From: mdresser@pbs.org (Melanie Dresser)
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Subject: Re: arthritis
Date: 17 Nov 92 19:40:23 GMT
Organization: PBS:Public Broadcasting Service, Alexandria, VA

In article <1992Nov15.155215.7016@netcom.com>, wcollins@netcom.com (Walter J. Collins) writes:
> In article <BxIqF0.DBK@inews.Intel.COM> jsnyder@cadev6.UUCP (Sallijan Snyder ) writes:
>>Flex-Free this summer to slow joint deterioration, and I intend to start 
>>using bute on days I work her this winter.  This mare is so willing to 
>>"go" that it's easy to dismiss the more subtle signs of discomfort, and 
>>her regular rider tends to miss the subtleties (or maybe I'm overly protective).
> 
> I'm curious what Flex-Free is: a drug or?  How does it work?
> 
> Also, I'm not sure using bute is a good idea.  You already say it is
> easy to miss the signs of the mares discomfort.  If you give her bute,
> it will lessen her discomfort, but if you work her while she is on
> the drug, it will be probably impossible to tell when you are
> stressing her joints too much.  If you meant giving her bute *after*
> the workout to reduce any possible swelling and left-over discomfort,
> I think that might work out well.
> 
> Kristin
> -- 
> wcollins@netcom.netcom.com  < Walt Collins / Kristin Harvey >
> 1011 New Hope St., #12-C  |  Norristown, PA  19401  |  (215)277-2567

I've been waiting till I had a few spare moments to post
on this subject and hopefully I've found them.

Probably the first thing to consider is where is the
arthritis located; arthritis in some joints cause more
problems than in other joints.
Quest was diagnosed with arthritis of the hock last spring.
And he has good days and bad days, but its important that he
be kept in work whether its a good day or not.  I just tend
to warm up longer and work less hard on his bad days.
He is on bute, every day that I expect to ride, which means
5-6 days a week he gets 1 gram of bute in the morning.  This
is to keep him somewhat comfortable so he can work.  He also
gets MSM and Equi-Flex, which I'm still trying to decide if
they are helpful or not.  I don't consider bute to be a long
term thing, just something to help him thru these rough stages.
And to be perfectly honest, I don't know how long I'll have to 
use it, but if I can buy time and not have to inject his 
joints as soon, then I'd prefer to bute.

We cannot stop the progress of arthritis, we can only make 
him comfortable while the disease runs its course, which can
be fast or slow depending on the initial causes (genetics,
conformation, overwork, etc).

Arthritis in the hock joint will eventually--hopefully--cause
the joint to fuse, which supposedly will make them sound again.  
The small bones in the hock, and there are several, do not need 
to flex and move and they can still flex what part they need to 
(I'm not explaining this part very well, sorry)--in other words,
fusing will not prevent motion, tho some level of engagement of
the hocks in collection will be restricted.
That fusion would be, I imagine, worse for the knee or fetlock,
cause those are joints that require much more action than a
hock.

Injecting the joint will eventually, in our case, have to be
done.  Some vets are more pro-active and want to inject right
away.  My vet prefers to wait.  You can inject with cortisone,
hyleronic acid (sp?), or Adequan.  The cortisone from what I
understand actually speeds up the excess bone formation (and
the fusing), and can reduce pain.  The hyleronic acid and
Adequan increase the fluid between the joint and both are
somewhat controversial (as in some horses respond and some
don't).  Both hyleronic acid and Adequan therapy are very
expensive.

We've had problems this year caused by bad farriery, (I didn't
get to ride hardly at all this summer as a result--but that's
a whole other subject) but we are slowly getting him balanced 
again (wow what a slow process), which will in itself help him
be more comfortable in the hocks.  A good farrier can do a
lot to help an arthritic horse, but there are no miracle
cures.  What I am finding out is that arthritis is not
uncommon among performance horses.

I have a ton of articles that were sent to me when I 
first discovered Quest had this problem.  Would this
info be worth compiling into a FAQ?

Sorry this got so long.

Melanie
  and Quest
-- 
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          Melanie L. Dresser	  mdresser@pbs.org    
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"In this world, you must be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant.
Well, for years I was smart; I recommend pleasant.  You may
quote me."  Elwood P. Dowd
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