Can a horse recover from a bone spavin?
Treatment of Bone Spavin Bony changes of the lower hock joint are irreversible. It is possible, however, to manage the problem and thereby slow the progression of the bone spavin, ease the pain, and control the lameness. Surgery is an option for horses that do not respond to conventional treatments.
How is bone spavin diagnosed?
A thorough lameness exam, coupled with the horse’s history, aids in making a diagnosis. Ultimately, radiographs of the affected joints can confirm bone spavin. The type of treatment depends on the severity of the disease and the anticipated future use of the horse.
How do you prevent bone spavin in horses?
Dressage, show jumping, hunting, and racing all place high stress on the hocks, and care should be taken to allow for the joints to rest to avoid the formation of bone spavins.
Would you buy a horse with a 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.
What causes bone spavin in horses?
Bone spavin is a bony growth within the lower hock joint of horse or cattle. It is caused by osteoarthritis, and the degree of lameness that results can be serious enough to end a horse’s competitive career.
Do bog Spavins go away?
If the bog spavin is drained then it will simply refill unless the underlying cause has healed or been treated. In many cases it may be difficult to achieve resolution of the distension. Treatment may involve injection of corticosteroids or hyaluronan into the joint and some cases may require arthroscopic surgery.
Is spavin hereditary in horses?
It is most frequently seen in mature performance and pleasure horses but can also be seen in young racehorses. It is thought to be caused by repeated compression and rotation of the small bones within the hock; although in some breeds e.g. Icelandic there may also be a hereditary component.
What do you do with a horse bog spavin?
Treatment will depend upon the underlying cause. 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.
How do you cure bog spavin?
If your horse is young, bog spavin will often resolve itself with rest and compression bandaging. However, surgical drainage of the joint may be necessary followed by anti-inflammatory injections directly into the joint.
How does a horse get 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.
Will a bog spavin go away?
Is Bone spavin hereditary?
It is thought to be caused by repeated compression and rotation of the small bones within the hock; although in some breeds e.g. Icelandic there may also be a hereditary component. Horses with poor hock conformation e.g. sickle or cow hocks are more prone to develop the condition.
Bone spavin is also associated with horses that have had infections of the hock joints, metabolic bone disease, fracture or developmental problems. Unfavorable conformation such as sickle or cow hocks create increased stress on the inside part of the distal hock joints and can result in bone spavin.
What is a bone spavin?
A bone spavin is an overgrowth of bone in the lower hock joints that can cause severe pain as well as interfering with the range of motion in the hind legs.
What is jack spavin in horses?
Jack spavin – This is an unusually large bone spavin that is found on the inside of the hock. Juvenile spavin – These are spavins in horses that are under three years old; unlike adult forms of spavin, this is usually caused by diseases and congenital disorders, such as osteochondrosis or cuboidal bone distortion.
What is bog spavin in horses?
Spavin in Horses. ‘Spavin’ is a common condition in ponies and horses of all ages. There are two forms of spavin – bone spavin and bog spavin. Both affect the hock. 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.