Please read, I feel like I'm failing her........

A

Alexia

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May 21, 2005
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My beautiful horse is getting worse and I don't know what else I can do!?

She is 28 and the problem is her back legs, arthritus at a guess (never been diagnosed as this by the vet). The mobility / flexion in her hind legs, one in particular is vertualy none exsistant.

It's breaking my heart to she my beautiful girl getting older and all that comes with old age.

Her mind is fine, she thinks she's in her teens again!

She wears Bio flow magnetic boots when shes in her stable to aid the circulation. I try to stretch her joints as often as possible in the attempt to maintain any suppleness, she is on a maintenance dose of danalon (anti inflamatory).

What else can I do?

Is walking / exercise a good options, or do you think that would cause the joints to cease even more? Should I up the danalon dose that she's on? Does anyone have any ideas / tips on oils, herbs anything natural / alternative? Is Arnica good for inflamtion?

Please offer guidance, I feel like I'm beginning to fail her!

xx
 
:(

((hugs)) It's horrible to see them age.

I think at her age, there'd be no harm in upping her Danilon dose - Rambo was on 2 sachets a day and went completely sound (arthritis). You could also try Devil's Relief, which is a herbal join pain supplement + Equiflex, Cortaflex, etc -- they really do seem to help. If poss I would go for 24/7 turnout to keep things moving; only bring in for the worst of weathers or if she's really unhappy.

Good luck!
 
How much Danalon is she on? Would the vets recommend putting the dose up to make her more comfty?

Maybe you need to get the vet out and discuss ALL options. If she lame she is stuffering some sort of pain.

As an alternative to bute, I have used Devils Claw in granules and had great results but I don't know if it would be enough pain relief for her.

Is she fed any joint suppliments?
 
Thank you for your kind words and replys, it really helps to be getting this off my chest.

emmathecheif:

She is on 1/2 a sachet every other day. I haven't yet spoken to the vets, was planning this for later today actually,

I wouldn't say she is lame, she's just stiff and finds it very difficult to bend her joints.

No she isn't on any other supplements now. Would it be ok to give Devils claw as well as the Danalon?

x
 
Is she on any sort of joint supplement? If not it would definetly be worth putting her on one. I would also speak to your vet and see what they advice, most vets are happy to give adivce over the phone. Gentle exercise will help loosen up the joints, but this will depend on how stiff she is, the best option would be to have her turned out as much as possible. In cold weather it's important to keep her legs warm so i would either keep her bandged when stable or get some leg wraps.
 
Alexia said:
Thank you for your kind words and replys, it really helps to be getting this off my chest.

emmathecheif:

She is on 1/2 a sachet every other day. I haven't yet spoken to the vets, was planning this for later today actually,

I wouldn't say she is lame, she's just stiff and finds it very difficult to bend her joints.

No she isn't on any other supplements now. Would it be ok to give Devils claw as well as the Danalon?

x
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It's always best to get the go ahead from the vet, but I used to feed 1 scoop (tiny suppliment size scoop) of devils claw (it is totally natural) everyday then every now and then a sachet of bute if needed.

1/2 sachet doesn't sound like a lot. Our vet has recommended a whole sachet everyday for a navicular sufferer as long as she "checks" all his vitals every 6 months. And he still has buteless (which is like devils claw but in a liquid)
 
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My neice had a little 32yr old section a on loan a while back, she had awful arthritis. Some days my sister would go to see her and she wood be stood still and refuse to move or just colapse. The owners refused to have her put to sleep and my sister spent hundreds on vet bills, until our farrier told her to try this supplement called Mobility.
The pony became sound very quickly and returned to her cheeky, bombing around the field self and managed to do some pony club and even some childrens meets too.
She was perfectly happy and went on to live till she was nearly 38yrs old.
Maybe it's worth a try?
Goodluck x
 
1/2 a sachet is nothing unless she is shetland sized, and realistically at her age, hard as it is, it's more about comfort now than side effects later. they can be on bute for many years without any problems - if she were 4 i'd worry about long term bute, but not in the 20s.

ther is plenty you can do - i put my old man (25) onto riaflex last winter and the first time he trotted i nearly came off the back, he went forward so well. he is off it in the summer as it's rain and cold that seize him up, he will go back on it in a couple of months and then year round when he needs to. i've heard consistently good results about riaflex, so i'd start that before thinking about upping bute or using devils claw.

i would also use more bute rather than devils claw, as it's known strength and tested, whereas DC can vary in makeup and intensity.

28 is a good age to be only now needing some help, so i am sure that with the right supplements you can have a good few years with your girl yet.

with my boy, i have started on riaflex in winter, next step will be all year round, and then bute as needed. i'd have no hesitation in having him on a bute a day for the rest of his life now.
 
