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Discussion on Bog Spavin in 3yr old - no lameness, clean x-rays
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New Member:
Stricch
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Posted on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 - 1:22 pm:
Hi Doc,
I've joined this forum specifically to ask your opinion on this.
I have a very strong, very sound 3 year old TB/Percheron filly who just two weeks ago showed filling in the right hock joint capsule. It occurred while I was away, and the trainer rode her for me (a bit of trails) but said she didn't recall her stumbling or doing anything supsect. She also was getting turned out daily with others at the time, hilly terrain and she runs and plays frequently.
The swollen regions were mildly warm but not hot by any means. She was perfectly sound. I had the vet come out to take x-rays (worrying about OCD), and they came back clean. She also trotted off with zero lameness after a flex test.
Since that day, I have been icing and keeping her in (and not riding her) - the swelling has gone down significantly since that first day, however it is not back to completely normal... hard to describe but I'd say there's about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch distention past normal on the front point of the joint capsule, and similar on the outside. I can also push the fluid back and forth (pressure on outside pushes fluid to front). I tried her on bute and saw significant swelling reduction, but don't want to keep her on it.
The vet recommended draining and injecting, which I really have no interest in doing - unless and until aggressive icing and rest prove that nothing will make the swelling go, and unless I'm told that without injecting she risks further injury.
So my questions:
1.) Since the x-rays are clean, do you think she just tweaked herself somehow? If so, am I following the proper regimen, and for how long do I continue the ice and rest?
2.) Will the swelling ever go back to normal? If not, how do I know when I can start riding her again? Or can I be riding her now because she shows no lameness?
3.) Because she is a draft cross and still growing, should I have her other hock and stifles x-rayed just to be sure she isn't showing any signs of OCD?
4.) She has been on alfalfa/oat cubes, with oat hay, plus clovite, and turned out 10 hours/day plus ridden 4x week. I just moved her to another stable where they feed alfalfa-only cubes and oat hay, and there is no turnout - so I'm cutting her cubes in half (1/2 bucket) and keeping her on the oat hay and clovite; I've also added MSM to her diet to help with the joint issue. Am I doing the right things for her nutritionally?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 6:43 am:
Welcome Stricch
1) Unfortunately clean radiographs do not rule out OCD and its related diseases, so this is still possible. But without such evidence and never any lameness I don't see any reason we should not consider this a tweak.
2) Perhaps, but injection with hyaluronate and a short acting corticosteroid are excellent therapy for synovitis that could help your horse long term if the swelling is inflammatory. I also have had some that required a bit of pressure which we delivered through a commercial hock boot that was padded with cotton. You can begin riding when you are convinced the horse will get no better plus 30 days.
3) I don't think so.
4) If I understand your post right she is still getting the same amount of alfalfa and the oats are gone. There is really not enough information here for me to know if this is a proper diet: what is the quality of the oat hay and how many lbs of alfalfa is that a day?
The MSM is a waste of time. For further information you should consult the articles: Equine Diseases » Lameness » Joint & Bone Diseases » Arthritis and DJD: An Overview and Care for Horses » Nutrition » Equine Nutrition an Overview of Feeding Horses. Though the article is mainly on chronic forms of arthritis the treatment for acute inflammation is very similar.
DrO
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Member:
Miamoo
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Posted on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 10:46 am:
I had a mare get a bog spavin after a puncture injury. It was big and bloated and ugly. I asked my vet and she thought it would always be there but cause no harm. I wanted to do something, so to humor me she said that I could try a magnet hock boot at night. She didn't think it would do any good but wouldn't hurt anything. Well I got the magnet boot and used it nights for about 6 months. If I look carefully I can now tell which hock was filled with fluid but it is not easy. Am I sure it was the magnet boot - no. It might have gone down on its own but the difference was so dramatic for a situation that my vet thought was permanent that I would absolutely use it again. Stuck On You is a company that has great magnet boots. If you go to google and type in the name it will come up if you are interested.
Ella 
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 8:29 am:
It was not the magnetic in the boot Ella, though if it fit snuggly the pressure may have helped. For more on effective therapy see the article associated with this discussion.
DrO
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