted for surgical not chemical.
Tracts were drilled across the joints to destroy the cartilage and stimulate bone fusion.
He was at the hospital for a week and then came home. He was on box rest for 3 months - walking out in hand - increasing to 30 mins at 3 months. He then went out in a pen - increased to field and then being out full time. I then gave him 6 months out. He is now riden and competing and the hock has fused. There is a 60% sucess of fusion with an average of 10 months post-surgery before the horse is sound.
Good luck

 

[brighteyes]

Yep to all those who say exercise under supervision and proceed towards operations with caution and much patience! Mine is hunting fit and had HA jabs three years ago and was very unlevel earlier this year. No op as yet.

 

[BethH]

Have 27 yr old mare with spavin in each hock, the 1st she was box rested and not allowed to do anything took goodness knows how long to sort itself out, the 2nd one we gave 24/7 turnout and very light work i.e., long reining in walk! and she was never really that lame on it. I have to say as a 27 yr old we didn't expect her to be 100% sound anyway but allowing her to stay mobile was the best thing for her. I agree with the others, give it time as surgery & rehab could take the same time as allowing nature to take it's course and nature will be a lot cheaper. I am saying this when I don't know your mare's situation but with a lot of leg issues I have seen turnout and a little exercise be the best thing to help the horse get over it. I also appreciate that if your horse is in proper work then you would be likely to consider many more options that I would for an elderly semi retired horse.

 

[keeperscottage]

Piper had surgical fusion as you described; did you go to Rossdales (as I see you are in Hertfordshire)? He's great now, three years on! One month's box rest then turned away for several months - simple as that! Result = sound horse!

 

[aran]

I went to the RVC. Glad yours is doing well too.


HA and steriods do not sort the issue it needs to fuse to be resolved and if it wont do that naturally then intervention is the only option. Just be careful if you give a lot of time as the hocks will be excluded on the insurance and Arans spavin work took me right up to the limit on my insurance after all the lameness work up, steriod injections, pre-op work, op, post-op rehab etc.

Good luck with it all