Thanks for updating us on your journey.
[QUOTE=teh_Kibbster;8290798]
Spin off from my neurological thread.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?467268-COTH-opinion-neuro-issues-the-answer-page-5
Just wondering about the long term prognosis/soundness/safe-ness related to neck arthritis and injections.
Horse is 9. Unraced grey TB. Was started at 3 - given some time off due to another growth spurt. I purchased at 6 (2012), has been doing trails and training/first level dressage only until we had a fall November 2014.
Long story short, horse was collapsing in cross-ties on and off, dragging hind toes, pivoting hind walk. Had 1 fall with rider (resulting in broken arm/nerve damage). See original thread for more detail.
Horse has since been diagnosed with neurological deficit on the left side.
Horse has also been discovered in the last 4 months to have arthritic hocks and right front fetlock joint paired with navicular changes and narrowing on the right front. Horse is on and off lame on RF (no longer lame with specific shoes and pads). Horse also has āhunters bumpā and almost always a sore back (no matter what we do). He has a heart murmur and suspicious looking potential melanoma (1 bump on lip, a suspect patch under tail). I have no 100% on a melanoma, neuro was more important in all our diagnosis.
Horse is currently on Previcox (was on bute), vitamin E 10,000 IU daily, Cortaflex.
I was just provided this opinion last night on the neck xrays:
āThere is arthritis in several of the facet joints in the mid to lower neck (vertebra) with the worst at C5-C6 (base of the neck) and there is some narrowing at that space as well which is most likely due to the arthritis. There are a few areas of concern but I will leave the rest to the radiologistā¦ā
I am waiting on the actual measurements from the radiologist re: the narrowing.
The kicker - Iām moving 22 hours away in October. I was anticipating hauling the horse with me to retire him and/or get him a bone scan in the spring but now Iām reconsidering. Iām working through a pro/con list right now regarding euthanasia.
Depending on the amount, severity, and % of the narrowing we will likely euthanize. If the narrowing isnāt bad, Iām not sure what to do. Heart wants to inject, get him home, and let him be a horse for as long as possible. Head says financially itās silly to spend thousands hauling him home, then $400/month on all his needs for a 9 year old retiree.
Just wondering if the injections for neck arthritis have any long term benefits?
Iāve read old threads and the injections seem to work for a few months, then the next set nowhere near as long. They buy time, but thatās it. It will continue to progress. Personally, I donāt think itās worth it, but maybe Iām missing all the good news threads?
Given his myriad of other issues, itās looking like euthanasia but just looking for anyone else who may have experienced this same issue. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for a horse that is relatively young, hasnāt been worked hard and is this arthritic?
Iām not sure how I feel about him potentially being on Previcox until heās 30 eitherā¦[/QUOTE]
I didnt read all the comments ā¦neck injections can be really nice and helpfulā¦usually can do 1-2 twice per year depending on severity ā¦osphos can help , as can adequan , pentosan and legend ā¦that aside Pemf (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy) -like Lifepulse or Magnawave is very beneficial as can be shockwave
was wobblers ruled out? Is horse neurologic??
Update:
Horse was moved from retirement farm to be closer to where I live for a multitude of reasons on February 25th.
He is now again on full care, indoor board. Continuing with the Previcox, 10,000IU Vitamin E, Certa-flex powder (which we will likely discontinue when we run out), and powdered MSM (which we may or may not continue - itās cheap, canāt hurt, might help).
Horse continues to be shod with wedge in front. Barefoot behind. Horse gets the hind āpivotā when heās at his 6-7 week trim mark - he is now back on a 5 week farrier rotation at the new facility. Iāve also heard the āpivotā is wringing his hocks and could be due to joint pain there. But we seem to have it linked to his farrier schedule. For now, Iām not injecting his hocks.
Heās happy, healthy, and feeling good. He was underweight when he arrived but is looking good a month in. Heās a barn favourite - everyone loves my goofy, big dog.
New vet (equine specialist - not a general farm vet YAY!) was happy with him for spring shots. Wanted to get the weight up, topline built, and hind end built (heās an hourglass not an apple bum). He wants to reassess him in June when heās not so body sore, underweight, and weak. He felt any āweirdnessā may be due to muscle weakness and compensation. Which I agree with because moves better under saddle then when he is allowed to just ādo his thingā in the pasture. I joke horse has ADD. Vet was happy to hear about who did the neck injections. Vet seems pretty conservative so I donāt think heās going to start pushing joint injections unless he really believes it will help.
Left hind is still a bit tweaky with his hock arthritis but he works out of it. I pulled him out of the pasture slightly lame on March 12th - some heat in the hind hoof. He was sound on the 11th. Felt like he may have kicked himself as there was a bit of a scrape at the fetlock. He was sound on March 18th after 6 days off (stalled at night, out during the day).
He turned 11 in January. I am giving him this summer as a last shot. He is in a āprogramā and I know he is getting his medication EVERY day (which was not happening at the retirement place). So if he canāt hold up with controlled exercise and the meds, I am done and heās going out to pasture. This facility also has outdoor board ($325+tax) if he needs to be fully retired, or I have two highly recommended retirement facilities ($275) close to where he is as options.
