Hock injections...experiences...prices

[Reiter]

I have an older horse that I still show lightly (dressage) and she has some stiffness issues.
I currently have her on MSM and injectable glucosamine (weekly). This is probably going to be my last year showing her, but I'm wondering if hock injections would help at this point.
Would like to hear your experiences, especially with older horses that already have/had some issues!

[ThoroughbredFancy]

Hock injections would make a difference if the problem is indeed her hocks.

I would have your vet do a lameness evaluation for you to find out how stiff/sore she is and where it is coming from.

[Reiter]

Yes, stiffness is in the hocks, and probably elsewhere as well to some degree at her age!

[abbydp]

I have an 18 yo OTTB. When I got him 10 years ago I was told during his vetting that I would need to manage his hocks. He has been on joint supplements since then. I began having his hocks injected a few years ago. I have been really lucky, as they have only been done I think 3 times in about 5 years, most recently a month or so ago. They are not a quick fix, as it usually takes my boy almost 3 weeks to show full improvement. It makes everything better, since they use other areas of their bodies differently to make up for the pain in their hocks. My vet sees some with improvement quicker than mine, but 2-3 weeks is the norm for serious issues. The price varies by clinic, obviously. If they do x-rays expect to spend about $500. If they will inject without x-rays, not the best idea if you are even a little unsure of the exact location of the stiffness, it will probably be close to $300. I hope it helps, it definitely helps us!

[NorCalDressage]

If this is affordable for you, I would do it. It will definitely help you for the remainder of the show season and I would think add to her comfort level for many years to come.

Last set of hocks were $470.00 including everything - sedation, injections of middle and low hock joints & ranch call.

If this would be the first time your mare has been done, I would think it would make quite a difference for her - if the problem is indeed the hocks.

Good luck with her

[BoyleHeightsKid]

I just had my 11 y/o OTTB done today for the first time. I knew this day was coming, but was hoping that it would not be for a while yet. The hock soreness has caused other issues throughout his body. Sore back, sore heels up front and sore back feet. I can't wait to see how much of a difference it's going to make for him. I know he's going to feel like a new man because we jumped on it before it started to get really bad.

I can't tell you the cost until I get the bill but I'm sure it's not going to be cheap :( Nothing ever is when it comes to these guys.

It sounds like a good idea for your mare and may extend your showing a few more years...

[WorthTheWait95]

Wow some of you guys have cheap hock injection prices! It's about $700 for my guys to get their hocks injected.

[joiedevie99]

Ask for the price upfront. I'd paid 400-500 in the past, and assumed similar with a new vet. For the call, lameness exam (basic), and injections (no x-rays), it was just over $1000. Chances are I would have done it anyway, but it would have been nice to know upfront.

[jetandmegs4]

I was just quoted $400 for both. I now have to debate whether to inject my two. Well, really just debate whether I'm doing one of them.
The one of mine that I'm definetely doing is an 11 year old OTTB. He came off the track almost 3 years ago (I've known him for that time, but just recently bought him). He had his hocks done then, but did not have anything since then (wasn't mine so I didn't have a say). Now that he is, we were discussing this with my vet today when she came out. Anyway, our vet did a flexion test and he was a 3/5 on the left hock. Currently he's on MSM and Joint. He gets tons of turnout, shoeing is great. Under saddle he isn't ever lame, just stiff when he starts out. His back legs will click until he warms up. Our vet recommended hocks because of the wear he has as an OTTB, and the fact that last time when he had his hocks done there was much improvement.

The other is an 8 y/o OTTB. He has had a slew of challenges since I got him when he was 4. As a 4 y/o, he was a bit stiff in the flexions, but not too bad at the vet check. When he was 6 he had a splint surgery, and colic surgery. He's not the easiest horse to ride, so he's a challenge to keep in work. When he's worked consistently he moves pretty well, but can be a bit stiff when he comes out. Last year we tried adequan, and I really did not see much improvement. Since then, he's been on Smartflex Senior, which has worked wonders. However, he still has the stiffness. When flexed, he was about a 2/5 on the right hind. Vet said that we could do adequan/legend again, or consider hocks. I'm really torn. Any opinions?

Sorry to hijack the thread!

[Renn/aissance]

My horse's hocks were injected prior to my purchasing him, and I have had them done twice since then, at about 1.5-year intervals. (Basically they were done when he needed them done.) It has really kept him moving comfortably around the Level 2/Level 3 jumpers; he loves his job and having maintenance helps him stay happy doing it. Both times, with two different vets, the total cost including farm call was about $450.

