How do you treat bone spavin?
How do you treat bone spavin?
Can bone spavin be treated? Treatment for bone spavin, being a form of arthritis, aims to reduce pain either by reducing inflammation or reducing movement in the joint(s). In some cases there is a good response with anti-inflammatory medication such as phenylbutazone, while continuing exercise.
How long does it take for hock injections to take effect?
It may take two weeks to see the full effects. Benefits may last anywhere from weeks to a year or more, depending on how severe the problem is and how hard your horse works. Combining injections with other steps may extend the effects.
How long does it take for bone spavin to fuse?
Generally, fusion takes six to nine months to develop and, at most, 65% of treated horses are able to return to some work. An alternative means of fusion is to inject a chemical called sodium moniodoacetate (MIA) into the joints.
What causes bone spavin in horses?
Causes of Bone Spavin in Horses Conformational defects that affect the lower hind legs, such tarsus valgus and sickle-hocks, can lead to bone spavins. Poor trimming or shoeing can force the equine feet into an unnatural conformation, leading to bone spavins in horses with good natural conformation.
How do you treat bog spavin in horses?
Treatment will depend upon the underlying cause. Many horses with bog spavin do not require treatment. Rest and anti-inflammatory treatment such as phenylbutazone (bute) and topical anti-inflammatory gels can be useful in the early stages.
What causes bog spavin in horses?
What causes bog spavin? There are a number of causes, but most commonly bog spavin is caused by osteochondrosis in young horses. Other causes include biomechanical stresses, for example conformational faults such as straight hocks, sickle hocked or cow hocked; lameness in another limb; intense training.
How long does it take for horses hocks to fuse?
Joint fusion is usually achieved within six to ten months for 75 to 85% of horses, however, long term osteoarthritis may occur in the top two hock joints as well.
What are the symptoms of a bone spavin in a horse?
Symptoms of Bone Spavin in Horses. The symptoms of a bone spavin tend to become noticeable gradually, although this can still vary from horse to horse. Signs of stiffness and lameness tend to be worse during exercise and ease when the horse is still. Dragging of hind leg or legs. Hindlimb stiffness.
What are the radiographs of hocks with bone spavin?
Below are some radiographs of hocks with bone spavin. These X-rays are the same view of both hocks comparing one leg with the other. Both lower joints are affected on the right image showing osteolytic changes (bone being eaten away giving a lighter, fluffier appearance to the bone) and joint narrowing in particular of the tarso-metatarsal joint.
What causes bone spavin?
There are several conformational defects that contribute to bone spavin. Conformations that cause uneven loading of the hocks, such as “sickle hocks”, “in at the hocks” and “cow hocks”, are especially noteworthy (Fig. 2).
What is bog spavin in horses?
It is usually seen as two distinct swellings, one on the back and the other on the front of the hock joint. Joint fluid in the top joint increases in the sack and pushes out so it is visible. When a horse develops bog spavin, it is usually lame only if the condition is caused by stress.
