“I have a 26 year old mare with Arthritis.”…
One day a hind leg was swollen, no heat no lameness just stiff. tried some Bute she was same with Bute, also tried the vet wraps nothing is helping. It is going on 2 weeks what can I do for her?
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Jill:
You can try some heat therapy and massage, to see if you can manually reduce the swelling. Also do this in conjunction with Bute. Also, walking (if she is stall-bound) may help to decrease the swelling. There are different causes for swelling, and not all causes are alleviated with all therapies.
“Thank you for responding to my inquiry.”…
I have been using a muscle ointment green gel on her to help keep the muscles warm after riding her. I have made an appointment for a yearly vet check on the 30th to look her over thoroughly. In the meanwhile I will minimize my riding and just keep her warmed up since it has gotten really cold here in the NW lately. She is in a stall with alternate day turnout. Could that be contributing to the joint problem?
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Suzanne:
If arthritis is involved in the joint problem, then standing for prolonged periods can be contributory to her stiffness. The best thing for that is light exercise on a daily basis. Even a walk will keep her looser and moving. Good luck with her on her yearly evaluation. And it may be worth asking if your veterinarian needs to see her more frequently for this problem. Good luck.
” He has developed arthritis in his shoulder.”…
I have a gelding that’s between 20 and 25. He’s a grade horse so we are only guessing. He has developed arthritis in his shoulder. He used to be a roping horse long before I got him, now we just do a some trail riding. Earlier this summer the vet gave him some Ketoprophen and Dexamethasone and he seemed to do really well. I give him Glucosamine and hay every day. But, with the cold weather his leg seems to bother him. Is there any pain medication he can take long term. He’s in great shape other than his leg? Husband says it’s time to get rid of him but, I really need to try anything I can for him(selfishly, I don’t want another horse). I’m trying aspirin but, that is a battle mixing it in molasses and he still fights eating it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!! thanks, Vernetta
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Vernetta:
There are a few other things you can try. One of them is a new drug called Equiox. It is just like Bute, but better because its side effects are less. It is said to be “safer” for long term use.
Two other things that you can try have the best results when used together, but even do well by themselves. One is Legend and the other is Adequan. They are both injectable, and offer the best results when each is given more frequently in the beginning doses, and then can be backed off to once a month use (each of them). They are not inexpensive, but remember that you get what you pay for. These 2 products are very good.
The oral Glucosamine and Chondroitin supplements are excellent to use, and should be used every day. The recommended dose of Glucosamine is 10,000mg per day. So whatever supplement you are using, you want to adjust your daily dose to that, according to the label. If the product you are using doesn’t say how many mg of Glucosamine are in a scoop or pump (or however you dose it out), then you want to switch to a product that does tell you that. The oral supplements we use here are GLC 5500 and and Cosequin ASU, as we like them.
I agree with you – the oldies are the best! I just love the older horses. The senior citizens just seem to love to be doted on, and we feel so good when we are doing the doting. Good luck.
” I have a 30 yr old quarter horse that is now acting very stiff in the mornings almost lame but once he starts moving he seems better “…
Hello,
I have a question. I have a 30 yr old quarter horse that is now acting very stiff in the mornings almost lame but once he starts moving he seems better should I give him something for arthritis. I have a new vet and he thinks he might have Cushing’s disease because he has a longer coat but he has always been like that and there are no other signs except stiffness.
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Angel:
A joint supplement that contains Glucosamine 10,000 mg + Chondroitin sulfate should be given daily, and will likely benefit him. While every horse can respond differently to an oral supplement, some horses will show great improvement while others will show little. If you have him on an oral joint supplement and do not think he is getting any benefit from it (ie., seeing a change), I encourage you to switch to a different one. Your veterinarian can also offer you injectable joint supplements (Adequan, Legend). The great thing about these is that you know your horse is getting them, because they are injected. And, they are benefitting every joint in the body equally, because they are taken up systemically. They do have a higher cost, however. They are usually given once a month, after a “starting” dose (usually multiple doses in closer time frame). The biggest benefits are seen when used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, however even if you give them less often, your horse will still benefit from them. There are no known side effects from either the oral or the injectable joint supplements. On days when your horse is having a particularly tough time, you may opt to give him a dose of Bute. You can ask your veterinarian about this, as Bute is a prescription-only anti-inflammatory/analgesic. It is often used for arthritis. Long-term use can come with side effects. The good thing about all these supplements is that they don’t interfere with Cushing’s Disease or its treatment. By all means, if your veterinarian wants to test your horse for this, you should do it. As he/she is the treating doctor, you should always follow the given guidelines.