[slp2]

Just got my mares hocks done today. I must be getting the "jiffy lube" pricing on those from my vet. They are usually around $250 (including the farm call). :yes: I highly recommend Adequan also to give even more comfort to an older arthritic horse like you describe. It's so much less invasive and it can really help when they are "stiff all over" like your horse may be. It's amazing how much it can help when they have arthritis in places other than the hocks (which is typical if they are older). Some people also like Legend, it just depends on your horse. My horse has never shown any improvement with Legend, but I can really feel a difference with Adequan. Good luck.

[NorCalDressage]

I was just quoted $400 for both. I now have to debate whether to inject my two. Well, really just debate whether I'm doing one of them.


The other is an 8 y/o OTTB. He has had a slew of challenges since I got him when he was 4. As a 4 y/o, he was a bit stiff in the flexions, but not too bad at the vet check. When he was 6 he had a splint surgery, and colic surgery. He's not the easiest horse to ride, so he's a challenge to keep in work. When he's worked consistently he moves pretty well, but can be a bit stiff when he comes out. Last year we tried adequan, and I really did not see much improvement. Since then, he's been on Smartflex Senior, which has worked wonders. However, he still has the stiffness. When flexed, he was about a 2/5 on the right hind. Vet said that we could do adequan/legend again, or consider hocks. I'm really torn. Any opinions?

Sorry to hijack the thread!

With the 8 yo - If it were me....I would try the 3 shot series of Legend and see how he responds to that before I do hocks. I try to use other avenues of treatment before IA injections. Start with less invasive and then go from there. One of my horses also had no improvement with Adaquan, but HUGE difference with Legend. I think you just have to try it. Different methods affect horses differently, so you don't really know until you give it a go. It would probably work out to about the same price - maybe slightly cheaper. If you're one of the lucky ones that can do IV shots - it would be much cheaper than IA injections for the hocks.

[Bogie]

I had my Trakehner's hocks injected when he was 16 or 17. It was $700 and worth every penny. He was so much more comfortable -- it felt like he was five years younger.

[Laurierace]

The difference in the prices you guys are listing could be the difference in the medications being injected. Straight cortizone is cheap as hell and works very quickly. It doesn't tend to last very long and does damage to the joint if repeated very often. Half cortizone/half acid is more expensive, and varies by the quality of the acid used. It works relatively quickly due to the cortizone and lasts a little longer as the acid kicks in. Straight acid takes the longest to work and varies by the quality of the acid used. This is probably the best option for the horse long term in my opinion.
Now throw into the mix the fact that hocks have an upper and lower joint. You can inject one or both joints on each hock which will obviously change the prices as well. So while you are all able to tell us how much you paid the number doesn't mean much unless you also tell us what you had done and with what.

[Bogie]

Very true. My vet uses the cortisone/Hyaluronic acid mix and my horse had the upper and lower joints on one hock injected and the one of the two joints on the other side. Total cost: $700.

The difference in the prices you guys are listing could be the difference in the medications being injected. Straight cortizone is cheap as hell and works very quickly. It doesn't tend to last very long and does damage to the joint if repeated very often. Half cortizone/half acid is more expensive, and varies by the quality of the acid used. It works relatively quickly due to the cortizone and lasts a little longer as the acid kicks in. Straight acid takes the longest to work and varies by the quality of the acid used. This is probably the best option for the horse long term in my opinion.
Now throw into the mix the fact that hocks have an upper and lower joint. You can inject one or both joints on each hock which will obviously change the prices as well. So while you are all able to tell us how much you paid the number doesn't mean much unless you also tell us what you had done and with what.

[findeight]

Just had mine done...only the third time in the 9 years I have had her. She just turned 20 and is still showing lightly.

Have not gotten the bill yet, can harldy wait:rolleyes:.

Last time it averaged out to $100 per injection site with a steroid (not cortisone though)/HA mix. 8 sites upper lower/inner outer on both legs. A little over $800. Vet is an accomplished sport horse specialist.

I would be careful who I selected to administer these, you want somebody who does alot of them and is good at it. Also, IMO you don't want to assume you know what's going on and just stick 'em. Get a good work up done and make sure it is just the normal treadware on those hocks and nothing else is going on...or it is something the injections won't fix at all and you will waste your money.

After you get them, you need to be careful of things like work schedual and footing as well as look at regular supplementation with oral HA or one of the injectables like Legend. That way they last alot longer.

[DMK]

I usually budget $500 - 550 for my spring visit which includes hocks done with hylartin V + depo-medrol. Hylartin V is probably one of the pricier versions of HA out there, for a frame of reference. I don't pay too much attention to just the cost of injecting hocks, because there is a visit charge + sedation, and usually I am having the vet do some other small procedure. I think this last time I had his back injected as well.

