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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 564
 
Location: South Dakota | I have a few questions about hock injections. I've only ever had to inject one horse before and I was young enough that my folks kind of took care of those things for me still. I know most would say to avoid injections at all costs, which I'm a firm believer in as well, however recently I bought a horse that has had them injected before and she is starting to feel like it's time to have them done again (ie- not wanting to put her butt in the ground on stops, and feeling more front endy around her first barrel) So my questions are this -
1. What is the recovery process after injections? Can I turn her out in the grass pen or does she have to stay stalled? And how long do you wait to ride them?
2. Since she's been injected before, I don't really have much other option than injecting again, correct?
3. Do I expect to see immediate changes after the injections? | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 964
Location: Alberta, Canada | My vet has me lay my horses off for 5 days following injections. Then light work for another 2-3 days and back to full work load about a week later. As long as they aren't in mud, I turn out, as per my vet.
I've heard that it takes 2 weeks for full effect on hocks. But I've seen big changes immediately on horses that are really bad. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| I am not anti-injection, especially hocks which are a low motion joint and can be injected repeatedly unlike coffin joints etc. My vet has me give them 2 days after injection off then light riding or hand walking for couple days. Full work by day 4. Also has me give bute or previcox once a day for those first couple days in case of joint flair. For other options you can give Legend but its about 100.00 a dose and only lasts 24-36 hours. My vet charges 75.00 per hock to inject and that lasts 6-8 months so its well worth it to just inject them. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 713
Location: ND | My vet has me not ride for 3 days and give Bute during those days. Then start normal riding, but no running for a full week. Also, I usually just turn out in the pasture unless it is muddy, but I keep a really close eye for any swelling or issues. I am not against injections, but like anything they definitely can be done too much and abused. I only inject when necessary and when it is what my vet recommends. I also give time off in the winter so she doesn't have to be inject more than once or maybe twice a year. | |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
 
Location: North Dakota | keller235 - 2016-09-15 8:57 AM I have a few questions about hock injections. I've only ever had to inject one horse before and I was young enough that my folks kind of took care of those things for me still. I know most would say to avoid injections at all costs, which I'm a firm believer in as well, however recently I bought a horse that has had them injected before and she is starting to feel like it's time to have them done again (ie- not wanting to put her butt in the ground on stops, and feeling more front endy around her first barrel) So my questions are this -
1. What is the recovery process after injections? Can I turn her out in the grass pen or does she have to stay stalled? And how long do you wait to ride them? My vet recommends I give them off at least 5 days. I turn mine out to a 40 acre pasture, they can come and go as they please. I check him daily for any heat or swelling and provide 2 grams of bute per day.
2. Since she's been injected before, I don't really have much other option than injecting again, correct? Usually there is an underlying condition which warrants the injection. My horse has some boney changes, so yes I have to inject until (if at all) he fuses.
3. Do I expect to see immediate changes after the injections? I see immediate changes in my horse after 5 days.
Edited by WYOTurn-n-Burn 2016-09-15 1:23 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 999
Location: Sunny So Cal | I handwalk for 3 days, tack walk for 3 days, then light work for 2 days. After this they are good to go. I do give banamine the first few days. By day 7, my horse feels like a brand new horse and is super amazing!! Usually once they are injected you have to continue to keep them comfortable. I believe injections have a time and place, usually for unlying issues. I inject my 20 year olds stifles, otherwise she starts tripping really bad in the hind end. You can see the horse almost instantly become more comfortable. I'm all about keeping them comfortable, she is mostly retired. | |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | keller235 - 2016-09-15 8:57 AM I have a few questions about hock injections. I've only ever had to inject one horse before and I was young enough that my folks kind of took care of those things for me still. I know most would say to avoid injections at all costs, which I'm a firm believer in as well, however recently I bought a horse that has had them injected before and she is starting to feel like it's time to have them done again (ie- not wanting to put her butt in the ground on stops, and feeling more front endy around her first barrel) So my questions are this -
1. What is the recovery process after injections? Can I turn her out in the grass pen or does she have to stay stalled? And how long do you wait to ride them?
2. Since she's been injected before, I don't really have much other option than injecting again, correct?
3. Do I expect to see immediate changes after the injections?
Different vets will give different opinions on time off with hock injections. Most say to give at least 48 hours off when you inject hocks, but more time will definitely not hurt them. Ideally, if we are injecting during the competition season, we try to get a monday appointment, inject that day, then give them the rest of monday-thursday off and ride on friday, then run on saturday. Other joints take longer for the anti inflammatories to really make an observable difference, so that's specifically for hocks. The first night I would leave them in a clean area, be it a stall or a paddock, because a needle went into a joint.. so more importantly I would make sure wherever you put them is dry and low dust. Avoid mud, pretty much.
About "since shes been injected before..." So, injecting one time does not mean your horse is now committed to life long joint injections. Especially if the first time the injections weren't even needed. There's not a magical change that occurs after the first joint injection that makes them need it forever. However, there are a couple things to mention. First- joint injections are usually given due to signs of osteoarthritis, which is a progressive disease that has no cure. All you can really do for it is slow the progression of it and give them relief from pain. So, at some point, there is a chance that you will start to inject more frequently than in the past. For two reasons: mainly because the disease is progressive, but second, there is evidence that certain drugs are less cartilage friendly than others. But, for low motion joints like the hock- if they are fusing, you want to get them to fuse, so there's not really any reason to worry about cartilage preservation in those joints because you want the cartilage gone and the bones to fuse. (High motion joints, its all about preserving cartilage, so different for coffins and stifles). If you have a horse who is refractory (non responsive) to joint injections, in the right joints you can do things to help that would alleviate the need to inject- BUT, they aren't painless and they arent cheap. So for the hocks, if you have a horse who is fusing and very painful, you can surgically fuse the joints. But, it takes you out for about a year, and they will have cycles of great discomfort while the joints fuse. You also have the risk of infection since it is a surgical procedure, and bacteria can get in there even when everything was done right. It's a risk that has to be mentioned before doing any surgical procedure. A surgeon I worked with likes to fuse hocks with orthopedic bone plates in addition to drilling the hocks, because she feels they are much more comfortable with the plates than with drilling alone.
For the last question- no, do not expect immediate change. I would give yourself at least a week for hock injections to see if they've helped. Other joints are different. | |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| As what everyone else has said
To prolong injections weekly doses of injectible glucosamine, polyglycan, or legend. Can do adequan regime.
Also expect less time between injections as the arthritis progresses the injections don't last as long. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069
Location: Oklahoma | I personally don't know too many people who "avoid injections at all costs" and are still as competitive as their horse once was.
Most vets will tell you that it is a hazard of the horse's job. Their hocks get sore. Some have even say to inject every 6 months when running, before they start having pain that turns into behavioral issues.
Lots of opinions out there I'm sure, but the worse thing I think you can do is to run your horse while he is sore. So I'd definitely get things checked out by a reputable vet.
Mine usually says 3 days before you ride and 5 days before you run. Good luck! | |
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