Serendipity thats an amazing story, thankyou so much, it's so hopeful. I shall look up 'mobility' on the net.

I agree 1/2 sachet isn't really a lot, it was always meant as a maintanence dose but that was almost a year ago now so I really think, due to her deterioration in the past couple of weeks it's time for a review.

Keeping her out 24/7 is what I certainly try and do, she is much better out. With regards to keeping her legs warm, I'd love to think this was possible when out as well, but is there any boots / wraps that maintain warmth but are also water proof?

Thank you all again, I can't emphasize how much this is helping to talk through things xx
 
Poor you :(

First of all I'd get the vet out to give her an all over check as well as examining her hind legs. I can understand if you don't want to do this for rear of what you might find but to be honest is it going to be any worse than you're imagining? If you know exactly what you're dealing with it's easier to get correct treatment.

At her age I'd have no qualms about upping her Danilon if it will keep her comfortable, 1/2 a sachet every other day is a very low dose unless she's a tiny pony. It sounds horrid but it's not like a young horse when you're worried about long term damage.

Cortaflex (or similar) may be worth a try. It seems what works really well for one isn't as successful for another so you may need to try a few. It may also be worth adding some oil to her diet - have a look into it bvecause I can't remember whether it's omega 3 or omega 6 you should be looking for for most benefit.

If the vet doesn'tthink it would cause problems then I'd definately keep her in light exercise, even if you need to increase her bute initially. I'd start by walking in hand.

For herbal advice Hilton Herbs are good.

I hope you can keep her comfortable. Please don't blame yourself or feel that you're failing her - you can't make her young again no matter how hard you wish. Sadly this is the cost of caring so much for our friends :(
 
Carthorse that has brougth tears to my eyes (happy tears) it's so true we love them so much and the thought of loosing her is heart breaking but ultimately all the memories out weigh what ultimately is inevitable (at least I hope thay wil :rolleyes:)

About to phone my vet now

x
 
My vet is off today!! :rolleyes: Honestly you'd think they'd work all hours :) Never mind, I've left a message for him to give my a ring at his convinence.

Am going to have a brouse now at all of yours recommendations x
 
I'd be tempted to up the Danolon but wary of the bute-long term liver damage, so I've heard. It depends if you want her just comfortable in the field or sound enough to ride. If it's her stifles locking, I'd think just keep her comfortable so she has a good quality of life. Can highly recommend Devil's Relief.:)
 
I've had a brief look at Riaflex and mobility (inbetween the work I should be doing! :eek:) Both look good, Riaflex possibly more so? mobility just reads very much like another supplement she used to be on but had little to no effect. It can be very confusing but there is a number for a woman called Kate and they say to call her for advice on the Riaflex which I will do.

Going back to the whole magnetic therapy (her boots really help her in the stable) Has any one heard / experienced a horse wearing a magnetic band round its fetlock, like we would wear a copper braclet?

xx
 
have an ex racehorse at work whos only 16 but has terrible joints and he gets a teaspoon of powdered aspirin every evening with his feed, and a scoop of newmarket joint supplement plus a scoop of veteran supplement and that helps him ALOT. dont know if that would be any help to you?
 
i agree regards the danilon that dose is way too low, i have a miniature shetland who has had it daily since january, most the time its half a sachet a day but odd times ive had to give him a full one, although the past 2 weeks he has had a full one everyday as he is getting worse with his joints, im in the process of trying different suppliments to try and help him so when i find one i'll try and let you know :)

good luck
 
Sorry to hear about your girl.

My old boy is 32 now. He is sometimes very stiff in his back end. I considered long term bute in winter but luckily managed to get away without using it every day. Our vet is quite happy for him to have one or two sachets a day if he needs it, she left me a huge box.

He has magnetic boots sometimes and in cold weather leg warmers. I find that if its cold and wet he's better in than out as long as he gets a few hours a day in the field and a couple of walks (or rides).

I have found that pampering works, even in summer he wears a lightweight turnout if its raining and a light fleece at night, it does him good to be kept really warm. I always think he's the same as old people, they feel the cold more too.

He's better when he's in light work, I dont work him on bute but if he's done something which I think might make him stiff the next day he gets a sachet. He needs Bute before the farrier as he doesn't like his legs lifting too high, but then again he hates not being shod :rolleyes:

If he hasn't done much for a while he will stiffen up, I then give him Bute for a couple of days which encourages him to start moving well again, and galloping round the field, I then stop the Bute.

He is on veteran mix and cortaflex, I did use devils claw up to last year but that has stopped being so effective.
 
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