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 Expert
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Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | I posted a video a couple weeks ago and everyone noticed my mare cross firing and that means soreness. Well, the chiro was out this morning and I mentioned what was happening. He said she was showing soreness in her hock pressure points and by what he saw from her, she will most likely need injected.
That being said...I've never had to have hocks injected and many years since anything else has had to be injected(not on her). I'm making an appointment today for the vet and I want to walk in there with a little knowledge and understanding of what will happen...need to happen. I know you can inject with different things...I only know for sure about pulling blood and doing something to it and then injecting it. I've heard that, that is better for them but again I have no experience with this so anyone want to educate me?! Thanks in advance! |
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  Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Ask your vet a lot of questions, and if you are unsure about something don't hesitate to ask. The only stupid questions is the one not asked.
I was 100 percent against injections of all sorts....until the first time I had a horse done because nothing else was working. Now I understand there is in fact a time and place for it. |
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 Ms. Poutability
Posts: 2362
Location: In my own world | Lol just did this Monday to my mare. It's only the second time I have ever had this done so I asked my vet to explain it all! He did complete with X-rays and a horse skeleton model. Here is what I learned in a nutshell:
the hock has 4 joints. The lower 2 are the ones that show arthritic changes due to wear and tear. The uppers can show changes that are OCD lesions. Degenerative genetic issues. We X-rayed my mare to get a base line on her hocks. No fusing. Some small changes that are typical of a working horse. We did inject the lower joint. He says 90 of the horses only need the lower injected. Sometimes you need to do the next one up. But he says he doesn't like to stick a needle in there unless necessary. It was my call and I only did the bottom one. Now we injected with HA and a steroid. We did not discuss the other meds that can be used. The blood thing you are talking about is IRAP I think. He told me they could pull blood, do something to it and then inject it. It cost $1000 to get the blood pulled and processed. You would have about 5 doses from that. Hoping we don't have to do that.
So I'm no expert but that is what I learned Monday. That and my mare is a diva!! |
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Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | That's how I was. I've never felt they were necessary but knowing that she is sore and who knows how long she has been. she is one of those that would keep going even if she had a leg falling off. I will do whatever makes her not hurt anymore. |
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Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | This is another thing I'm worried about....the vet around here is a kind of a jack of all trades...master of none. He does all animals but mostly does small animals these days except for a few people around here including me. Is he someone to go about this with? Or do I need to go to woodland run? That's about the next best thing around here. No in betweens. He's always telling me I'm too worried. |
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 Living within my means
Posts: 5128
Location: Randolph, Utah | lexyy12 - 2014-03-19 9:50 AM
This is another thing I'm worried about....the vet around here is a kind of a jack of all trades...master of none. He does all animals but mostly does small animals these days except for a few people around here including me. Is he someone to go about this with? Or do I need to go to woodland run? That's about the next best thing around here. No in betweens. He's always telling me I'm too worried.
If you don't trust your vet find an equine vet and haul to them.
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Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | He hasn't shown me a reason to not trust him. I guess I'm just worried since I've never done this before. |
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| Mine is actually going in for in for an exam tomorrow as I suspect she needs injections. If she needs to be injected (Which we will determine from a lameness exam/flexion tests) then I will be injecting her with a steroid and also HA, so long as my vet doesn't advise differently. |
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| Hock injections are very common. Injecting hocks is, in essence, giving them a "lube" job. Instead of having bone scraping against bone - which is very painful - the joint will be able to glide painlessly because now there is lubrication from hyaluronic acid and probably something like a steroid like Vetalog which is to calm down that angry joint. When a horse's hocks are hurting them because of the work we have them doing, joint injections, while not a "cure", are a miracle pain reliever! I can't imagine not doing it for a horse that needs it. There is, of course, always some risk when you are going into a joint but I've never had a problem and have only personally known of one horse out of many,many,many that have had injections. I think you can trust your vet on this.
