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  Discussion on Fusion without surgical arthrodesis
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New Member:
Hmax

Posted on Thursday, Oct 23, 2003 - 7:51 pm:

My 7 yr old was diagnosed with bone spavin last October, (lower two joints in hock). Slight narrowing with bonespur on left hock, right looked normal but with bone spur. H/A into joints seemed to cause greater inflamation and worsen condition. Became increasingly lame (Unridaeable even with Bute) and ended up on box rest until Feb when vet advised Cunean Tenectomy and turn away. Cunean tenectomy revealed extensive adhesions and destroyed Bursa on left and tightness on right. 8 months on following 7 months field rest she is much improved in gait and length of stride however at times hops behind for a few strides and then appears normal. Vet did not wish to surgically fuse joints as felt it would be too traumatic and has advised exercise to naturally fuse them. I have not had her re-xrayed. Has anyone any experience like this and has anyone any idea how long it may be if she becomes sound.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Oct 24, 2003 - 8:03 am:

Hello Heather,
No two cases are alike and time to fusion will vary likewise. If there is remarkable inflammation present I suspect it will not be longer than a year however.
DrO
Member:
Hmax

Posted on Friday, Oct 24, 2003 - 1:22 pm:

Thank you for that. She seemed to worsen at first when back in exercise but then became really sound, moving really well and now seems to have worsened again. Sometimes there is heat (inside lower part of hock)which I suspect has to do with her activities in field and with exercise, most times though hocks cold. I have never dealt with this before so am not sure how her inflamation compares. Your reply re time frame has cheered me up so I will keep working and monitor her discomfort. Thank you once again.
Member:
Hmax

Posted on Sunday, Nov 16, 2003 - 5:29 pm:

Brought her back to vet for check up and she is now clinicaly sound after flexion and x-rays showed both joints fused at front and stable. That is one year on from diagnosis and x-ray.
A very qiuck turn around from a few weeks ago. Just thought it might give someone a bit of hope if in same situation.
Member:
Buddil

Posted on Monday, Nov 17, 2003 - 5:24 am:

Thanks so much for your update, Heather. I have a gelding that has been in the fusing process and it is nice to hear how others are doing with theirs. Did you do any injections or oral products or bute during this phase? My vet recommends injecting every 3 months (yikes!)and did that a few times but now I believe that is only prolonging the fusing so I have opted to not inject and see what happens. Mine has the front of the joint almost fused on one hock. Did your horse fuse front and back on either? Thanks again, please keep us posted, really helps the readers!
Cathy
Member:
Hmax

Posted on Monday, Nov 17, 2003 - 8:01 am:

I got injections of HA into both joints Oct 02 but she seemed to take a very inflammatory reaction to these so got nothing more into joints tho vet did do cunean tenectomy last feb on both.
Fusion on both on front only but this seems to be enough to stabalise her joints and vet says the rest will fuse but she is now stable and sound so bsaically back to proper work. I only rode her this past three or four months and gave no anti inflammatorys or nutriceuticals, I think her long spell in 15 acre field helped me out (bossy mare running with four others who did not take it easy!)Others tell me field rest generally doesn't help as much as excercise. I think I was lucky. What amazed me was apparent suddeness of soundness. Good luck with yours, hopefully it will not take too long
Member:
Goslow

Posted on Saturday, Nov 22, 2003 - 12:59 am:

I have a coming four year old AQHA gelding that was diagnosed with bone spavin in both hock joints after a nuclear bone scan and xrays. Treatment for this western pleasure show horse is exercise at low speed for long periods (ie 1-2 hours 3-4 times/week) which will eventually cause ankylosis of his distal hock joints. (Which won't happen since I work 9 hours a day and my time is limited for riding!) I can give him bute (which doesn't help). He should be kept in a permanent turnout to allow him the ability to move freely thereby speeding the process of joint fusion. (This is not possible either since I board him and he is stalled and allowed outside periodically due to lack of space and weather conditions.)

My question Dr. O is, if I want a speedy joint fusion, should I still be giving him a glucosamine/chronDrOitin supplement and injecting his hocks? Doesn't this just prolong the inevitable? What could the university done surgically that they opted out of? This was an insured horse....
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Nov 22, 2003 - 7:29 pm:

Yes if you wish to speed up fusion, I think it is logical not to give anti-inflammatory therapy except what is might be needed to continue to ride comfortably. If the diagnosis is correct is surprises me you do not see improvement with bute.
DrO
Member:
Goslow

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 11:06 am:

Dr. O.,
Thank you for your response. I am beginning to wonder if the problems I am having riding this horse arn't behavioral now? It started out with a reluctance to go forward freely. His actions are to turn his head around and try to bite my leg or circle tightly to the left. This was all truly unlike him as he is such a laid back horse and never had issues like this before. This is what led me to believe he was hurting somewhere. At one point before the bone scan he was given hock injections one day and 2 grams of bute on the third day and ridden one hour later with the same behavioral problem. He was slightly off on his right hind by wanting to swing the leg out instead of fully track it forward....
Should I be riding him at just the walk and trot at this point with no loping? He seems fine on his own without a rider and races around the arena with no apparent pain. Just shows an "attitude" when first asked to move out and in between each transition....
I was wondering if the Glucosamine would prolong the fusion since it is the lubrication of the joint that we are producing and if that lubrication were gone fusion would take place?
Let me know what you think,
Thanks!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Nov 23, 2003 - 7:46 pm:

