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Discussion on 3 yr old with severe arthritis
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New Member:
Calajane
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 13, 2003 - 11:26 pm:
Our 3 year old quarterhorse has just been diagnosed with severe arthritis of the hock. The vet has injected steroids and recommended MSM and glucosamin, but he doesn't sound hopeful. We raised him from a foal, and the plan has always been just for light trail work, but we worry that he may not even be able to be trained for riding. Are things as gloomy as they seem? How does such a youngster end up with "severe arthritis?" (No sign of injury was found.) Suggestions? Thanks, Jane
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 14, 2003 - 7:33 am:
As to prognosis, which of the 4 joints that make up the hock are showing signs of DJD on radiographs? Concerning the cause, what can you tell us about the training history of this horse?
DrO
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Member:
Calajane
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Posted on Friday, Aug 22, 2003 - 8:34 pm:
I don't know which joint(s). I'll find out. As to training history, he's just been a backyard horse until recently. We've always done a lot of stuff with him - clicker training, round pen, teaching him not to be afraid of stuff - but nothing strenuous. He went to a trainer this summer and she began to worry about him soon after she began to work with him seriously. He's always been clumsy, and he broke his jaw as a foal. (Nobody iknows how it happened.) Could that be related? Some congenital weakness?
Jane
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Aug 25, 2003 - 7:27 am:
Not related.
DrO
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Member:
Calajane
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Posted on Tuesday, Aug 26, 2003 - 4:32 pm:
More info. The vet summary said " Nuclear scintigraphy identified active bone in the right hock, consistent with DJD of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints." Also "radiographs showed moderate DJD in the right distal hock joints and similar, but less extensive changes in the left hock."
The trainer says he seems to be able to handle light work so far, especially if she works him in straight lines instead of using the round pen. And then some folks say the joint should fuse and then he'll be OK. Still I worry. Any thoughts? Thanks, Jane
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2003 - 6:47 am:
Jane check out the article » Equine Diseases » Lameness » Diseases of the Upper Rear Limb » Overview of Diseases of the Hock (Tarsus). It will discuss treatment and prognosis by the particular joint space involved. It also gives you links to more information on joint fusion.
Young horses that develop arthritis that have not been trained excessively often have a congenital instability in the joint, possibly OCD that is not radiographically evident. Rereading your posts I realize I have been making an assumption that your horse is lame and that it blocked out in the joint spaces you list above?
DrO
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Member:
Calajane
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2003 - 4:32 pm:
I'm not sure what "blocked out" means. If it refers to that test where they anesthetise different parts of the leg, I don't think it was ever completed because he got progressively lamer as the test progressed. (They originally suspected OCD of the stifle.) He's not currently lame, but gets stumbly as he tires. I'll check out the article. Thanks. Jane
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 28, 2003 - 6:59 am:
Since the source of the lameness was never localized, it is important to remember that the diagnosis of lameness and the prediction of future lameness from radiographic lesions alone is difficult: many sound horses have lesions. We have even less faith in the significance of a bone scan in unlocalized lameness. See also the article on Overview of Lameness Diagnosis for more on this.
DrO
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