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Okay guys. I have been MIA for a while due to my increased work schedule but I'm back because I need some advice and opinions.
Let me preface this by saying, YES, I AM working with my vet. I am just looking for outside ideas we have not thought of yet.
I got my horse's hocks injected for the first time on March 24th. By April 4th, his right hock was HUGE, but no pain/lameness. Vet came out and ran a synovial fluid test, which Michigan State concluded showed no sign of infection. Remi has been on bute for about 6 weeks total now. Cold hosing stopped working as all hear went away, but swelling persisted. He has never been lame on the leg.
We took him off bute Monday May 8th and let him sit for a week with no riding, no bute and getting turned out daily. Swelling stayed the same, still totally sound.
Vet finally gave the okay to ride and see how he does. I rode yesterday, may 16th, for 20 minutes. Mostly walk, some trot, and did ONE 20m canter circle each direction to feel for any lameness under saddle. He was totally fine, felt great, worked well! I did not put him into a frame or really push him at all. After I rode, I cold hosed the leg and applied Absorbine veterinary liniment. I also gave him some grain with a scoop of EasyWillow just in case. He turned out, trotted off fine.
I go out today to ride him again and he is obviously ouchy on that leg. Head bobbing at the trot and at one point broke into a canter to avoid trotting, then held the leg up as much as possible for those few seconds of canter. Obviously I did not ride. Called the vet, he said to put him back on bute tonight and tomorrow morning and see how he is.
Does anyone have any ideas? I'm at a loss and I am extremely regretful for ever injecting his hocks because there HAS to be some correlation. I was trying to help him be more comfortable and I feel as though I've ruined my horse.
I'm on my phone so I can't post a picture right now, I will post when I can; the swelling is mostly on the inside right along the joint that was injected. It's very squishy but still feel no heat in it, even now that he is lame. |
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What is the vet's opinion of the swollen hock? because there is an obvious related problem there.
If he isnt doing any diagnostic work of that hock, then I would be looking for a second opinion at this point.
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He ran the sumo ial fluid test but that's all he's done so far. I'm assuming he will move on to x ray and/or ultrasound now that he is lame. |
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<span style="font-size: 22.309px;">Letting them stand is the worst possible thing to do, I have a saddlebred gelding that gets his hocks injected. He does get swelling if he stands in a stall, so if your not riding he or she needs to be as active as possible |
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I would find another vet to get their opinion just to be sure You could look into herbal remedies to try and ease the pain (I don't know any my self but others do) maybe massage therapy |
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What did the vet inject into the hock? |
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It could be any variety of things. From a thyroid issue, to allergic reaction to the injection. Whether a reaction to the needle or the fluid. But if the Sin. Fluid is ok take a daily preferably twice daily feel of the skin on his hock. Is it squishie? Is it hard? Cold or hot? Make a check up of it that will help you correlate other things. Good days, bad days, if it's his feed, grain, exercise, etc.
Hand walking and cold hosing are good. If he sits too long and atrophies the swelling could potentially cause issues. Plus you'll want to use up the fluid if he begins creating too much.
It could, could be a strained tendon. Don't quote me, but if it is those take longer to heal and require hand walking and no funny business. Sounds a bit like it could be, but a second opinion from another vet is looking like your better option. |
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Definitely get a second opinion.
*SteamPunk Stables* said:
<span style="font-size: 22.309px;">Letting them stand is the worst possible thing to do, I have a saddlebred gelding that gets his hocks injected. He does get swelling if he stands in a stall, so if your not riding he or she needs to be as active as possible
Like SteamPunk said, walking is the best thing. Are you still hosing it? |
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I fail to understand why he was on bute in the first place if there was no obvious sign of pain. My QH x has one hock that has recently always swollen. Never had a vet out. For a couple of reasons - one she is not in any pain - most likely a capped hock she is in full work and training level2/3 dressage movements fine. Second is vets tend to play around with one symptom and forget the whole system.
My advice is look at what other options of pain relief you can use , bute is really not that helpful unless the horse is in incredible pain and can cause more harm than good. He might not feel the pain , therefore over do it.
You haven't mentioned what his diet is - my mare is a lamanitic case with metabolic syndrome and lives on a no grass track (outside) with soaked hay and 1 hardfeed with all her minerals and salt in. Thats it! I find the swelling is involved with when she gets an increase of sugar in her diet - makes sense! sugar is inflammatory
Look at providing joint support - in terms of a proper joint supplement - please do your research as some are expensive and are not actually taken up by the body
There are many natural ligment products on the market to apply to that area - this will help ease the pain
Be careful of the ground you are working on - avoid anything that is too difficult for him - sand will be hard work as well as summer hard ground
Vets are good in their own right yes , but I would contact someone who is more clued up on joints - they might be able to work out where the injury is stemming from - most likely it is higher up and the fluid is pooling there they might even be able to treat it. Good luck
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I hope he feels better. No suggestions on the hock situation, but I just wanted to let you know that if he was on Bute for more than a couple days, he has stomach ulcers. That combined with the lameness, get him on ulcer meds asap. Good luck! |
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Sunny
