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  Discussion on Long term prognosis of bone spavin
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Posted on Friday, Apr 20, 2001 - 1:20 pm:

I have a 9 yr old Arabian gelding that injured his hock approx. 3 yrs ago. After the initial injury in which he was stalled for 6 weeks and just hand walked he was sound. Then in Sept of 2000 he came up lame and was positive on flexion test for hock pain. He was x-rayed and the front portion of the lowest joint was fused but the back portion remained open. I was told to continue to ride him as this would help to fuse the remaining portion of the joint and to bute 1gm for pain. I really dislike using bute long term in case of side affect ie ulcer. I have been told that once the joint completely fuses he will no longer have pain. I have him on glucusomine, msm, devils claw and use bute only when I ride him. I would like to know if anyone else has a horse that completed fusion and is sound. I am more than willing to wait for him but I want some positive input. Thank you so much for any time you can give me on this subject.

Posted on Friday, Apr 20, 2001 - 4:45 pm:

Hi Terri,

My horse has a very similar situation going (he is a 10 year old Arab). He has always stumbled a lot since I bought him a year ago. He passed the prepurchase exam with flying colors, but I noticed he was very heavy on the forehand and would stumble while being riden. He was also lying down for long periods of time and was extremely stiff upon rising. I had the vet come out and look at him. He recommended a cortisone injection (which seemed to immediately alleviate the stumbling and the pain ) and told me to ride, ride, ride. This was in January. I didn't have the x-rays done because my vet was confident with his prognosis, so I don't know to what degree his hock was injured.

To make a long, drawn out, story short, he stumbles every now and again, but not to the degree that he had. I put him on Corta-flx, which seems to be helping him. If it begins to increase, I may have another injection done. The recovery so far since January has been somewhat remarkable as far as I'm concerned. I'm beginning to see him build up his muscles in his hind quarters. He was on the thin and wimpy side when I got him. He's no Arnold Schwartznegger now, but it's nice to see him coming back into condition. The vet said the more I ride him, the faster the bones would fuse and he would become sound.

Regarding the bute, I haven't been using it.

Good luck!

Posted on Saturday, Apr 21, 2001 - 3:02 am:

Many years ago, I had a thoroughbred mare I picked up off a hack line. I planned to use her as a companion for a high-strung 5 yr. old App. She had a fused bone spavin in her hock. She appeared to be about 20 and was quiet and very well behaved and good for my App. She had hacked under western saddle all summer, so the first time I took her on the trails, I rode western.
We came to a fallen tree and she seemed to be setting herself up. Curious, I sat forward and let her take over. Well, she took one of the smoothest 2ft. jumps I'd ever ridden - western saddle and all. We returned immediately to the arena and switched tack....set up some cavaletti and x rails. She turned out to be one of the most polite, well-trained English pleasure and hunter hack I'd ever ridden.
For about 8 years, I taught beginners and intermediates on her. She was the first horse I had my nieces show on. In flat classes, she would switch her gaits on her own as soon as she heard the announcer. She even knew reverse.
I used only her to start people over fences. I could tie up her reins and put a large belt around her neck. An outside heel touch would put her into a smooth rocking chair canter and she would take 4 X rails twice around and then stop. Meanwhile, her rider could hang on the belt, flopping and flailing to their hearts content.
What a prize I got off that dusty hack line! She could never be shown above novice or in rated shows because the spavin caused her to hitch slightly in the rear. It probably was the reason she ended up on the hack line also
She side-passed, turned on forehand and haunches, extended trot, hand-gallop, counter-cantered, 2'6" jumps....she did it all. Her leg never bothered her - there was just that slight hitch. I know she had a little difficulty balancing on that foot during shoeing - and the farrier shod her "the way she wears that foot". If I remember correctly, he left the inside slightly higher on that foot.
She never had any treatment. The vet said she'd had a number of foals....I figure that after the spavin, the first owners must have pulled her from showing and bred her. Then, they probably dumped her.
She had trouble at only one point - when ( we thought - out of kindness ) we retired her. She became stiff, awkward and unthrifty. I gave her to a young girl then - along with lessons - on the condition that she treat the mare well. She did, and the mare ( around 30 now )came back astoundingly well - and began the show career of another young person.

Posted on Saturday, Apr 21, 2001 - 8:21 am:

We have had a number of horses in the practice over the years with fusion of the hocks (distal intratarsal and/or tarsometatarsal joints) that were sound or at least trail and show sound.

People would be surprised how many horses at the shows are a little off behind but because it is difficult to see it gets by at the shows. In my opinion to qualify for this term, show sound, the work that they are intended to do does not worsen the condition.
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 30, 2002 - 8:47 pm:

Hi and thank you to Elizabeth and Tammy for their input on bone spavin however something did not work right with my computer so I just received your postings last month. Here is an update, Allegacy is doing great I have had him re x-rayed and the fusion completed on the first tarsal joint and the middle is almost complete he is moving great! I do have another question for Dr.O what are your thoughts on using him for competitive trail and limited distance?

Posted on Wednesday, May 1, 2002 - 7:03 am:

It is hard to know Terri. Most horses with arthritis in one joint have a touch elsewhere. His age is OK, bring him along slow and watch carefully and you never know, it might be possible.
DrO
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