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  Discussion on Carpal spavin
Author Message
Member:
mleeb

Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 9:33 pm:

Hi
I've been running a search but can't seem to find any info on carpal spavin.

I've posted before for help with my QH gelding who has been diagnosed with arthritis in the navicular area (no point in getting into the details now). He's now very rideable and certainly not lame, although not quite 100% either.

Yesterday I took him to the vet for an HA injection IV, and mentioned the lump on his knee. The vet was very interested in it, and says he believes it is a carpal spavin. He has treated another horse with this problem, and I know the owners of that horse, so I do know that it was 100% successful (they had surgery done to fuse the bones).

Anyway, it's calving and foaling season here, and getting a vet for more than 5 minutes is tough. He suggested I run an internet search for some more info, as he knows I run to this site for most of my info, then go back and tell him what I want to do.


I just noticed the change in the knee about 3 weeks ago, and it does not seem to be bothering him. It's the left leg, and if you were to look at him dead on from the front and divide the knee into quarters, it would be the bottom inside quarter that shows the change. It is quite square.

I'm wondering what to expect from this, and what my options are for treatment, if necessary? Right now he gets glucosamine on a daily basis, and that has made a great deal of difference with the arthritis. Now that spring/summer is here, he will also be getting regular IV shots of HA. He is shod on front to enhance breakover and give him some protection. On the vets advice, he gets a gram of Bute on days he is being ridden, for the anti-inflammatory effect it has.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 7:56 am:

Hello Michelle,
I have never heard the term "carpal spavin" before. Bony spavin is a hard outgrowth (exostosis) of the bones around the distal hock and often associated with arthritis of those same joints.

Let us assume this means there is a bony swelling of the carpus (knee). The important questions are:
  • Which bone(s) has the exostosis and what other structures is it associated with?
  • What is the nature of the swelling?
  • Is there associated radiographic signs of arthritis?

You frequently find benign enlargements to the carpus but also common is that it is a harbinger of future arthritis. For more see, Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Diseases of the Upper Front Limb » Overview of Lameness of the Knee (Carpus).
DrO
Member:
mleeb

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 30, 2008 - 12:47 am:

Well, it's over a year later, and this same horse is now on permanent retirement. This spring his knee experience another sudden remodelling, and the result is that he is very lame. Deep flexion of the knee causes enough pain that it takes several minutes before he can fully extend the leg and bear weight on it, and he limps for quite a while.
I was just reading about research done at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (Saskatchewan) in which the carpometacarpal joint is fused. (www.ehrf.usask.ca) I don't know if this is an option for us, but if it is, I'm wondering about the recovery process? I can't seem to find any information about what the day-to-day procedure is for rehabilitating a horse after fusing this joint. Can you tell me what to expect before I go running off to the local vet for more x-rays and a referral?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 30, 2008 - 8:19 am:

Hello Michele,
I don't know the procedure Michelle and am uncertain this procedure results in riding soundness if that is your goal. Because the carpometacarpal joint communicates with the intercarpal joint fusion of one should create inflammation in the intercarpal joint. I did find that the procedure has been attempted in 8 cases at New Bolton in Pennsylvania but the expected prognosis and outcome is not clear by the summary I have. If interested I would have your veterinarian contact Dr Levine at New Bolton. I cannot find anything on the Canadian procedures.
DrO
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