Edited by runs4fun 2014-03-19 11:07 AM
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Ms. Poutability
Posts: 2362
Location: In my own world | That I can't answer on if your vet should or shouldn't. I have 2 vets I use and both are equine vets. One works at a equine only clinic. The other has his own practice. He does see cats and dogs too. But he use to work at an equine only clinic for 10 yrs and raises jumping horses. He has another vet at his practice and she does mostly the little critters. Although he has seen my dog too. And at the equine only clinic I go to. I use mostly one vet, only him for lameness etc. emergency cases I would see another one there. But the other 2 vets there NO WAY! It really all depends on who you trust
none of that probably helped you any. I'm sorry!! |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | I inject hocks regularily. I try to do it before there are major pain issues. A lot of people seem to be against it until they get their horse injected and feel the difference in their movement..
I take mine to an equine vet who injects a lot of horses every day. Mine will not get done by the jack-of-all trade vet. There are risks with injection the joints. |
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Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | I'm going to take her to him and if I don't feel comfortable with what he does or wants to do or doesn't seem like he knows then I will tell him no. There is a woodland run vet that comes to the track around here that I might make an appointment with. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2308
Location: Viola, IL | I use one vet for my injections. I want someone whom does them regularly, and I feel comfortable with. This vet fills that bill. :)
It does sound like she's sore. Hock injections are very common. |
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Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | Nope I don't feel right about my vet doing it....calling woodland run. My girl is worth it. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | lexyy12 - 2014-03-19 1:51 PM Nope I don't feel right about my vet doing it....calling woodland run. My girl is worth it.
Sounds like a good decision.
My regular vet (shots, Coggins, minor things) doesn't turn my horse if it's a perfomance related issue. He's a good guy, but I'd rather make the short drive and see a real equine professional. And be sure that whoever you use can really break down what he is saying to you. My equine vet realistically told me the outcomes of this shot vs this shot and we made the decision as to where to go from there. Just be sure you really have faith in your vet because this isn't something you want your horse to be first one he's treated. |
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Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | I've been to woodland run many many times with my navicular gelding so I'm definitely comfortable with certain vets there. So hopefully this will help my girl out!! |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I have had joints injected, and I have had joints infected by the vet.
I am not a fan of hock injections, if the hocks are bad, I would rather spend the money and fuse the lower hocks instead of injecting 3+ times per year. In the long run you would save money.
For per joints I have no problem injecting, but the only things I allow go into my joint is trimethacyclone, HA, and an antibiotic.
Depomedrol, methylprednosolone, and beta something, the by products can last months to years in the joint and prevent healing, and degeneration of cartilage.
Also make sure your vet scrubs each injection site for 7 minutes this will reduce the chance of infection, once the alcohol is sprayed onto the injection site, do not let the vet break sterile procedure (this is how my horses joints became infected).
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Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | cheryl makofka - 2014-03-19 4:31 PM
I have had joints injected, and I have had joints infected by the vet.
I am not a fan of hock injections, if the hocks are bad, I would rather spend the money and fuse the lower hocks instead of injecting 3+ times per year. In the long run you would save money.
For per joints I have no problem injecting, but the only things I allow go into my joint is trimethacyclone, HA, and an antibiotic.
Depomedrol, methylprednosolone, and beta something, the by products can last months to years in the joint and prevent healing, and degeneration of cartilage.
Also make sure your vet scrubs each injection site for 7 minutes this will reduce the chance of infection, once the alcohol is sprayed onto the injection site, do not let the vet break sterile procedure (this is how my horses joints became infected).
Thank you Cheryl! That is really great advice! I will certainly watch closely!! |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Make sure you know EXACTLY where the source of the soreness is.
I don't quite remember your video, but my gelding was also cross-firing in his barrel turns. He has a catching stifle. Hocks are fine. We injected the stifle today and I've never injected a horse before, so we will see how he does with it. |
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 Arriving at the last minute!
Posts: 5148
Location: Kansas | Every time I have been told to inject hocks there has always been another resin the hocks and stifles were sore! Injecting does help temporarily as a band aide and eventually ruins the joint and deteriorates it. As someone that has lost a mare because of a hock infection it is very risky sticking a needle in the joint. The mare I lost didn't need injected after I had two more top vets look at the x rays so proceed with caution. I could tell you ask the reasons they can get infection just don't have time now. |
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