We have a plan. We shall see how it turns out. If horse really improves in his āprogramā we may reconsider injections based on vet recommendations.
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Well another update for those following. Horse went lame on left hind between April 20 and 25th. He started snatching his hind like a shivers horse. When you ask him to pick up, he lifts opposite hind. You can get it but he snatches, hovers, and slams it down. Vet did not feel it was shivers.
Moved him to outdoor board in June after having the vet out twice. We felt it may have been soft tissue and I am a big fan of Dr. Green and Dr. Time.
Multiple vet visits over this summer. Xrayed hocks - clean. We did blocks but he only blocked sound once out of 3 different blocking sessions. Horse still passed Neuro exams but heās not quite right. He hyper extends downhill.
We spent about 2 grand and didnt have any answers or directions on where to go next. This new vet said his neck measurments of 52 were not ideal and while he didnāt point fingers, the neck is an underlying problem.
Horse blew a massive abcess on left hind between October 3 and 10th. Blew through frog and coronary band. Lameness resolved about 60% but heās still off.
Today was the day to haul him to the retirement farm. He. would. not. load. He was really struggling to get the left hind on the ramp. He hit his head pretty bad a few times too.
I feel we are at the end of the road. I will likely be euthanizing in the next few weeks. Winter is hard and this has been a struggle since 2013 to get him sound. Iām at the end of my rope financially and emotionally. As my husband said today āwhat CAN you do with him?ā Which is true. We canāt ride. Canāt do trails. Heās only ok in a flat pasture hills are not an option. And now I canāt even move him to a retirement facility.
Iām sorry for all youāve gone through. I also have a horse with cervical arthritisā¦so far, knock wood, heās fairly stable although slightly neurological. Funny you mention your horse snatching his hind like shivers. Mine has just starting doing the same thing the last 4 months or so.
I think youāve done all you can do for him and it doesnāt sound like retirement is an option, so itās time to let him go. Better to do it now on your terms, than having an emergency some time during the winter.
Iām so sorry.
Iām so sorry. It is a sad situation, but you have done right by your horse. From one who has been there.
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It doesnāt sound like heās happy, or even content. Iām so, so sorry.
This. Iām so sorry. 
You have done everything you can for him. You have done so right by him and fought the good fight. Itās okay to let him go. Itās time to let him go.
I am very sorry to hear this. My guy with CA does that too with the snatching up of hoof and slamming it down. The last horse I had that was diagnosed with CA also had a funny way of going with a gait that looked like mild stringhalt or stifle issues. I chased that lameness for a couple of years before someone suggested x-raying his neck. Itās so tough to say enough is enough but winter is so hard on themā¦I canāt imagine what he would have to endure in a colder climate. I too think you are making the right choice for him.
Iām so sorry 
He is booked for tomorrow. Itās fitting that itās All Saints Day given that his name is Hallelujah.
My heart is breaking.
My friends really came together. I could not have made the phone calls and arrangements without their help.
Friend #1 made all the calls and has offered to hold him because I donāt know if I can stomach watching him go down.
Friend #2 has made arrangements for the hole to be dug and made the very generous offer to let him be buried at her place beside his old pasture mate.
Friend #3 has offered to drive me to and from the barn. She lives over an hour away from me - it will be a 5 hour minimum day for her.
Friends, vet, barn owner all agree itās time. Everyone jumped into action when I said enough.
I am dreading tomorrow.
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Its a testament to how well loved your horse and you are by good people for them to rally behind you like that.
I hope you can find peace in that you are doing the single most selfless act of kindness possible for your boy. You are volunteering to take the tremendous weight of grief and sadness onto your shoulders, so that he can be free.
Its the most painful sort of kindness there is. Good luck and hugs.
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hang in there, OP. ((((hugs))) so sorry for your loss and grief. your friends sound wonderful, and you have done all that you can do. ((hugs))
The greatest gift you can give is to take their pain away and make it your own. You both fought the good fight, glad you have such a wonderful support system in place to see you both through this phase of your journey. Godspeed.
You love him. You are doing the very best thing for him that you can. Horses are not afraid of dying. Fear of death is a human construct. They live in the moment. Your sweet boy has been struggling for a long time and he needs to be released from the body that has failed him. Be sad for what might have been but donāt be sad for what isā¦you love him enough to release him. Be glad that you can relieve him from his confusion and distress.
Its hard, but necessary, because we love them and they do not deserve anything less.
Sending comfort and sympathy from here and very glad you are able to do this gift for him.
I got there for just around 9am.
Vet was scheduled for 11am.
We had a solid 2 hours of grooming and went through about 3kg of treats. Many pets, tears, and snuggles. My unaffectionate man tolerated me cuddling his face for the first time in our 5.5 years together.
I stayed for sedation but did not stay for the fall.
I went back to the body after he was gone to remove his halter, close his eyes, and give him a kiss.
I was surprisingly calm and at peace after. I made the right decision.
Iām now 4 glasses of wine in. Body is en route and approximately 30 minutes from the burial site.
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Hugs to you teh_Kibbster. Your sense of peace and calm is a sign that This it be Right.
