Elderly horse with athritis help!!!

[teenybash]

My poor old mare has athritis and is quite stiff at the moment. I would be interested in hearing what is the best way to deal with this....I would prefer to use something herbal/natural.
Can anyone suggest or reccommend anything........

[cameroncara]

Feedmark have some great products with lots of offers google them im sure you will find something, my welsh D has bone spavin and i sue some of the products. xx

[aurora32]

Devil's claw is pretty good, its a natural anti inflammatory. Cortaflex is also a good product and this site has also got a lot of good products
http://www.pegasushealth.com/horse-supplements/Joints/page-1

Hope you find something for her

[Liz]

Sorry your horse has arthritis.:(

I have had success using copper collars on my pets and they have something your horse can wear as well.
http://www.forbescopper.com/products.html

[Liz]

Good products here as well.

http://www.brookbyherbs.co.nz/hhealthar.htm

[Leanne]

gentle exercise to keep her joints moving is a must for arthritics. As soon as the exercise stops their joints cease up :(

[chaz]

Cod liver oil and apple cider vinegar can also can help work with dogs also . Both are fed to all my animals in small amounts.:)

[Loganberry]

Best product I have used is Cortaflex, however this is in conjunction with plenty oil, gentle exercise and good food for older horses (i.e. 16 plus). Magnetic boots (quite expensive) are apparently fabulous also but not something I have tried. Good luck.

[teenybash]

Thanks for all the advice, but the poor old soul is having a real bad day today and though eating is not wanting to move much. She's had her cyder apple vinegar etc and waiting on Buteless arriving.
Will certainly be looking into magnet and copper necklace as her source of pain is her shoulders....Cortaflex will also be on the list.
She is eating and drinking, which is good and has her rug on to keep her warm......She is such a gentle old lady and is aged somewhere between 30 and 40 years.

[summer]

I've used cortaflex and superflex, both very good. I think the superflex was slightly cheaper, and I bought it from Equine America.

[KEEP_ON_TRUCKIN]

I've used cortaflex and superflex, both very good. I think the superflex was slightly cheaper, and I bought it from Equine America.

cortaflex is by equine america - superflex is by naf and about 30 quid cheaper

[Pony]

My mare has been on cortaflex for a year now because she is a bit stiff and also wore magnetic stable boots last winter (she is half the age of your mare tho and still in light work). She is showing definate improvement but I would say it was a long time before I started to notice a difference. Have recently bought devils claw supplement to try - it gets a really good write up as an anti-inflammatory / painkiller so might be ideal for your mare. I buy the cortaflex in big sized containers off e-bay where it is a bit cheaper. Pets at home have in devils claw right now (bought mine there at the weekend)
Good luck - I hope you find something that works.

[Leanne]

i may make myself unpopular saying this but i think it needs saying. Your mare is in that much pain she can't eat-forget buteless, you need to get her on the real deal. Yes bute can cause liver damage but in an elderly they are likely to die of old age before liver probs set in. If she is in pain-relieve it. We don't say to human arthritis sufferers just take paracetamol because of the side effects of nsaids. Your mare is in pain, please treat her. If you don't you may find the sspca knocking on your door. Please consult your vet and get your mare properly medicated. Alternatives are great for low grade lameness but if your mare is so sore she isn't eating, withholding painkillers is cruel...

[teenybash]

i may make myself unpopular saying this but i think it needs saying. Your mare is in that much pain she can't eat-forget buteless, you need to get her on the real deal. Yes bute can cause liver damage but in an elderly they are likely to die of old age before liver probs set in. If she is in pain-relieve it. We don't say to human arthritis sufferers just take paracetamol because of the side effects of nsaids. Your mare is in pain, please treat her. If you don't you may find the sspca knocking on your door. Please consult your vet and get your mare properly medicated. Alternatives are great for low grade lameness but if your mare is so sore she isn't eating, withholding painkillers is cruel...

Leanne, I think you are misunderstanding.....My mare is eating well, drinking and all her bodily functions are normal. today she is a bit more stiff as the farrier trimmed her feet checking her aprehension to walk was not foot related........You are completely out of order threatening SSPCA.
Perhaps you should re read my post and not jump to the wrong conclusions and what makes you think I have not discussed the situation with my vet.
And yes you are right....you just have made yourself unpopular!!!

[Leanne]

teenybash-really sorry i misread ur last post. I thought u said she wasn't eatung-i apologise. I don't know you from adam-i'm not threatening you with the sspca :~ i meant that if someone passig sees her lame in the field it may get reported-i've seen it several times with laminitics (under treatment) on starvatiin paddocks. I wasn't threatening you, just advising caution.

