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Discussion on Spavin
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New Member:
Volk
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 3, 2005 - 3:33 pm:
Can anyone out there give me positive feedback and hope for my 16 yo Thoroughbred mare who was diagnosed with Jack Spavin in her left hock? X-rays also confirmed that she has a partial fusion in that hock as well. It's been almost 2 years since she became intermittently lame and I'm wondering if I'm doing everything possible to keep her comfortable during the fusing process. Her vet says there's no way to tell how long, if ever, the fusing process will take to complete. Four months ago, I started her on Cosequin, Hyaluronic Acid (100 mg), EquineSaver, and 1 gram of bute. To keep her moving, I hand walk and trot her on a daily basis and recently began riding her once a week. Since I pulled her shoes 4 months ago, her back and heels are no longer sore, and she's able to gallop, buck, and rear again! She no longer bobs her head at the walk, but is still lame at the trot. Sometimes, she warms out of it. Prior to this regiment, she was in too much pain to want to move around much so I couldn't do much with her. So please help me out here! Am I on the right track??????? Will my doll recover?????
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Member:
Suzeb
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 4, 2005 - 9:53 pm:
Hello Jan,
Welcome to Horseadvice. You will find this a friendly and very supportive site here.
I won't take the place of Dr.O, but you can start by reading his articles in Equine Diseases, Lameness, Joint and Bone Diseases.
Your question about fusing and recovery is subjective to the answer about what kind of work your horse does. Could you inform us a little more  .
Near as I can tell there is not a cure for arthritis, but it can be managed in the horse via hock injections, oral NSAIDS, oral joint treatments or joint treatments administered intramuscularly or intravenously. The fusion process is anybody's guess, unless you have radiographs to mark the progression, it can be slow or fast.
My guy has a bone spavin in the right hock and it is quite likely there could be something going on in the left hock. It does affect the way he moves.
If he walks like he has a diaper on or his hind end is not tracking up, I know his hocks are an issue.
The best treatment I have found for this condition is a good working relationship between you, your farrier, and your vet. Your horse will tell you if somebody has screwed up.
Keep talking and asking and I hope this helps.
Susan B.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Aug 5, 2005 - 6:34 am:
Thanks Susan,
I had posted a reply this morn but it appears cyberspace ate it and basically it made the same recommendations.
Jan, I did want to comment on the use of the term "Jack Spavin". You don't see the term much anymore and in most of the lameness texts it is considered synonymous with bone spavin or even a better term is osteoarthritis of the distal 2 joints of the hock. There is a cunean tendon insertion on the front of the hock called the "jacks" and a bursa under this tendon. An old treatment you read about was cutting this tendon and referred to as "cutting the jacks". There has been recent interest in this procedure but I think that is all explained in the article referenced below. Susan is right, best is for you to start at the article Equine Diseases » Lameness » Joint & Bone Diseases » Arthritis and DJD: An Overview. You will find several links worth following out of that article. After studying this if you have any questions post them in that area.
DrO
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