These are questions you should have asked your vet before he gave the
first shot to your horse.
Most vets recommend a series of shots of Adequan. One a week for 4 weeks
I think. Then, one a month for the ride season. Some horses have an
immediate reaction to the first shot, some never show improvement.
You can't predict when you'll see an improvement.
If the drugs work, then once you see a marked improvement, and the horse
is no longer lame, you can go back to work. You should start out as
if it were the beginning of training season. Then increase your work
to the current level. If the shots work, then your horse can compete
again. When training, make sure there is no lameness, not even the
slightest stiffness.
BUT the arthritis is an indication that the level of work has
already hurt his joints. This may have been from training and nutrition
as a foal, or from the type of training that you are doing. You'll
need to make some changes in your training program.
>
>
> Have a 10 year old arabian gelding -- endurance horse with promise. Stiff
> for the past month and would work out of it as we walked. Just a day before
> a 50 here (Vermont) became severely lame, right hind in the hock. X-rays
> show arthritis and two tiny bone chips. Blood tests negative. Vet put him
> on Adequan today. My first experience with this drug, although I've heard
> of it a lot. Any advice or comments out there? If this stuff works, when
> should I see improvement? Is this a fix for the time being only. Should I
> consider surgery for the chips? Can this guy compete again. If it doesn't
> work, what are my other choices? Should I ride this guy? Thanks. Kevin
>
Other choices, there are powders of CS and MSM to use as suppliments.
There is Ledgen and other vet administered drugs. Check the archives
for previous discussions of these additives. If you decide to use the
additives, I have a table of prices and quantities from various vendors
that a friend put together.
-- Wendy\|/ /\ -O- /**\ /|\ /****\ /\ / \ /**\ Here there be dragons / /\ / \ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\/\/\ /\ / / \ / \ / \/\/ \/ \ /\/ \/\ /\ /\/ / / \/ \ / / \/ /\ \ / \ \ / \/ / / \/ \/ \ / \ \ / / \/ \/\ \ / \ / / \ __/__/_______/___/__\___\__________________________________________________
Wendy Milner HPDesk: wendy_milner@hp4000 Training Development Engineer HP-UX: wendy@fc.hp.com Mail Stop 46 Telnet: 229-2182 3404 E. Harmony Rd. AT&T: (970) 229-2182 Fort Collins, CO, 80525 FAX: (970) 229-4292