I'm a big advocate of exercise and feed supplements for low grade arthritics but when they are reluctant to move they are telling us something....

Is there any particular reason you don't want to use conventional painkillers? I'm sure your vet will have advised this-i'm a little confused as to why you asking on a forum, and not a specialist horse one at that.

We all love our horses, i don't doubt tiu love yours. Please listen to her x

[teenybash]

Leanne, thanks for replying and of course I can understand your concern, but you did misread.
My post was to seek opinions, which is always wise, to see what alternatives there are and give me the opportunity to investigate further and make my mind up with what I think is bestfor her and with least risk.
She is safely tucked up inside out of the wind and is content, cosy and hopefully tomorrow we will have a little walk around.
Although Bute is good pain relief during flare up I would like her on something less harsh, but only if it works just as well.........She is my pride and joy.:)

[Jovi]

Hi teenybash,
really hope your mare is 'looser' and more comfortable today,oldies are such a worry. We have an old man of 35 and although not arthritic he has shown his age this year. We can see a real change in him,he isn't holding his weight as well as before..although he has never been a chunky,its just not his build but we still worry. We worked with a sanctuary and saw lots of 'elderly' with various levels of arthritis and all responded to different treatment. If pain called for ,they were given bute but in between flare ups we preferred to use natural remedies and many responded well. Have you tried vetrofen its natural based ,given in feed and can be very effective.Its given at a higher dose initially then reduced to a maintenance level and works quite quickly..obviously what works for one may not be as effective for another but it may be worth a look. We also used oils,devils claw and apple cider vinegar as youv'e mentioned and used magnetic rugs which improved one pony's mobility dramatically. 'Horses for courses' as they say but I hope you find something that works for you both,she's obviously very important to you. Good luck to you both :D

[cameroncara]

Hiya, I have just been to the homeopath for a remedy for Frodo's knee so i mentioned it and she has said to try RHUS TOX & BRYONIAstiffness (in neck or lower back); dry coughs; joint stiffness (which neither improves or deteriorates with exercise)
These should be available at the chemist.

[aurora32]

i may make myself unpopular saying this but i think it needs saying. Your mare is in that much pain she can't eat-forget buteless, you need to get her on the real deal. Yes bute can cause liver damage but in an elderly they are likely to die of old age before liver probs set in. If she is in pain-relieve it. We don't say to human arthritis sufferers just take paracetamol because of the side effects of nsaids. Your mare is in pain, please treat her. If you don't you may find the sspca knocking on your door. Please consult your vet and get your mare properly medicated. Alternatives are great for low grade lameness but if your mare is so sore she isn't eating, withholding painkillers is cruel...

I think you are being a bit out of order here Leanne, never in her post did Teeny say her mare was not eating in fact she said she was eating and drinking well and only not wanting to move, to threaten the sspca is also harsh as its clearly obvious Teeny loves her mare and is willing to try anything to alleviate her stiffness and problems related to her old age.
Sometimes the conventional ways are not the best and trying alternatives is a good idea, not every animal is suited to the same remedies whether alternative or conventional.

[cuddlepop]

Oh Tenny so sorry to hear your old girl has arthritis.

What I've found works for a dog is

Magnetic collar
Fish oils
Gentle exercise
Keep them dry where possible.
Sunshine
Good rub down with mum on the couch........cant imagine you'll be able to do that one with a horse mind.:lol:

Hope you find something soon.:D

[Pony]

Teeny bash -you are doing a great job. Precious few of us bother to see our horses through beyond their useful years and your mare is one of the very lucky ones. Its difficult enough with old horses when their health starts to go downhill and you are doing your best without having such negative and ignorant comments needlessly aired.

[aurora32]

Hows your mare doing today Teenybash? This damp cold weather wont have helped her arthritis and stiffness.

[teenybash]

Thanks everybody, despite the weather the old dear is more like herself. We didn't go out for the little walk...I did ask her, but I got her usual shake of the head, which was a definite NO!!! She didn't refuse her cuddles though or her tasty bites.
Again thank you all in caring for a lovely grand old lady along with me....she really is very special.:)

[Liz]

Glad you're lovely lady is feeling a wee bit better.:D

I am sure the cuddles you give her is the best medicine of all.

Give her some from me as well please. I am missing my cuddles from the horses I usually visit each night to feed carrots to. It's too windy to venture out.:(