Senior horse with arthritis

Tapsmom

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Hi All,
A few weeks ago my horse started seeming like something was "off". He seemed to be in pain and his body looked odd for lack of a better explanation. I had a chiropractor out which afforded him relief and then took him to the vet for a thorough physical. The vet said he has arthritis in his hips..much worse in his right hip. I have started him on Glucosamine and he is getting 1 gram of bute am and pm. We are a week into the glucosamine and the bute (I just started the 2 times day on that yesterday) and he still seems to be in pain. Is there anything else you have tried to make them more comfortable? In the 24 years I have had him, he has only been "off" once and he has always been extremely healthy. The thing that makes me concerned is that it appeared to come on rather quickly. I do realize with his age he could have done something to excarbate it and cause a flair up. But I don't want him to hurt.
I should note that he is eating and drinking fine and is quite mobile. He has never even acted like a senior horse until recently.
 

HomesteaderWife

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I see this was the last post you made on BYH - Please do update us on how your senior horse is doing. I am curious to see how the glucosamine/bute worked out
 

Tapsmom

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Hi Everyone.
He actually got worse within a month and would jerk his hind legs up.reminsicent of Stringhalt. He also went down twice and needed to be rolled onto hi "good side" to get back up. We were never able to get a firm diagnosis, but at the vet's recommendation we added Vitamin E into his diet, switched him to senior food and added 1/4 pill of Previcox daily. At the farrier's recommendation I also started walking him up and down hills to strengthen his back legs.
Within about a month and a half I started VERY slowly riding him bareback and that seemed to really make him happy and speed his process along. By November he was just about back to acting like himself.(.but something was still not right). In fact the day after Thanksgiving we went on a 4 hour trail ride. He led the whole way and it was all I could do to hold him back! (There was no galloping involved just walk and a little jog)
However, sadly he suffered a stroke and lost mobility in his back legs and we did have to let him go. It was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. But it was quick and he did not suffer.
 

Ferguson K

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Always sad to lose one. At least you got him back shortly and were able to enjoy him. :hugs
 

norseofcourse

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I'm so sorry :( I know you'll treasure those last months, but it's never easy to say goodbye... :hugs
 

cjc

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I am sorry you lost him. Knowing that you gave him such a wonderful life is hopefully some comfort for you. It's hard to watch anything we love get old but at the same time to be able to grow old with the people and things you love is a beautiful gift on its own.
 

Latestarter

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So glad you got to see some improvement and were able to share a final good outing before his end came. I'm sure he (and you) enjoyed that final time together very much. Sorry he finally had to leave you. We all know that day will come. The knowledge doesn't make it any easier to accept when it arrives. I'm sure you'll hold many good memories of the years you had with him.
 

Tapsmom

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Thank you everyone. It has been difficult and I miss him terribly. But there are no regrets. He lived a wonderful life with me and we loved each other.
On the bright side..a horse basically "fell into my lap" and I have a "neon" green 5 year old now. I am hoping we will eventually have a bond even half of what I had with my Tappy. But it will take a while. :-(
 
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