OCD

[flashgordon]

Has anyone had a horse with OCD??#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
My horse was diagnosed with it....Things are not looking good. So any info would be helpful. THanks#ed_op#br#ed_cl#

[Eclipse's Fury]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#What does OCD stand for?? I may have heard of the long term version or I may just think I reconize it lol #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[zooka]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I know in people that would be Obsessive Cumpulsive Disorder but not sure if it is the same with horses....#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Patricia]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#If you do a google search OCD in horses info should come up.  It has to do with growing too fast in the joints.  Some times it can correct itself.  Maybe consulting a nutritionist and getting them on balanced diet supplemented with minerals can prevent DOD (Developmental Orthopedic Diseases.)#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Guelph OVC may have more info on their website...#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Yellowtoytruck]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Basically OCD shows up as bone chips in the joints.  Usually in the hocks.  Lots of horses live with it ok if they are on light work or if the chips are teeny.  You can also have surgeries done to remove the chips.  I know of one person who had surgery done on a hock to remove the chips.  Her horse has joint injections (about 150.00ea.) a couple of times a year, and her horse is sound.  If the bone chips are not removed, and are large, they grind together in the joint, which hurts the horse.  Surgery is totally possible, so if your horse isn't a big to-do show horse, you could ride him/her even after surgery.  Probably no jumping though.  Also, ask your vet about MSM and glucosamine....I don't know if it helps or not....but it can't hurt!  Hope this info helped a little!  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Keetee]

My 18 year old gelding has OCD in one hock.  We competed with him
from walk/trot through Fourth Level and even did one PSG.  When we
bought him the vet said the OCD would make him get stiff earlier,
around 10 instead of 12.  In the end he started to get noticeably
stiff closer to 14.  We bought him when he was 7 and he had
already been in steady work for a couple of years.  If he had been
unbroken the vet likely would have advised against buying him but since
he had shown that he could stay sound the vet advised that it was a
safe bet he would stay that way.  If your horse is young contact a
nutritionist and your vet to look at your vitamin and mineral levels
and to talk about your options.  From what I understand there are
some surgical options for treatment of OCD and it may be that it is
minor enough that you don't have to do anything.  There is still
hope!  There have been times when I thought my gelding's career
was over but with time and patience he managed to persevere.  They
are worth the time and effort for the right person.

[zooka]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#hehe that makes so much more sense then what I was thinking!  I actually had heard of it before and we worried about it with my young horse since by 3 she was 17 hh, but it did not have a name to me.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Keetee]

Sorry, one more thing.  My gelding was not on any maintenance
until about the age of 12 when we started giving him glucosamine for
preventative reasons, not because he had noticeable stiffness. 
The last couple of years we have changed over to a liquid glucosamine
(easier to absorb) and injections (IV, not joint) whenever he starts to
feel really stiff again - about 1-2 x per year.

[Eclipse's Fury]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#thanks guys #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[naughty by nature]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#my coach had a trekaner shipped to him from poland that was pregnet.  When the foal was born he had ocd where he grew really fast.  I wasn't around when he was born but in all the pics of him he is really odd looking like his knees a masive and his legs are really big and long (more so then normal foals).  He ended up being put down b/c he was just growing too fast and causing too much distruction on his joints and muscles as his bones where growing and the rest wasn't.  best wishes for you horse i hope things turn out better for you.  Maybe this isn't the samething? #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graciespook]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#We had a foal with OCD..we were told arthritis would plague him earlier than most. My own gelding has a bone chip in his hock (not caused by OCD) and its completely surrounded by scar tissue. He's been given the clean bill of health to jump and compete. I'll never have a resale project on my hands, but then again, thats not what I wanted. I want him to be a low level hunter (around and under the 3 foot level) and live a long and happy life. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[jax]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#A friend of mine had a youngster that was diagnosed.  She kept him on stall rest for several months (I want to say 6, but don't quote me), limited his proteins, lots of grassy hay, etc., and with the minimal movement it eventually got under control.  The hocks have since x-rayed clean.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Patricia]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#It is more like lesions and can show up in the stifles too.  There are surgical procedures that can be done.  Sometimes it can be turned around and even disappear.  Definitely check out OVC and other websites.  I have heard some breeders that I have dealt with in the U.S. that they will often seperate mare and foal in next door stalls where they are in view but nurse less and control their diet to promote slower growing and provide proper mineral supplementation, and keeping them in a stall.  Sort of a controlled environment.  It is often those large big boned foals that grow real fast early on...so they do this when they are youngster controlling their environment and feed intake.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[KimW]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#OCD stands for Osteochondrosis and usually involves the cartilage.  I believe it happens during growth and some breeds are more prone to it than others.  I have heard of it referred to as flaps in the cartilage that results in wear and tear because its not a smooth surface.  Do a search on the internet for more explanations.  good luck with your guy!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Yellowtoytruck]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I also vetted a horse that I was looking at buying and he had BIG bone chips in the hocks.  Vet said it was OCD.  Not sure if cartilage is invovled, but definitely chips of bone are.  Oh yeah, make sure the glucosamine supp. you get has Vit. C in it, it needs to be in there so that absorbsion can take place, otherwise the glucosamine isn't doing much.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#