Tripping Problem - Vet/Vaccines/Shoes/Shockwave Update

[fivestrideline]

I would too!

FWIW - plenty of horses live happily for ages on a bit of equioxx. Heck, we used to use bute with reckless abandon (as a preventative for… idk something) and most of the horses were fine! Happy, shiny, working well. Now we know better about risks, so talk to your vet and ask about monitoring him for long term use.

Good luck. Sounds like something creaky is bothering him without the extra help. As long as he’s comfortable, a little equioxx is perfectly acceptable to me personally - especially since you’re an owner that’s going to keep an eye on him and pay such close attention to his comfort!

[FjordBCRF]

Hopefully the full pill will give him some relief for a while

[cayuse]

I would check liver and kidneys just to be on the safe side. My old gelding had liver issues after about 2 years on it, the vets said they thought it was unrelated, but I still wonder if it may have been.

[NaturallyHappy]

Has anyone thought about using Tylenol? I’m not sure how well it would work to replace Equioxx, but we’ve used it in place of bute and banamine. I’m just wondering if it would be helpful in the case of vaccinations when horses are on Equioxx and need banamine. It might be something to inquire about w your vet.

[quietann]

I think my mare was on Equioxx for 12 years, with a couple of breaks. She had had mild ulcers at times, but giving her Outlast 2 to 3 times a day has helped. Liver and kidney values are done at least once a year.

About a year ago, she wasn’t responding as well, and the vet suggested trying Meloxicam. It’s not approved for horses in the USA, but is apparently used in Europe. She responded pretty well to it. It’s supposed to be good for bone pain, which, well, if you saw her knee and hock X-rays, you’d understand why the vet suggested it. It’s also much less expensive than Equioxx.

She does get Banamine before vaccinations and we haven’t tapered whatever NSAID she’s been on. TBH, she is almost 27 and has been retired for almost 3 years, so I’m a bit more willing to take chances like stacking NSAIDs, because I’m not looking to “cure” anything. She’s had a very good life, and I’m more interested in keeping her quality of life good than prolonging her life.

[FjordBCRF]

Thanks @quietann !

[RedHorses]

When my senior, who is on Previcox, got into it over the fence with the escaped stallion and got the worst of the scuffle, I asked the vet about giving him Bute or banamine when he’s on Previcox. They advised skipping the Previcox for the day(s) he got the others.

I had already given Previcox before consulting the vet, and my horse was able to reach his feedpan on the ground by the next day so I just kept going with Previcox as usual.

[FjordBCRF]

I think we’re back to feeling the full pill and having fun

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[Kyrabee]

I think his weight is looking much better. He was having fun.

I have a mare. They don’t seem to be as excited about ‘toys’. I wish she was.

[FjordBCRF]

The last time we were at rehab, the vet was very happy with his weight. He got down to taping around 1000lbs and has plateaued but I think thats ok. Haven’t made any diet changes and dont plan to at the moment.

We had a ball a couple barns back and he was entirely nonplussed about it. I had to teach him how to “play” with this one, but he figured it out pretty fast this time around!

The exuberant trotting with it really just started this week. We were warming up for some free lunging kicking the ball around at the walk, and when I asked him to move out and trot, it was like the ball had its own gravitational force, and trotting was much more appealing with the ball than just going around the ring

[FjordBCRF]

Well, we drove on Sunday for the first time since last April, and he was thrilled. I did bodywork on him last night and it seemed like the driving agreed with him for now anyways. I think I’m going to use the cart to start upping his conditioning and to keep some good variety in the mix for him…with the HOPE of being able to hit the great outdoors again once the ice leaves the farm roads.

[RedFox5]

I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned or brought up but shortening his front toes, ask the farrier about seeing what can be done to make the break over quicker. My guy is more upright like his build and when his toes are a normal horse like he trips like crazy. When they’re short and his shoes have a slight roll to the front he’s the most sure footed creature around. Some horses just like a quicker break over and a more upright angle but careful with fast changes as the bones and ligaments need to also be able to adjust for it

[Moss]

Look at how cute! I love his little ears.

