How Do You Treat Bone Spavin In Horses?

Limits on activity, adequate rest and the use of ice packs may reduce acute mild inflammation and swelling. For more severe, established cases of bone spavin, analgesics, anti-inflammatory medications, exercise management and even surgery may be required.

Can a horse recover from a bone spavin?

Many horses suffering from bone spavin will return to soundness and normal work but it can take six months to two years for full recovery in some cases. Some affected horses are left with a residual lameness or gait abnormality and are retired or resume work at a lower level.

How can I help my horse with bone spavin?

It is best for a horse with bone spavin to be exercised daily. Preferably, this should be ridden or driven work, as lunging exercise places uneven stress on the joint. Pasture turnout may not be beneficial if the horse does not move much.

What is the difference between bog spavin and bone spavin?

Bog spavin should not be treated lightly, and it is best to have a veterinarian examine the horse to find the cause, even if the horse does not appear lame. Unlike bone spavin, bog spavin does not show any changes to the bone itself.

What causes spavin?

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.

What are symptoms of bone spavin in horses?

Signs of bone spavin vary according to the severity of the disease and could include:

• Lameness.
• Joint swelling that lasts for more than two weeks.
• Excessive synovial fluid.
• Persistent pain or stiffness around the joint.
• Pain when the hock is flexed.
• Heat around the joints.

How long does it take for hock injections to work?

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.

Are hock injections effective?

Hock injections can be a short-term solution, but are not a cure, in cases of advanced progression of joint damage. Injections are also sometimes done to temporarily anesthetize a joint to make a definitive diagnosis in evaluating lameness.

How long does it take for horses hocks to fuse?

Fusion typically occurs between 8-10 months following MIA introduction into the affected joint(s). Once fused, the distal tarsal joints are no longer a source of pain or lameness. If you have any questions regarding Hock Fusion in the horse please call our office at (678) 867-2577.

Should I buy a horse with bog spavin?

Simply having a bog spavin does not preclude a horse from upper-level dressage or other elite competition. But it might signal a weakness, previous problem or injury, and therefore a horse that has a bog spavin should be carefully examined to determine the cause.

Is bog spavin painful?

It may first appear as a soft swelling or bog spavin or begin as an arthritis. Signs of spavin pain are evident when the affected hind leg is picked up or when the affected leg is made to support all the horse’s weight as the other is picked up. The horse will seem stiff and painful when it is being trimmed or shod.

What do you do with a bog spavin?

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 is a spavin test?

Pelvic limb flexion (“spavin testing”) during active lameness evaluation is an accurate and widely used detector of distal tarsitis. A positive response results in increased lameness and hypermetria following 60-90 seconds of pelvic limb flexion prior to trotting.

Can you ride a horse with fused hocks?

Once the hocks are fused, any discomfort or lameness tends to be eliminated, and the horse should usually be able to carry on in normal work.

Where is the spavin on a horse?

hock joints
Bog spavin is excessive fluid in the largest of the hock joints. This can result in slight or severe enlargement of the hock. One or both hocks may be affected. It is more commonly seen in younger horses, although it can occur at any age.

Why are my horses hocks clicking?

They may sound alarming, but periodic pops or clicks coming from the joints of a comfortable, sound horse are nothing to fret about. Noisy joints in horses are caused by the same physiological process that allows you to “crack” your knuckles: Stretching of the joint capsule releases gas within the fluid rapidly.

How do I know if my horse needs hocks injected?

To tell if your horse needs hock injections, look for changes in behavior that might indicate that your horse has pain in its hock, or hindquarters. This might include refusing to jump fences, excessive bucking, trying to bite you, or general bad temper.

How do I know if my horse has hock pain?

Common signs of hock problems can include:

1. Shortened hind end gait.
2. Reluctance to engage from the hind end.
3. Reduced spring over jumps.
4. Shifting weight when standing still.
5. Resistance to going downhill.
6. Stiffness that resolves during warm-up.
7. Heat and swelling in the hock area.

How long should a horse be on stall rest after hock injections?

Your horse will need to remain on stall rest for the next 24 hours with no turnout or exercise. Some veterinarians recommend you hand-walk your horse periodically the following day. It is not recommended to ride your horse immediately after a joint injection.

Why do horses need stall rest after hock injections?

Immediately after injections, your horse should be stalled overnight in order to keep the bandages dry and in place. The bandages should stay on overnight or for at least 4 hours. In the week following the injections, your horse will have gradually increased turnout and exercise.

How often do horses need their hocks injected?

Hock injections can be effective anywhere from 6-12 months. If your hock injections are only lasting 8-10 weeks, your horse may be a candidate for laser arthrodesis (surgical fusion).