I started him on Athropen (pentosan) two months ago, so he’s already on the best he can get. I have ordered Epiitalis to add to the mix for a two-factor approach, and will be taking his back shoes off in a fortnight.
Ironically, the thing I put in place to help the “lack of forward” (back shoes) seems to be what has aggravated this issue and brought it to a head. Sorry buddy.
I’m going to ask about Athrimed but I think it’s a case of goodbye flying changes, hello puttering 
Not necessarily. There’s so much we can do for hocks. At this point I I were you I’d be going for intra-articular steroid injections. Vetalog and HA for instance.
As an incidental, my horse also has fusing hocks. He’s 16 and a schoolmaster who has proved himself still quite comfortably capable of some upper level work. Lovely flying changes, respectable passage, etc. He’s gets Osphos every seven months or so for reasons unrelated to his hocks, and since we started doing that we haven’t felt the need to do the IA injections. It makes him feel like a million dollars all over, and at his time of life thats all good as far as I’m concerned.
Are there any risks associated with doing multiple rounds of osphos? I don’t know much about it but thought it increased the risk of future fractures even using it once. We used it years ago on my navicular gelding but the vet at the time said they only would do a single round.
I would be very cautious about it’s use in a young horse before the bone is fully laid down, but at this point with my horse the risk/reward calculation is such that it is worth it. I’d rather do it than repeated coffin or navicular injections, which are our other choice to keep him sound and comfortable.
I also think there had been more research into it and it’s efficacy and side effects in the last few years.
Having said that, I do wonder if it had played a part in the rapid increase in fusion in his hocks. But really, that’s not a down side either. Something I’m going to talk to my vet about, anyway.
If hocks are fusing, Depo Medrol would be helpful. You could try a hydrogel like Arhtramid too. Noltrex is probably too thick.
No, my vet has advised against joint injections for reasons that I agree with. At this stage he is only showing discomfort regarding being shod, so the hind shoes will come off and his workload adjusted to suit his range of motion.
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