Danilon - Artheritis

[jayvee]

Hi all.
Does Danilon have to be subscribed or can you just buy it?
Looking into this as recently my 19yo mare is feeling the artheritic changes in hock and both fore feet and is currently on a 2wk course of bute.
Then go cold turkey to see if getting or gotten over changes. Currently on light gentle hacking. (makes me feel sad for she'd be working getting hunting fit this time every year).
Having good days and bad days at mo.
So looking into the Danilon as possible future use instead of bute if needed.

Also does anyone know roughly how long the artheritic changes last? Thats if it does have an average lentgh of time?
Thanks:)

[martini55]

Are you using any joint supplements at all? I would at least want to try them before resorting to danilon.

[jayvee]

Hi, yes she has been on Newmarket Joint suppliment for 8yrs, nothing wrong with her, was purely as a preventative.
She is an old girl bless and I just want to make life more comfortable. This is the first time she is feeling artheritic so good going really.
Don't intend on using bute or any other substitue long term now, but it may well be the case a lot later on.

[martini55]

If I was you I'd ring your vet for a chat. Unless I am wrong, you won't be able to get danilon unless it is purchased from your vet and they may want to assess your horse first. I was feeding my horse half a sachet of danilon a day (along with cortaflex) and it was keeping her ticking over :)

[Pink's lady]

Dannilon is exactly the same as bute. It's a very slighty different chemical (Suxibuzone) that the liver then changes into bute (Phenylbutazone). If Bute isn't working, Dannilon won't either.

It is however better for their liver and tastes nicer. It's also three times the price:rolleyes:

And it's a POM-V - you need a perscription from a vet.

how long the artheritic changes last? Thats if it does have an average lentgh of time?

Arthritis never cures. The only way you would get an improvement in her condition is if the painful joints fuse. That can happen in one of the hock joints (bone spavin) but not in the fetlock. The arthritic won't get better I'm afraid, it will only get worse:( The only thing you can do now is slow the progression.

Painkillers willl probably be essential to keep her confortable. Cortaflex (or similar) can also help slow the progression. Making sure she is kept at a good level of fitness and gets regular, gentle work also helps.

[jayvee]

Yes have chatted to vet, was he who told me to do the 2wk bute course to begin with. Never thought of Danilon at first hence asking about it now out of curiosity:) Oooooo is it more expensive then!

Arthritis never cures. The only way you would get an improvement in her condition is if the painful joints fuse. That can happen in one of the hock joints (bone spavin) but not in the fetlock.

yes that is what I mean in re changes. Though I didn't realise it will never fuse in the fronts??:(

Making sure she is kept at a good level of fitness and gets regular, gentle work also helps.

I am trying but feel fittness is starting to lag already due to suddenly dropping back to gentle hacking. I do hope she gest over this somehow even for a while longer, her mentality is always keen to work and I would like to keep her in work for as long as she can. Comfortably of course. I have no idea how this 'episode' is going to go?:confused:

Thanks for your replies x

[Pink's lady]

This won't be an 'episode'. Depending on whats actually wrong with her the likelyhood of her improving is slim.

Remember a joint needs to move - thats the whole point of it. Artritis is permenant boney changes of the joint surface, making it roughened and therefore painful to more The only reason that fusion works in the hock joint is that there are three moving joints and the most common form of hock arthritis (bone spavin) occurs at the least mobile joint. So once it fuses they have slightly less flexion but no pain. There is nothing in the fetlock that can do that - all joints there are essential.

I'm afraid you may need to prepare yourself for the reality that she may never be able to do anything more than gentle hacking. If that's not what you want to do or she won't enjoy that you might need to look at retiring her.

The two week course of bute will break the wind-up of pain receptor. Once something is painful the pain-receptors become super-sensitive and therefore more painful and it become a vicious cycle. The bute will break that cycle but orginal pain won't go away. I also suspect the vet maybe seeing it the pain is due to something else, not arthritis.

[boe]

hi, my horse jack has arthritis in his fetlock joints, and we now only do light hacking after coming to the conclusion that this is now a permenant thing, however he is on a joint supp and cider vinegar and codlivine super joint, he has good days and bad days, but i try to keep him active, also use stable wraps to keep his legs warm when stabled, its horrible when after being so active they suddenly have to slow down, but we still enjoy ourselves, and im sure you will too with the correct management, good luck.:)