Mercury
10-15-2008, 01:47 PM
about 1.5 years ago some of you remember Mercury sliced open his hock joint. As in all joint fluid leaked out, several months of stall rest, infection, lameness for 6 months. The vet had to come out every other day for 3 weeks doing injections into the hock. The first time he came he injected just saline into the joint and it came squirting out the wound. He has now been completely sound for about a year. 4 months ago I took him off all joint suppliments and he hasn't even been stiff on that leg. His original diagnosis was possible pasture soundness, but after looking at xrays the joint he opened up was one that requires minimal movement and isn't even necessary at all. After teh accident and I discovered he would be sound again I wrote him off a pleasure only horse, light work etc...
However I talked to a vet a couple weeks ago and told him the extent of the injury. He did a soundness exam on him (no xrays) and said he could do anything I wanted him too. Even jumping which was what I originally planned for him. He said as far as lifetime of joints that joint therapy has gotten so extensive and there are new medicines and procedures that he would live a normal life even with harder work.
What are your thoughts? After such an extensive injury do you agree or disagree? Is joint therapy that extensive now?
Before deciding I will get xrays... but just want views.
ETA: Just for reference here are the pictures from a few weeks after it happened. Pictures are gross just to warn you. These were posted on the other forum.
http://forum.horse.com/tm.asp?m=295081&mpage=1&key=hock񈂩
However I talked to a vet a couple weeks ago and told him the extent of the injury. He did a soundness exam on him (no xrays) and said he could do anything I wanted him too. Even jumping which was what I originally planned for him. He said as far as lifetime of joints that joint therapy has gotten so extensive and there are new medicines and procedures that he would live a normal life even with harder work.
What are your thoughts? After such an extensive injury do you agree or disagree? Is joint therapy that extensive now?
Before deciding I will get xrays... but just want views.
ETA: Just for reference here are the pictures from a few weeks after it happened. Pictures are gross just to warn you. These were posted on the other forum.
http://forum.horse.com/tm.asp?m=295081&mpage=1&key=hock񈂩