[Reiter]

Thanks everybody! There's some great information here. I called 2 vets yesterday to get quotes, but you all made me think of more questions to ask! One vet tech quoted me $75/injection and the other one (Pioneer Equine) quoted me about $400 for both hocks. Neither one mentioned x-rays or different injection sites in the hock or type of medication used.
NorCalDressage, are you near Sacramento? Which vet did you use? Yes, this would be the first time my mare gets done and I better hurry since my show season will be over in May.
Because of the heat here I don't show in the summer months. If you've actually seen me show in the heat, I'm the one that looks like a tomato :D and my horse doesn't like it much either!

[vali]

Tried Adequan, did nothing for my older event horse. Legend IV would have a brief effect, but wear off quickly. He's 18 now and just had his hocks done for the third time in five years, and it's made a huge difference. My mother rides him now and has done a little novice eventing with him, but now he's back to trying to pull her around at Intermediate speed, after having been getting a bit slower and creakier. "Me, do 350 mm, you must be joking!" I highly recommend doing the Legend mixed with a little steroid injections, it's more expensive but lasts longer than the steroid injections.

[findeight]

Suggestion...since you lay off in summer? wait until after that so she can come back right after them instead of using up that good time swatting flies in a field.

I did mine right before show season, not at the end before a winter break.

Unless you can afford to redo, see if you can't put it off until fall or late summer when you are going back to work.

The amount of time they get relief from the injections varies from a few months to a few years depending on all sorts of things but they do not last forever.

[purplnurpl]

Just got my mares hocks done today. I must be getting the "jiffy lube" pricing on those from my vet. They are usually around $250 (including the farm call). :yes: I highly recommend Adequan also to give even more comfort to an older arthritic horse like you describe. It's so much less invasive and it can really help when they are "stiff all over" like your horse may be. It's amazing how much it can help when they have arthritis in places other than the hocks (which is typical if they are older). Some people also like Legend, it just depends on your horse. My horse has never shown any improvement with Legend, but I can really feel a difference with Adequan. Good luck.

Same here.
I take my horses to the vet.
Hocks with exam and pictures costs 350 bucks.

The injections alone are $240.00.

[NorCalDressage]

Reiter - I sent you a PM

[nextyear]

I second the advice to wait until you get ready for next season.
A newer product out is a product that is the best of adaquan and legend called Polyglcan,the price is good $130 for 2 doses.

[Bogie]

Injecting (IM) polyglycon is an off-label use -- definitely something to discuss with your vet.

Also, not a substitute for hock injections.

In my experience, having a good follow up program (Adequan, Legend, or polyglycon if you and your vet agree) is essential to maintaining the effects of a joint injection.

I have also heard success at prolonging the time inbetween joint injections by using acupuncture.

I second the advice to wait until you get ready for next season.
A newer product out is a product that is the best of adaquan and legend called Polyglcan,the price is good $130 for 2 doses.

[nextyear]

[QUOTE=Bogie;4039295]Injecting (IM) polyglycon is an off-label use -- definitely something to discuss with your vet.

Also, not a substitute for hock injections.

I would not inject the hocks or stifles with polyglycon either though my Vet said some do, he does not. I use it as you would Legend or adaquan, only as maintance in between the yearly (or 2x's year) hocks and stifles.
I use acupuncture regularly with very good results on most horses.

[mroades]

125 per joint, plus sedation.
You can get by with just a couple radiographs of each hock, to tell you whether you need to do both lower joints or just the lowest one.
Laurierace needs to write a book...her info is accurate and easy to read!

[abbydp]

I agree on the waiting if you can. The first question my vet asks, is are you going to be riding a lot after this? Part of making them work is movement. Otherwise, you may just waste your money. Yes, it's nice to make your horse feel better, but better spent if you will keep riding

[Reiter]

I have a call in to a third vet that NorCalDressage recommended. Hopefully he'll call back soon. I do want to get it done. If it helps just a little bit for the few shows I have left before summer then it is worth it. I don't give her the summer off either, I just don't show. She still gets ridden regularly at home or I'll take her on the trail and throw in a couple of clinics to practice stuff for the fall!

[Hony]

$150 total, lower hock joints, both hocks. I love my vet!

[ZiggyStardust]

Just pulled out my bill for last time. $488 for both joints both hocks. Not including partial farm call, sedation, or brief lameness exam. It lists Legend IV, so maybe he is also getting the shot besides IA, or maybe it's a typo, I guess I should probably know this! Anyway, the farm call and lameness exam didn't add too much on top of this. I know it was an HA/steroid combo injection she was giving. She also says she puts in a bit of antibiotic as insurance.