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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| New vet suggests injecting vetalog in stifles to keep cost down. Is that a good idea? Used hylauric acid, steroid & antibiotic for hocks at another vet. Does Vetalog work? |
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Veteran
Posts: 139
Location: Abbotsford B.C. Canada | I am struggling with this joint supplement thing as well. I think the vetalog is just a steroid and will reduce inflammation . THe HA is actually the fluid lubricant and the agent that absorbs shock in the joint and could be used in addition to the streoid. In fact there is controversy about injecting steroids over time. I think the gold standard for a performance horse is aedquan and legend (the HA). Maybe you can ask your vet what his rationale is, but to me they do quite different things. For the work a barrel horse does and the ahuling and stress on hocks and joints, I would still want the HA for sure for what it does, but I am no expert. See what another vet says.
Cheers,
Coastal rider |
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 Mature beyond Years
Posts: 10780
 
Location: North of the 49th Parallel | I've personally had pretty good luck with Vetalog. I've used it in coffin bone and hocks. Two different horses. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 397
Location: Florida | The two work differently. HA is more of a lubricant. Vetalog is an anti-inflammatory. Both have their places in joint injections. A lot of veterinarians use a combination of HA and an anti-inflammatory, especially in a high motion joint such as stifles. You also want to make sure that the anti-inflammatory is a chondroprotective one as not to irritate the cartilage when injecting high motion joints. With hock injections you can get away with depo because it is a low motion joint.
Each horse is different. Yours might do fine with just the vetalog. We use a lot of betamethasone for high motion joints as it is also easy on the cartilage.
Edited by VetsGotMyMoney 2013-12-16 9:27 PM
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | My vet does both. I mean the HA is injected with the Vetalog. I didn't know you could do just the Vetalog. Then we do Adequan regularly.
A previous vet used to do the HA alone, no vetalog or other steroids but it did not seem to last nearly as long. Plus that was way cheaper than doing both. . . hmmmmm curious.
I'm looking forward to hearing opinions.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| The new vet said vetalog would only last about 3 months. That means 4 injections a year. 4 chances of infection and complications. Previous vet only wanted to do hocks but when 2nd vet did stifles (with polyglycan) it made a huge difference. That was 3 months ago & horse is starting to duck 2nd barrel again & fights picking back feet up. Previous vet did hocks for $75 per injection for HA, a steriod & antibiotic combo shot. New vet wants more than that for just vetalog. Aghhhh. Maybe I need a 3rd vet?
Why do I feel the need to tiptoe around these vets?
Just wondering about vetalog vs HA. Didn't get much more than " I think vetalog will be best" from 2nd vet. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 319
| Anyone else? |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | From my own personal experience. Cortisone will take the infammation and soreness out but doesn't last as long as HA does. |
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | I think there are several factors to consider but I am NOT against just straight steroid in a join- high motion or not. I am most concerned with reducing inflamation but more importantly knowing WHAT you are dealing with. As far as timelines- only you can judge. I look at it more like runs per injections. Kind of like miles on a car for oil changes. JMO. I could go on and on but I think that is a good place to start. |
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| Every vet I've ever used has used them together. |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | nance - 2013-12-16 11:14 PM The new vet said vetalog would only last about 3 months. That means 4 injections a year. 4 chances of infection and complications. Previous vet only wanted to do hocks but when 2nd vet did stifles (with polyglycan) it made a huge difference. That was 3 months ago & horse is starting to duck 2nd barrel again & fights picking back feet up. Previous vet did hocks for $75 per injection for HA, a steriod & antibiotic combo shot. New vet wants more than that for just vetalog. Aghhhh. Maybe I need a 3rd vet?
Why do I feel the need to tiptoe around these vets?
Just wondering about vetalog vs HA. Didn't get much more than " I think vetalog will be best" from 2nd vet.
OH MY GOSH. I dont' know where you are, but I'm driving there from Florida for my injections next year. Average price here is about $200 per leg.
I pay a little more because I really REALLY trust the vet. I do know of a few that are considerably less but I really hate putting a needle there any more often than I have to.
Ours generally last about a year maybe 10 months. Adequan regularly helps them to last longer, but last year we had no Adequan, hence the 10 months.
We paid about $75 per leg for the HA only. Wow, prices are so different everywhere.
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