|
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 876
  
Location: Wisconsin | When do you guys just give up and turn a horse out? I've been fighting hock issues on a gelding of mine for a while now and have quite a bit invested. Did a round of IRAP in one hock and the swelling came down and the vet said to start him back and see how he handles it. Well now the other one is starting to get boggier and he is wanting to stop on his front end again. He is due for more IRAP in march and I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall. What would you guys do?? I could have bought some darn nice prospects for what I've put into this far. |
|
| |
|
Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | Sounds like u might have some soft tissue problems going on, like cartilage damage. Sometimes u can't see it on an X-ray or u/s, only by arthroscopy.
If u have recurring swelling, even after I injections, u have more than just DJD going on. If that's true, turn out wont help, surgery would be the only option. Success of surgery would depend on the specific problem and amount of damage. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 876
Location: Wisconsin | Thank you, what type of cartilage damage are you referring to? I guess I assumed that there would always be cartilage damage with DJD?? |
|
| |
|
Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | If you're having problems with both hind legs, it could be OCD lesions, sometimes they'll show up in an X-ray. Do u have X-rays ?
If the horse slipped and twisted his leg playing in the pasture, etc. he can shear cartilage. Something is causing chronic joint effusion, most likely, not just arthritis. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 876
Location: Wisconsin | I have so many x-rays the poor horse probably glows! Lol I even got foot x-rays to see if bad angles were playing a part. The X-rays show that both lower joint spaces are thinning. One to the point that we can't inject it. It is almost fused and the other is about 50%. The upper joints look good. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 876
Location: Wisconsin | I have had five vets tell me that the joint is what is causing the effusion including two lameness specialist. Thst is why I am so frustrated and wondering when to say enough is enough. |
|
| |
|
Defense Attorney for The Horse
Location: Claremore, OK | I agree...it is the joint creating the fluid...but it is probably soft tissue/cartilage within the joint causing the problem. If u have recurring effusion in a joint, even after injections, there is more than arthritis causing the problem.
The only other possibility would be a joint flare caused by the injection...that would occur 7-10 days after the injection. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 876
Location: Wisconsin | Thank you for your replies I appreciate it! I just dont quite understand, if the cartilage in the joint space is deteriorating then DJD would still be the problem or no? He hasnt had any injections for about 6 weeks. The hock we did the IRAP on came down significantly but the vets feel it will never go down completely due to the bursa being stretched. |
|
| |
|
Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| Is it the lower hock fusing, if so my vet is getting ready to do 2 rounds of shockwave. If itmis you need to keep him cofortable with previcox keep riding it will eventually fuse. |
|
| |
|
  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I had 2 vets saying my gelding had hock issues but they couldn't see anything wrong with the x rays (which confused and annoyed me). A 3rd vet did a rectal exam and he had broken his pelvis at some point. Just throwing this out there as it is easy to diagnose but a very over looked issue and frequently blamed on hocks/SI issues. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 876
Location: Wisconsin | Yes it is the lower hock and he is on previcox. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I have always fused and not wasted my money with injections. Fusing is 5000 but then you have no problems.
When I have injected other joints, my vet recommends a booster in a month as the joint fluid reduced the inflammation of the joint, and most of the time need more to lubricate the joint.
I also don't use prednisone, methyl prednisone, or bethamethasolone in joints as the biproducts of the drug itself impedes cellular regeneration, thus prevents the joint from fusing properly. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| wyoming barrel racer - 2014-01-05 2:29 PM
I had 2 vets saying my gelding had hock issues but they couldn't see anything wrong with the x rays (which confused and annoyed me). A 3rd vet did a rectal exam and he had broken his pelvis at some point. Just throwing this out there as it is easy to diagnose but a very over looked issue and frequently blamed on hocks/SI issues.
Just wondering did yours sort of Waddle like a penguin in the hind end. My mare who broke her pelvis waddled like a penguin, my vet was able to diagnose as soon as she walked away from the trailer, ultrasound confirmed it. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 2122
Location: The Great Northwest | When there is degeneration going on, the best thing is Adequan and turn-out or rest. |
|
| |
Folks on-line