Vetrofen/ Cartrophen....experiences please!!!

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nat_cal

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Sorry if this has already been done but had a trawl through posts and couldn't find anything!!

Am interested to hear if anyone has had any good/ bad experiences of using either for treating arthritis. Does it work?!!

Brief history on my girlie: 21 years young, I have owned her for 9 years. She has showjumped (nothing big - her record shows up to Discovery and I've done up to 1.05 with her). I have jumped her fairly consistently since I've had her with the odd foray in to showing, and unaff ODE/ XC. Have always been very careful about ground etc and can safely say she hasn't been overjumped since I've had her!!

She is now (not suprisingly) a bit stiff - nothing serious but more so behind and needs a good warm up before she softens and starts to move more freely. She isn't on any joint supplements as there are so many available and I don't know where to start! (I am seriously considering Cortaflex!!)

About 2 months ago she started bucking when I asked for canter - I put it down to her being in season but it continued to the point where I was at a show and had to retire as she was broncing round the ring! I had a chiropractor out to look at her at which point I noticed a lump on her fetlock at the back. Cue numerous vet visits, scans and x rays to find out.... its just a bursal swelling and nothing to worry about! They did however find slight arthritic changes in her fetlock which they medicated. I am pleased this was diagnosed but was sceptical that it would be the end of the bucking..... and it wasn't!!!!

Another vet visit diagnosed slight lameness in her off hind after a flexion test which could be contributing to a sore back. Vet suggested it was likely to be arthritis and suggested bute for a week then ride and see how she is as could go down the x ray/scan route but can't medicate all her legs!!

I have since had chiropractor out again to get to the bottom of the bucking - possibly linked to hind limb stiffness and am also having my saddle looked at tomorrow. Chiropractor found her pelvis was slightly out and she is very stiff and sore through her neck and shoulders - she thinks she may be holding everyting in front to get aaway from the back pain :( she is coming out to treat her again in a couple of weeks.

I am now wondering what to do for the best. Vet said if she was better on the bute then could look at that as a long term solution to manage it. She was better on the bute, but my feeling is that most horses would be!!!

I am not overly keen on long term bute - I still compete BS (though this will be my last year with her) and I would rather explore other options. My vet hasn't suggested using vetrofen/ cartrophen - I have been exploring other options and this is one that has popped up!

Does she sound like a good candidate for vetrofen/ cartrophen? Or should I just go with the bute??

Sorry for long ramble but I've not had an arthritic horse before so would be interested to hear other peoples opinions!

Thanks!!
 
Can only go on my own experience. Horse went oh so slightly lame in front 7 years ago. Nerve-blocks/x-rays showed arthritis in both forefeet. Vet suggested steroids, no difference made. Suggested bute him up, work him hard for a year & retire him as totally crocked or play with bute levels & might have a happy hacker for a year or two.
5 years on he was managing the odd schooling session and hacking 3 or 4 times a week on half a bute a day but then went noticeabley lame (only 1/10th or on a bad day 2/10th lame before) and seemed very miserable/depressed.
Took him to the vets who re-x-rayed and suggested cartophen. Started with an intensive course (1 weekly for 6 weeks) and vet suggested repeat at 6 months but by 3 months it had worn off so then started doing 1 injection every 4 weeks which worked much better/lasted about 6 months or so, then stopped working.
It cost a fortune as was obviously no longer covered by insurance & I was lucky as I had a friend/fellow livery who was a vet nurse so could do the injections herself as vet wanted to come to the horse/have horse taken to him for the injection each time which would have been an expense too far.
Was worth it as gave him an extra few months of riding time & the difference was so noticeable (when he got suddenly so much worse I was contemplating pts he seemed so miserable) Even now he's not on cartrophen he's well in himself, but is on one danilon a day, occasionally 2 if he's had farrier etc. Vets view (& I'm inclined to agree) on bute/danilon usage is the horse will be dead long before it can do damage to the internal organs unless being fed massive quantities.
That said a lady I was on the same yard with had hers done with an intensive course then just an annual top up and horse was still sound 2 or 3 years later. So as with all things it's horses for courses and what works for one won't work for another.
Highly recommend Osmonds Bute-X as a supplement, used to notice more difference in mine if he came off that than if he came off bute!
 
Thank you - interesting to hear that it was beneficial even if not forever!!

My girlie's BS registration runs out at end of September and I'm not planning on re-registering her over the winter so even if it doesn't work long term anything to alleviate her stiffness will be welcomed!!

I think I shall have a chat with my vet and see if I can try her on it. In the meantime will try the Bute X or Buteless with some Cortaflex and hopefully that'll make a difference!

Thanks again!
 
I had an amazing experience with Cartrophen for arthritis. My old Lad was an ex Grade B show jumper with many miles on the clock (not that you'd have believed me if you'd seen him.....he was always acting like a 3yr old!), diagnosed with Arthritis at 19, he had an intensive course of Cartrophen 1 a week for 6 weeks and that was that, he was sound as a pound, with no other medication whatsoever, for the next 2 years......I think he'd have stayed sound even longer had he not then suffered a nasty injury :-(
 
That's good to hear - hopefully I can persuade my vet to put my girl on it!!

Copperpot - fingers crossed it helps, please do post with how you get on!
 
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