Arthritis in 7-year-old

Question
Dear Lana,

My 17.3 hand Westphalian gelding, who turns seven this month, has started to show mild lameness in the hind legs the past few days (seems to drop one hip very slightly more on one side than the other in the trot). The vet diagnosed soreness in both hocks and stifles, saying it is the start of arthritis, and recommended injections to the joint.

As this is a dressage horse, he is expected to carry a lot of weight on his quarters. However, isn't he a bit young to develop arthritis? Do you think I should go for the injections, or is there a danger of administering such treatment at this young age? Are there other treatment options available? I am placing him on a joint supplement (Cortaflex) to help him, but is it enough?

I have asked two trainers for their opinions, and both have contradicted each other. One thought it was better to give the horse a few days off and then bring him back to work, and the other strongly suggested that I don't wait on the condition until it gets worse, and that I go for the shots. Please help!

Duaa

Answer
Hello Duaa;

There are a lot of variables involved here, possible scenerios and routes to explore.

Unless your vet took x-rays and showed you changes in the joints and bones, he's guessing, though he may have guessed correctly.

You have to consider the size of your horse, and the amount of strain his joints take even though correct riding should eleviate that stress.

Yes, horses as young as 7 can develop arthritis, they can start to develop it even earlier in life, as early as weanlings.  Nutrition, genetics, injuries, exercise and so on, all play a roll.

Your first step is determining if it really is arthritis, or if it's something else.  Is he lamer on soft or hard ground?  Soft ground lameness would indicate soft tissue, hard ground would be joints/feet.  

Is he really, truly being ridden from back to front, or is he in a false frame or 'faking' engagement, thus hollowing himself and putting strain on his body.  

Does his saddle fit, or is he tight and hollow behind the withers?  Does he have hot spots or areas of sensitivity along his back or loins, or in his hindquarter anywhere?

Has he slipped, taken a bad step, played rough etc... and has put himself out of alignment and just needs a good massage and chiropractic adjustment to get him on his way.  Has he been over-worked?  

What's his conformation like?  It's rarely the stifles that are an issue, but if they are, is it because of being post-legged behind, or from stabbing his back feet toe first into the ground, rather than landing heel first?  Or does he twist his hind foot or leg when landing or pushing off? These last would indicate that the feet are the culprits.  

The list goes on Duaa, but surely you can see the importance of getting hard facts before you can make an educated decision about the best course of treatment for him.

In terms of injections, cortisone eleviates inflammation and pain, lasts anywhere from 1-3 months and then needs to be repeated unless the initial cause has been addressed.  Long term use of cortisone results in joint degradation.

Hyaluric (sp? sorry, I can never remember how to spell it) acid is a better choice, more expensive.  Lasts 6-12 months and is meant to improve joint fluid viscosity.

Then you have Adequan and Legend, which combine active ingredients.  

X-rays, and taking a sample of the hock fluid would go a long way in telling you which way you need to go, if at all in this direction.  You need a 'lameness' specialist...like a track vet, not a 'regular' vet to help you with this.

I'd have to see pictures of him, probably see him move to help you much further (which I'd be happy to...you can go to my website for details), but don't dismiss having a chiropractor, massage therapist or even acupuncturist look at him.  It's possible to have more than one thing going on at a time. It might be as simple as a jammed pelvis.

If it turns out that it really is arthritis then you've got a million things to choose from.  First and foremost you have to make sure that you ride him sympathetically and as correctly as humanly possible, so that he uses himself the most efficiently and with the least stress on his body.  He does need to be in a regular routine if he has arthritis as time off is deadly to an arthritis sufferer.

You'll need to choose some supplimentation for him.  Things that decrease inflammation and pain, things that increase circulation and then things that help stop the arthritis from progressing.  Consider things like calcium, magnesium, Vit C, glucosamine sulfate, ginger, prickly ash, white willow, ruta grav, scullcap, etc., etc., are all things to research and consider along with the possibility of injecting.  Arthritis requires diligent maintainance and some experimentation to find the right combination of suppliments best for that individual.

I'm sorry I can't give you a 1,2,3, list of what to do.  It's just not that simple, but start first with making sure there's no doubt in your mind that it is arthritis.  Then go from there.

Best wishes!

Sincerely,

Lana Reinhardt
www.eq-paradise.com