Tildren - Treatment for navicular

[maisiebo]

Sorry another question about navicular

I posted a message asking whether a neurectomy was the best thing for my horse, I am still undecided. My Vet wants to operate but I want to try Tildren treatment. Having spoken to my vet he thinks Tildren will not be successful as my horse is 12 years old. He says this treatment is more successful when treating the younger horse.
Can anyone give me advice about the treatment and at what age did you treat your horse, was it successful???????

 

[aran]

i can only find one paper on tiludronate (tildren) as a therapeutic agent of navicular disease EVJ (2003) 35(4).
Tildren is a bisphosphonate which is used to normalise bone metabolism by inhibiting bone resorption. it is safe for normal bones (mature and growing).

the horses used in the study had moderate to severe lameness that on investigation was diagnosed as navicular. they used 73 horses with a mean age of 10.4yrs. they used 1mg/kg body weight IV for 10 days and horses returned to normal levels of activity 2-6 mths post treatment. the more recent the onset of clinical signs at the time of treatment, the greater the efficacy. lower doses failed to significantly improve the condition.

hope any of this helps

 

[Santa_Claus]

well its had great affects on my lad who is 12! he had significant navicular bone changes in addition to bone spavins and was treated with the standard amount (eg no extra because two problems!) that was in early September. He was sound within a couple of weeks with his levelness improving after that (although 'sound' he wasn't quite level if that makes sense!) to now he is level and the only thing noticeable is he is stilld ragging his hind toes a bit (will improve in time) and one hind doesn't step under quite as much but he is straight and level and overtracking!

so not a clue about working better with young horses but been very pleased with the effects on Dan. *hugs a forest full of trees whilst crossing fingers*

 

[samp]

I tis an expensive treatment and you will probably require another dose at some stage. You can also get a supplement from the vets (think it was called Navilox)?

 

[Bert&Maud]

I've just (last friday) had my 14 year old gelding treated with tildren for kissing spines, fairly new treatment for this condition but my vets have had some success so thought it was worth a try.

 

[Hollymav]

My 8 year old horse had it last monday for Navicular - not yet had the bill so not sure of exact costs! Vets did warn it was expensive though! He does seem to be sounder already (not sure if that is just wishful thinking on my part though!). The vet advised that if it's going to work then an improvement will be seen within a month so i'll keep my fingers crossed!

The vet did advise me that one of the options available was for my horse to have a neurectomy but i wanted to pursue all other avenues first - good luck with whatever you decide with your horse.

 

[Santa_Claus]

cost for me was approx £500 for the entire thing eg drug, adminstering etc

 

[annie02]

I'm not sure about Tildren but we treated my navicular horse with ixosiprine (sp?) daily and that made a big difference with her. Along with coffin joint injections and "new balance shoes" she was sound for years. Stella had big changes in her navicular bone, it has been a year now that we had to have her de-nerved. I suggest it as a last resort. All we do with her now is a little walk and trot, she isnt that balanced since she had both feet done. On her own she can run and play but with a rider on her back she is unsure on her feet...something to think about. I'm sure its not the case with every horse.

 

[maisiebo]

That’s really interesting as if tildren doesn't work then I would opt for a neurectomy as a last resort. My horse does have Navicular in both front legs along with Arthritis in both coffin joints. The coffin joints are good now, with a year of treatment using IRAP therapy he's clear when it comes to the arthritis. I am a little scared of having the neurectomy done as I fear he will stumble as he has no feeling.

 

[hussar]

My then 14yo Arab was diagnosed with fairly advanced navicular disease in May 2004. He was first put on two courses of Navilox; that did no good so he was then given Tildren as part of a clinical trial - I was told at the time it had around a 60% success rate. It was administered intravenously and he was kept in for 24 hours in case of colic.

Unfortunately it made no difference whatsoever and the vet advised against a second dose.

He is now comfortable in remedial shoes and a daily dose of No-Bute. He can be ridden but not on hard surfaces.

 

[lornaA]

My horse had tildren in august as she has navicular in both front feet and arthritis in her hock. since treatment she is now sound in front but was still a wee bit lame behind so she had a steroid injection into her hock and has since been much better. The tildren was £500 but it is my understanding that it isn't licensed for navicular, only for bone spavin and it isn't licensed in this country at all and has to be imported.

 

[annie02]

When we were treating Stella our vet didnt mention tildren but that was also a couple of years ago. From my experience you can treat navicular with shoes and bute and some other medications for a while before you have to face neurectomy. We were at a point that she was so uncomfortable we either had to have the neurectomy done on both feet or have her pts. We had the operation and she is a different horse, granted we cant ride her like we did before but she is happy running and playing with her friends. She twists her ankle every once and a while but sound and happy.

 

[amandaco2]

ive heard from my vet that the results are very unpredictable and some horses really seem to benefit and others are no different.and there doesnt appear to be any particular pattern in either horse so they dotn really know which ones would be most likely to benefit!