Tell me about hock spavins

little_critter

little_critter

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Pony has just come back from horsepital with a diagnosis of hock spavin and something going on with pedal bones in front feet (further investigation required)
So tell me about hock spavins; treatment, success, ridden life after treatment, supplements that could help.
 
Ok my horse was diagnosed with bone spavin (hock spavin) in 2007 or thereabouts. He had two lots of steroid injections and the following year had Tildren which is given to them via infusion of 3/4 hour to an hour. This stops the hock bones from fusing which is better in early cases of spavin. He had three lots of Tildren, another steroid injection and a course of adequan. He went fine for three years but then had a reoccurence of lameness associated with the hocks. I decided to go with fusion using ethanol, a fairly recent treatment whereby an injection is administered into the hock bones of pure alcohol which then immediately kills the nerves in the hock so the horse feels no pain. Fusion (which basically stabilises the joint) then takes place 18 months to two years later. Immediately my horse was better and able to raise his hind legs twice the height he could previously do the day before!

I've always been able to work him with the spavin, although initially he needed a period of time off work, then a rehab period before bringing back into work. I NEVER trot on the roads or work on hard ground as this has a concussive effect on the joints which is really bad.

Appart from the non trotting on the roads I have not had to cut down his work load, if anything he has seen a slight increase. I continue to do unaff dressage to elem level, jumping to 3ft 3 (at times) and xc and fun rides, and lots of hacking walk only.

I would defo recommend the fusion using ethanol, if you google it you will find excellent results relating to this. I would use this instead of steroid injections or tildren as its much more effective. Although not suitable for every horse your vet will be able to discuss this in more detail. A one off £300 for bone hocks for life. :)
 
Bone spavin is osteoarthritis in the lower 3 hock joints.
The condition is irreversible but it is usually manageable.
Treatment depends on your vet's findings. Which joint(s) are affected, severity of bony changes, degree of lameness, what you use your pony for.

Bute, corticosteroid injections, shoeing (raised heels using blocks, lateral extensions),
surgery are all options for different degrees of the condition.

I have always been told to work the horse as this will help speed up bone fusion.
During the acute stages of bone spavin pain is felt as the joint spaces ossify, Speeding up ossification will shorten the period of lameness as when the joint spaces has become ossified, pain and lameness will disappear.

With the treatments you must check, if you compete that you are not breaking any rules regarding banned substances.
I wouldn't do any work though until vet knows what is wrong with front pedal's.
 
I meant to say that the pedal bone problem will be almost certainly as a result of the horse overloading on the front end in an effort to get weight of his sore hocks. That is why I got my horses legs fused with ethanol in the end as his injury on his n/f (ligament injury) would not heal whilst he was overloading from his hock pain. As for banned products alchohol is not a banned substance (only for the jockey) lol. And anyway at unaffiliated level it is not really a problem, there are lots of horses with spavin that compete on tildren/steroid/bute so don't worry about that.
 
Well vet was back today to x ray front feet and hocks. I wasn't my vet so she was just taking x-rays to pass on but all the x rays were clear - clean joint spaces and no rotation of the pedal bones.
Both hocks were injected with steroids and I should see the full effect of the steroids in 2 weeks. So fingers crossed pony will be on the mend.
 
My horse was diagnosed with spavin last year as well as PSLD and navicular!! She was treated with Tildren and steroid injections. I took her barefoot and she is now sound.
 
hollyhocks, your horse has identical problems to mine.
I have just gone barefoot 3 weeks ago as I dont want anymore injections, I only had cortisone injections.
The injections for one foot for the navicular and coffin joint cost a huge amount of money and dont last forever,
so hoping the barefoot might help...but if I need the injections as well I guess I'll have them.
Do you still have medication to the joints?
 
We had no X-rays but long term hind leg lameness which was making my horse miserable - we went the old fashioned route, bute for about 5 months, kept working her, no tight circles, no trotting on roads, lots of walking, cantered her on 2 lunges joined together, so far we are now sound and not miserable, not sure if it will last through a cold and wet winter though, it depends on whether we now have fusion. I have fed linseed all the time and will use turmeric this winter if symptons recur - I know I feel stiffer in the winter damp and cold!
 
Also forgot to add that a friend of mine has an old Iceland who had it and she has managed it with going barefoot and feeding supplements.
 
Vet suspects my cob to have spavins after he went lame and stiff before winter last year. He was thoroughly miserable and despite the vet not seeing any lameness during the start of his workup, flexion tests he was crippled on his near hind. He had a couple of months off with the odd ridden walk out once a week and I led him out or just round the yard each evening just so he could loosen off any stiffness. He had hind shoes taken off, magnetic bands put on through winter, fed linseed and turmeric daily and danilon if he's having a groggy day and after a jolly good warm up, he is sound. He did a sponsored ride the other weekend and with some danilon in him for the journey and half hour walking, he spent the rest of the ride jogging, cantering and attempting to buck me off:rolleyes: The more work he does, generally the better he feels even if its just a half hour walk out down the road.

He feels more sore and sensitive when the ground is hard and the weather is hot and now just has a tendency to rest his sore leg more often than his other one. The vet suggested injections but as a 20 yr old happy hacker I didn't feel this suited him. Anything younger and had more of a 'working job' to do then maybe.
 
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