To retire or not? COPD and Ringbone......am I being cruel.....?

[claire1976]

Maggie has to go into the vets next week for a lung flush and scope up her nostrils. She now has quite severe COPD and despite doing all I can she's going to need an inhaler bag.
She has been up and down with her moods swings over the last few weeks and some of you might have seen my previous post about her rearing up etc on our last ride.
Alongside this her ringbone has got worse and she needs permanent bute to make her comfortable. The problem I have is that as she's a TB despite being almost 16 she is still wanting to go out. She gets very depressed if not ridden.
The vets say don't retire her just yet . If they get her Copd under control then she's fine to be ridden. But part of me feels I'm being cruel to ride her. Does anyone have a horse with similar probs? What do ppl think? I'm so confused, I want to do the right thing by her in the long run.

 

[the watcher]

I have one with COPD, after quite some time of juggling around with treatments this winter for the very first type we have her completely free of symptoms, by bedding on rubber and a shallow chopped rape straw bed, she has haylage in the stable and something in her food to help (Global Herbs product is good but smells like curry powder).
It has taken 3 years though to find a regime that completely works.

As for the ringbone, if it is a low ringbone and you try to work mostly on a surface or springy ground, and don't jump, your horse could continue for another couple of years possibly.

Only you and your horse know how much discomfort she is in so be guided by the vet but make your own decision based upon what you see every day.

 

[BASDCS]

I think retirement might be be more cruel! My mare developed severe winter and summer pasture associated heaves (COPD) in her teens and had to have oral steroids for the last few years of her life. She also had arthritis. Our vet said that the only reason her lungs did not clog up and she remained in such good condition generally was because we continued to work her regularly. She was also a workaholic and would have died of depression if retired when still capable (certainly in her opinion!) of work.
I can't comment on how ringbone. However, what is wrong with regular bute if it keeps her from being uncomfortable and allows her to enjoy her life?

 

[claire1976]

Thanks guys.
She is currently bedded on rubber mats and aubiouse which is dust free. She is also fed on haylage. Vet says the herbal supplements are a waste of money and have no scientific backup but I know they are sceptical of anything non drug related!!
I don't jump her so thats not an issue and she's turned out as much as poss to help with the Copd.
Hopefully I'm doing all I can to make life easier for her whilst still letting her have some fun.
Regular bute as I've been told can have side effects. It's toxic stuff and if used regularly she should have a complete month off it every now and again to allow her system to rest. This is the advice from the vets.