You don't diagnose lameness by behavorial changes or a bone scan but by changes in gait. See Overview of Lameness for more on this.
DrO
Member:
Goslow

Posted on Monday, Nov 24, 2003 - 9:32 am:

He was slightly off on his right hind by wanting to swing the leg out instead of fully track it forward....
Should I be riding him at just the walk and trot at this point with no loping? He seems fine on his own without a rider and races around the arena with no apparent pain. Just shows an "attitude" when first asked to move out and in between each transition....
I was wondering if the Glucosamine would prolong the fusion since it is the lubrication of the joint that we are producing and if that lubrication were gone fusion would take place?
Let me know what you think,
Member:
Hmax

Posted on Monday, Nov 24, 2003 - 6:04 pm:

I had my mare shod with natural balance shoes behind to ease breakover and in front because it seemed like a good idea. I thought that it did help her gait behind making her more comfortable but I could have been imagining this. Just a suggestion.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Nov 24, 2003 - 7:10 pm:

I cannot make specific recommendations for your horse Susan because I cannot examine him, you should have these discussions with someone who can. But any recommendation is subject to change day to day depending on your horses response.

Note: this outward swing is not a reliable indicator of pain from arthritis of the hock, for symptoms of pain on weight bearing see the article on Overview of Lameness. Horses may do this either do to conformation, attempting to prevent upward fixation of the patella, or possibly a proprioceptive deficit seen in neurological disease.
DrO
Member:
Werner

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 7, 2004 - 11:18 am:

My horse was just x-rayed and found were some areas in both hocks that were fusing. I am using now Adequan injections to help make a healthier joint and bute for pain to keep some of the inflammation down. I hope to control the pain without having the hocks injected. I am continuing with her normal work. Has anyone else had any luck with this treatment?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jul 8, 2004 - 6:53 am:

Hello Kristi,
You will find discussions on these and other treatments in the article Arthritis and DJD: An Overview. You can select it off the navigation bar at the top of this frame.
DrO
New Member:
tentpeg

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013 - 6:36 am:

Is it possible to fuse the fetlock joint?
Guess not, but still wanted to confirm.

I suspect my mare is suffering from front right sesamoiditis. Is there a cure?
Any joint injection??

Must tell first that as I was away for a long time from where my mare was stabled, prompt care could not be taken.

A ring bone formation was noticed on her long pastern bone about 2 years ago and could not be treated.

DIAGNOSIS WITHOUT RADIOGRAPH TOOLS:
Over the last 1 year she has developed sesamoiditis, I believe. The right fetlock joint has grown at least 33% extra in diameter in comparison to her left fetlock. The growth is hard as bone and no soft tissue feeling is there at all when pressed.

My mare is in a remote location and radiography is almost impossible to perform. Pretty much no equine radiography available.

PROBLEM:
When at rest no she has no apparent pain.
Anytime she bucks and canters in jubilation or whenever ridden at a brisk trot to a light canter, the very next morning or evening she is lame. After a long rest she recovers.

HELP NEEDED:
I am determined to treat her so pl advice.
I suspect if medicine for navicular disease will work for her. Pl advice.

I have just signed up to get advice here. Pl help.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 4, 2013 - 6:20 pm:

Welcome tentpeg,
I believe we can help you with your questions but let me get you started off right so you can get the best answer as quick as possible.

You will get more responses if you start your own discussion rather than post at the bottom on another member's discussion. Each discussion is "owned" by the original poster and all replies in that discussion should either directly or indirectly address the concerns of the original poster.

To start your own discussion back up one page using the navigation bar at the top of this page. This will be a Article Page on Arthrodesis. Below the article you will find a list of already existing discussions on this topic. Under this list you will find the "Start New Discussion" button. This is a good topic on your subject so you should first review the article as it will have important information on your subject. Next check the titles of the already existing discussions to see if your question has already been answered.

As to your questions about sesamoiditis we do have a better article covering your topic where you can start your discussion. You will find it at HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Lameness » Diseases of the Lower Limb » Diseases of the Sesamoid Bones. This will be a Article Page on this topic. Below the article you will find a list of already existing discussions on this topic. Under this list you will find the "Start New Discussion" button. You should first review the article as it will have important information on your subject. Next check the titles of the already existing discussions to see if your question has already been answered.

If your question remains unanswered, now is the time to Start a New Discussion. Select a short title that describes your specific concern. A title like "Help!!!" does not help others find your specific topic. Instead something like "Ace for Colic?" allows others to rapidly find and understand what your topic is about just by viewing the title. This is likely to bring more responses from those with some experience with your topic and allows members to find answers to their questions quicker.
DrO
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