My 9 year old has started to be reluctant to pick up his right lead. Left is fine. I'm thinking he may need to have his hocks injected, since his former owner had done so years ago when she was using him (and then he spent a few years out to pasture). I know the injections are common, but I do realize they carry risks also. I'm wondering if doing an IM injectable may help him rather than going straight to joint injections. Thoughts? Which one would be best? I have given Pentosan before to maintain a mare that I DID have the hocks injected to prolong them, but I'm not sure which product would be best for the anti joint injection idea.

If the horse has required injections before, I'd plan on doing them again, or at least taking the horse for an exam/xrays to see what your vet says.  

I know that Osphos is for navicular horses, but I've been told it can take the inflammation out of the joints, so you may ask about that. My mare is injected 1x/year, and then gets Osphos 3 mos later and Pentosan 1x/month. Doing these this has allowed me to only have her injected once yearly, but it has not eliminated the need for injections entirely. 

Pentosan is great if they aready have issues. Adequan is good if they are healthy and you want to keep them that way. Legend is great to use day before races for any horse. 

Polyglycan is really good for hock issues to . I always have some on hand in the frig. 

Your best course of action is going to depend on WHAT IS WRONG. So I think your first step is to go get a lameness evaluation and then make a decision based on what the vet finds.

For example, if I have a horse that is fusing in the hocks, your typical steroid injections usually do work wonders (although things like ProStride can be a great option too). But if the hocks on clean on x-rays but they flex a little sore, then it might be perfectly fine to try Adequan first.

Please talk to a reputable lameness vet about injections and get a lameness exam. Also please take this advice for compassion for the horse... Not getting a horse injected when they need it when we make them do such unnatural things is in my heart, kind of mean.  When they need injections and we don't do them yet make them compete it causes other soreness in their body due to compensation which then will lead to more lameness and behavioral problems.  Its hard to be competitive with out them when a horse needs them. Injectables like adequan, legend and pentosan are great to help prolong injections but they don't replace injections.  

There is new research by rood and riddle about using osphos off label.  Its prescribed for navicular and not advised for off label use like for hocks or bone "inflammation". Its a serious drug with potentially serious long term side effects with bone remodeling.  Bisphosphonate are something I'd think long and hard about giving willy nilly.  I had a vet that was prescribing it left and right a few years ago and Just a month after giving it for bone inflammation in my horses front coffin bone (not for any sort of navicular) my  horse was diagnosed with a fractured pelvis... Coincidence I dont know... But I do believe it effected the heal time. 2 years later.... It honestly makes me sick after watching rood and riddles video. 

Of course I am going to take him to the vet, have an evaluation, and get the vet's advice. I am very proactive and will do whatever is necessary. However, I am also the type of person to research and read up on things before I do so and that is why I was asking for thoughts, so I can do more research. I'd never take a shortcut. 

This is the answer! 

so Pentosan would be my go to IF arthritis is diagnosed, pentosan will help "wash" the joint of arthritis, I use it on a couple of mine and feel like the benefits of prolonging the need for injections is exponetial. These horses have diagnosed arthritis.  I have not used adequan, we can discuss my feelings on adequan all day long I'm just not a believer.  Legend is awesome but VERY expensive and as for polyglycan, to google I shall go!

The age on your horse makes me believe you're heading down the right path, would be interesting to know what lead to the injections by previous owner.  If arthritis in hocks, pentosan will help but the injections plus pentosan will be really helpful! 

Here's a helpful tip I learned a few years ago when I had a horse "fighting" the gate.  Give banamine or bute for a few days while riding, if the issues get better or go away, you have a place that's hurting, if not, you "might" have a training issue.......I gave my guy bute for 3-4 days in a row while riding and competed after, he was great-to the vet we went and found the hocks full of arthritis.

yes yes, I TOTALLY agree..... When I responded above about the different meds I have used and why, it was after my vet determined what the problem was and we selected the proper med. 

Thanks. I am anxious to see what the vets find/say. As for the banamine/bute, this horse has right dorsal colitis, so I can't give either. He's extremely sensitive to ANY drug. We are on week 6 of no hay due to a few days of bute back a year ago when he had another issue (the RDC was finally diagnosed in April 1). He appears completely sound, but since he's usually so agreeable and cooperative, I think something may be bothering him a little.

Thank you for sharing this....pretty sure I found the info you're referring to and I'm going to ask my vet about this before she gets osphos this yr.

For anyone interested - https://www.paulickreport.com/horse-care-category/bramlage-price-pay-bisphosphonate-use-delayed-healing/

Just sharing my personal experience.

My mare had 'navicular changes' so Osphos was suggested. She also had regular hock injections done every 6 months due to arthritis in her hocks. I started her on Osphos and liked it, but just wanted to compare it. So I paid much more and had her coffin bones/navicular area injected as well as her hocks done once the Osphos wore off. Osphos made so much more of a difference. I continued with the Osphos, have not had to inject her hocks since. And have even been able to run her in regular front shoes which she always use to have to run in due to poor heels and pedal osteitis (she's full of issues, but her heart out weighs them)

Speaking of Pentosan... I've been checking horseprerace.com lately so I can get more Pentosan, and the only thing on the site now is Omeprazole.  Did it get shut down?

I have read recently of "drama" surrounding them selling the Pentosan. I don't know if any of it was true or not though.