ETA: that color looks great on him.

[FjordBCRF]

@RedFox5

I’m not sure if it’s been mentioned or brought up but shortening his front toes, ask the farrier about seeing what can be done to make the break over quicker.

First thing that was ever looked into because laminitis was assumed based on his breed/time of year.

Either way! I trim him myself every 3-4 weeks and we’ve never had long toes. I had 3 local trimmers plus two NEW vets put eyes on him (and all his rads) with his flare up last spring. Zero concerns about trim.

[FjordBCRF]

Yesterday was spring vaccines and a general follow up with our new vet that IDed the neck issues.

Firstly and a reminder how he has been vaccine reactive with 104/105 fevers. he got his Zoetis Core + Potomac + Flu/Rhino IN. We are now 29 hours post jabs and the highest his temperature went up was 100.3. I took his temp at the time of the vaccines and it was normal then, otherwise I would have been questioning the thermometer readings!!

What changed? He’s been on the Equinox which is perhaps helping and I also started him on bovine colostrum back in Sept '24. I had been taking it myself for my own health issues and found it to be worth the cost. With his EPM titer, the sarcoid he had on his nose, and his FWS, I thought maybe he could use some extra immune support himself. Since then, the FWS has resolved though we will really see come summer, and completely non-reactive (knock on wood its not super delayed) vaccine round. Im still a little in shock but wanted to share my anecdotal info on all this.

I asked Doc whether or not he thought his lower spine findings could be ECVM, and he didn’t think so so that was good to hear. Charlie is most reactive and wanting massages up at his poll/ears, which is around where he has the nuchal ligament mineral deposits. He thought it shockwave could be worth a try there. Any insight on that from the hive mind?

He also thought that the Equioxx helping the knee buckling may not be entirely neck related as he is still more comfortable in his boots when out on gravel. He said that with it not being a SUPER powerful drug, that it makes him question if the buckling is only neck related. Charlie is not footy walking on the drive, but is def more inclined with the tripping and knee buckling. Im waiting for our write up to come back, but he thought that it could be worth a trial in some shoes with a little rock and some pads which I’m willing to try. Once I get the specifics about what he was thinking on that end, I will post for additional thoughts. He’s had multiple hoof rads done and all look good to the vet and backup trimmer I have, so nothing obvious there.

[Lunabear1988]

Wonderful to hear. Regarding shockwave, I haven’t personally used it yet but my sister-in-law has a horse with back issues. When she bought him he was extremely painful. He has arthritis in his back and he has visible scar tissue lumps on his back. They did a few rounds of shockwave, although a few years apart. So not the normal protocol. But anyways it made the swelling from the scar tissue go away completely on one side of his spine and nearly gone on the other. It really kick started him to have a healthier back, imo. It was pretty crazy to actually see the results with your own eyes.

[Kyrabee]

I am trying shockwave on myself on some chronically torn hip tendons (a pain for > 3 yrs). I have had 3 sessions and I must say…could it be? It seems to be helping. Have previously done PRP, a ton of PT and an ultrasonic needle tenotomy but both only helped temporarily.

[IPEsq]

I’ve done shockwave at the nuchal ligament attachment. That horse loved it. But he was a weirdo. He didn’t even need sedation! He didn’t have mineralization but did have effusion there, which it cleared right up. We checked during follow up neck ultrasounds for a couple years and it never came back. I’d totally use it for the mineralization issue.

[FjordBCRF]

@IPEsq

I’ve done shockwave at the nuchal ligament attachment. That horse loved it. But he was a weirdo. He didn’t even need sedation! He didn’t have mineralization but did have effusion there, which it cleared right up. We checked during follow up neck ultrasounds for a couple years and it never came back. I’d totally use it for the mineralization issue.

Super promising to hear! How many sessions did he need?

I think we are in the weirdo club, he loves having the percussion massage gun IN HIS EARS . Any other horse here would be through the ceiling if you tried that

[IPEsq]

We did 3 sessions.