Cold weather getting to horse with joint problems.

[Cimarron]

One of our geldings Smokey started having trouble walking a couple years ago. He is 15 this year. We had him to the vet several times couldnt figure out if it was a hoof problem or what. This went on for months. One day he could walk good and the next he could barely hobble around. The vet finally put him on a joint medicine called Conquer full time and he has done pretty good. One other time before that he was on equinox but he said he could only take it for a couple weeks then switch back to the Conquer. He has done very well till it has gotten cold and we are VERY COLD! Our highs since Christmas havent been over 30 only a couple days and around 12 degrees most days. Anyway we have lots of snow and it snowing again and we are suppose to have blizzard conditions again. and I am worried sick about him! On Christmas morning he was shivering so we put a blanket on him and he did better but then it got colder. We now have a heavier blanket on him and a heat lamp. I am in a wheelchair and havent been to the barn in about 2 weekw but my husband says he barely can walk out of his stall and he thinks he stands in the same area all day. We have a barn but it is open to the east. I dont know what to do for him and keep thinking we should put him down so he doesnt suffer but we couldnt even get the horse trailer out of the snow drifts if we wanted to take him to the vet. He was one of our first horses and my husband favorite. I am sorry! I am just upset and feel helpless. Any one else ever have this problem. I feel like an animal abuser. Sheila

 

[disneyhorse]

Is this a mini? Is your vet sure it's arthritis at only age 15 this badly? Could it be laminitis or anything else? Has he had any injuries that would aggravate it?

Without knowing complete medical history, it's so hard to say on a public forum.

I am sorry you are going through this, it's always hard when animals are not doing well.

Please keep us updated.

Andrea

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I am so sorry you're going through this. My Arab is almost 33 and he does okay in our regular winter temps (comparatively balmy 30's-40's) but once it starts to snow he shivers and can't stay warm. I blanket him and often put him on Bute to help with the aches but when it does get down to the teens he still looks so miserable I can't stand it. Heat lamps are good, low doses of pain medication are good, joint meds are good, really deep layers of straw or other air-trapping bedding are great...you can put on an insulated neck hood as well as the heavy blankets to help him keep the heat in. Really the best thing you can do though, assuming he's otherwise sound and not laminitic or such, is to give him a way to move around. I know he hurts but the more he stands around the more painful he'll get! Horses are meant to MOVE and the action of his frog pumping the blood back up into his body would help keep him healthy and warm. Being stalled is the worst thing for old arthritic horses as they stiffen up. Yours isn't that old, but if your husband could coax him to walk up and down the barn aisle for a few minutes each time he's out there maybe it would get him started. Obviously don't make him if the horse is in agony when he moves, but sometimes getting started is the hardest part.

Give him lots of hay (like practically free-choice if you can) and consider placing his water on the other side of his stall if you think he'll walk to it. You don't want to risk him not drinking but the more you can encourage him to move the better if he really is arthritic. I think if it were my horse I'd try thick straw or hay bedding to insulate his legs and cushion his hooves, the heat lamp, a hood and some Banamine to get him over the worst of it. You may have to let him go soon but as you pointed out now is not an easy time to do that.

Warm soupy beet pulp mashes are good too! Spyder gets all his meals with warm water the minute the temps drop below freezing and he seems to really appreciate that.

Leia

 

[SilverDollar]

I have a 28 year old pony who has been chronically laminitic for years (although 98% sound right now). One of the recommendations that I've been given for when the temperature drops--into the 30s here--is to wrap her legs with quilts and standing wraps. We are careful not to cause compression but the quilts do help to keep her legs warm, thus keeping the blood vessels open and the blood flowing freely. She doesn't get quite as stiff and it does seem to help her. Just something that we do here.

(I have a 32 year old full-size horse with advanced arthritis and it's just awful to see them in pain.

I just put him back on low-dose bute to ease some of the discomfort. Hated to do it but at his age, quality of life is most important.)

Hope your horse feels better soon.

 

[Cimarron]

Thanks for all the replies. He is a miniature horse and founder has been ruled out by the vet and two different farriers. He is not kept in a stall during the day can move around just doesnt do much that we can tell. We have him bedded down with hay and he has plenty to munch on during the night when he is in his stall. He is on the equinox which I understand is for pain. He is eating fine. If we can get thru the next few days hopefully he will improve. thanks for the support and advice. Sheila

 

[Miniv]

Adding some powdered MSM to his grain every day won't hurt him and is designed to help the JOINTS.

Ask your vet.

 

[albahurst]

Sheila-

I am so sorry to hear what your fellow is going through.

You have gotten great suggestions here. Hang in there.

 

[WeeOkie]

Sheila, just seeing your post. Do hope Smokey is getting better. Tell Pat to hang in there with the meds. Sorry we didn't get to see each other at Christmas. I assume that you didn't make it down with this awful weather.

Rita