“Yesterday morning I noticed all her legs are swollen especially in the joints. “…
I have a 2.5 yr old Thoroughbred/Percheron mare. Yesterday morning I noticed all her legs are swollen especially in the joints. She has no other symptoms. Temp of 101.5 She is somewhat stiff. When I pick her feet up it seems uncomfortable to bend. I have not called a vet because my husband is out of work and money is tight right now. Any suggestions, or do I need a vet?
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
If you have any Butte or Banamine paste, this will help relieve the swelling and stiffness. If the horse does not get better or if he gets worse over the next 24 to 48 hours I would recommend a Veterinary Exam. Light walking and hosing (using a water hose on the lower legs) of the lower limbs would also be helpful. There is no way to determine what is going on without an exam. I hope this helps and good luck.
“This horse has TMJ…”
Hi, I am looking at a horse for one of my students and this horse has TMJ. Has anyone come across a similar situation and what kinds of problems might it pose? This horse is only 12 and is an Andalusion, quite beautiful and schooled exceptionally well. A good teaching horse for my student. Thanks for any info you might have.
Dr. Cheryl Rahal’s Answer:
Vicki – TMJ refers to the Temporal- Mandibular Joint, and when referred to as a ‘condition’, it likely means arthritis. This condition in horses is not very common, however was probably an under diagnosed condition in the past. With the progression of veterinary equine dentistry, I think we are getting better at recognizing the disease. So to answer your question, problems that arise are related to arthritis in the joint, a limited range of mobility with associated pain. If this horse’s profession will be high level dressage he may not be able to perform. It all depends on the degree of arthritis in the joints and the original cause. If the original cause was poor dentition and the teeth have been corrected the arthritis will likely progress slowly. Unfortunately all arthritis is progressive. I would recommend x-rays of the joints before making any purchase decisions.
“My horse has clicky joints in his hind legs…”
About 5 months ago I bought a 4 year old 16 hh Cob x TB gelding, which I had been rode for about 2 months before. I have noticed he has sometimes has extremely clicky joints in his hind legs. The click is either coming from his fetlocks or hocks. Do you have any ideas what I might be, if he is in pain and if there is any thing I can give him? Also after a month or two of having him he’s developed many lumps on his back, most are under the saddle area but there are some down his sides. They don’t seem to be causing him any pain. I have been applying tea tree oil daily which seems to have helped a little bit, but I would like to know what could be causing it and if there is anything better I could do for them. Thank you very much.
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Ashley
As far as the clicking that you are hearing coming from the hind limbs, this could be due to tight joints or possibly it could be coming from the stifles. A horse that is post legged or very straight up and down in conformation of the hind limb will occasionally partially lock in the stifle when they are being ridden. The joint supplements made up of chondrointin and glucosamine have been known to help eliminate this clicking of joints after a horse has been on it as a feed supplement for a few weeks. It may be worth a try. As far as the question on pain, the horse does not feel any pain from this problem normally. As far as the lumps are concerned, horses that are around cattle could actually pick up grub worms which will migrate under the skin and end up on the back, sometimes. This is a possibility, but there could be many other possible causes for the bumps. It would be wise to have a Veterinarian examine these bumps and also try and determine where the clicking is actually coming from to be sure of the cause.
“Why do my horse’s hocks pop?”
I have a 4-year old quarter horse. Recently his hocks, on occasion when you back him up, pop. There is no swelling, no fever, no obvious lameness, just this popping sound when you back. Do you have an idea of what the problem could be. I have only been riding him for about 18 months and it has been light riding/training. It does not happen all of the time, only sometimes. Please help! Thank you.
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Penny. That popping sound or clicking sound you hear when you back your horse up could be from a ligament or a tendon that is moving over a tight area of the bone, or could possibly be a ligament popping when a joint is being flexed or extended. Unless their is a lameness associated with this popping sound, there is usually no serious problem associated with this. It is similar to our own joints popping sometimes when they are being flexed or extended. Regular exercise to keep the joints and tendons and ligaments supple and healthy would be helpful. Be sure and warm your horse up before strenuous exercise, and although stretching is not done very commonly in the equine athlete, it would be helpful. Just picking the hind leg up and down a number of times or putting the horse on the walker or lunge line before strenuous exercise would be a good way to warm up. Horses that are not warmed up properly have a greater tendency to have tight ligaments and tendons which may produce that popping sound. If the sound gets worse instead of better, you should have a Veterinarian check it out.
