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Bog Spavin in Horses
Seek veterinary advice if you suspect this disease.
Bog spavin in horses refers to inflammation of the synovial membrane. In this case, the membrane surrounds the tarsus, or hock, joint and can become long term. This can result in slight or severe enlargement of the hock. One or both hocks may be affected. The increase in fluid can be the result of injury (trauma), degeneration of bone or cartilage in the joint (OCD), or joint infection (septic arthritis).
Symptoms of Bog Spavin in Horses
- Lameness
- Joint swelling
- Stiff hock joint/s
- Hot hock joint/s
Common in
- Yearling
- Young horses
Treatment of Bog Spavin in Horses
Depending on the cause of the bog spavin, several treatments are available and you should ask your veterinarian to make a diagnosis and for advice. If the condition is caused by traumatic injury (most commonly a ‘strain’) and there is no associated lameness, rest and some anti-inflammatory medication is all that is needed. If the joint remains enlarged it may be necessary to drain the joint of excessive fluid and to inject corticosteroids into it. This should only be considered if fractures, OCD and infection have been ruled out, by your veterinarian, with the use of radiographic (x-ray) examinations, joint fluid analysis and blood tests.
Prevention of Bog Spavin in Horses
- Don’t overwork young, growing horses.
- Don’t use a horse with poor conformation for high joint-stress type sports.
- Treat all hock sprain injuries promptly and allow proper healing time.
- Keep the feet properly balanced by a skilled farrier.
How Happie can help you manage your horse's health
Digital health management offers numerous benefits in modern equine healthcare.
With the Happie Horse App, you can track symptom patterns and body values, such as Temperature, Pulse and Respiration. Allowing you to notice abnormal changes in body and behaviour early on, leading to more successful treatments.
The Happie symptom checker allows you to add all of your horse’s abnormal symptoms in order to present potential causes and diseases.
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