# Steroid injections. How long to work?



## [59668] (10 October 2015)

Those of you whose horses have had steroid injections, how long before you saw an improvement and how long before the horse came sound? Thanks!!


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## nato (10 October 2015)

Following with interest. My horse had one at the start of the week so interested to know how long it takes.


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## be positive (10 October 2015)

I think it depends on what the injections are treating, it is not always going to make a lame horse sound, mine improved within days but he had soft tissue damage not bony changes which may have a less positive reaction, they reduce the inflammation in the area so it can take a while and often it is the fact you can then push on with the rehab that is what eventually allows the horse to become sound.


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## Cowpony (10 October 2015)

Mine had steroid injections in her back. From memory she had a couple of weeks off, then the usual rehab programme - 2 weeks walking, 2 trotting etc, and by the time we started cantering she was fine.


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## Kezzabell2 (10 October 2015)

I'm was supposed to box rest for 2 weeks after, ended up being 4 months 

But my neighbour horse had his hocks done and rested for 2 days then back to it and owner noticed a difference very quickly


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## Elf On A Shelf (11 October 2015)

It depends on what you had done, where. Some take mere days to show improvement, others take longer. It also depends on how many muscles the horse needs to rebuild as they are no longer sore and compensating for that.

No steroid injections will make a very lame horse sound.


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## gunnergundog (11 October 2015)

[59668] said:



			Those of you whose horses have had steroid injections, how long before you saw an improvement and how long before the horse came sound? Thanks!!
		
Click to expand...

It depends is the short answer.  It depends on which joint(s) you are talking about, the age of the horse, the degree of damage and the nature of damage to the joint, also the number of times the joint has been injected, plus precisely WHAT you are injecting as there are numerous variations and combinations.

Also, precisely what degree of work are you expecting from the horse and what is the protocol that your vet is advocating .....they seem to vary tremendously.


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## Illusion100 (11 October 2015)

What joint was injected? 

Steroid injections differ in the activity level of the joint. So a low level activity joint should be treated differently (different type/action of steroid) than a high activity joint. 

There are other factors involved but usually a steroid should get to work quick enough if it's going to do any good.


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## Tnavas (11 October 2015)

From my own experience - an injection into my shoulder - I was suffering from a 'Frozen Shoulder' the effect was rapid, really rapid, pain dramastically reduced but the articulation of the shoulder itself wasn't affected - I could still only move my arm a limited amount. When I talked to the doctor a while later I was told the steroid only works for a few weeks at the most. They also can cause damage to tendons and ligaments - in that they can snap. In those that are prone they can also affect the pancreas- causing the person to become full blown type 1 diabetic.

Now consider the effect it could have on the horse. It's a quick mask that doesn't necessarily fix the problem.


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## [59668] (11 October 2015)

Tnavas said:



			From my own experience - an injection into my shoulder - I was suffering from a 'Frozen Shoulder' the effect was rapid, really rapid, pain dramastically reduced but the articulation of the shoulder itself wasn't affected - I could still only move my arm a limited amount. When I talked to the doctor a while later I was told the steroid only works for a few weeks at the most. They also can cause damage to tendons and ligaments - in that they can snap. In those that are prone they can also affect the pancreas- causing the person to become full blown type 1 diabetic.

Now consider the effect it could have on the horse. It's a quick mask that doesn't necessarily fix the problem.
		
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply but you are incorrect in this case. 

There are 2 types of steroid used in injections. Short acting and long acting. You had a short acting steroid. The longer acting ones are very different. I have had them myself into my wrists and ankles and they can actually assist in improving the problem. Yes there is still a risk to ligaments and tendons but only if that is what you are injecting, as it can make them brittle. If you are injecting into the joint space this is not an issue. 

Thank you to everyone else for your replies. My horse has had an injection into the fetlock joint 2 weeks ago. He is showing improvement and I am surprised it is so soon. I think when I had them it was more like a month really so I was wondering what other people's experiences were.


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## ester (11 October 2015)

coffin joint, improvement in days (sadly didn't last). I wouldn't be surprised to see improvement in 2 weeks .


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## BBP (11 October 2015)

Horse with both hocks injected, vast improvement in 2 days. And has stated that way for I think 6 months now. Sacroiliac the horses lameness was subtle but has been very effective, horse was much happier afterwards.


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## Phoebe+Sophie (11 October 2015)

Injected in the coffin joint. Sound after 10 days. Didn't last long.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (11 October 2015)

Me - injections into both ankles  2 weeks apart in June, crippled for 2 to 3 days  then miraculous and was actually able to trot horse up 3 weeks later.  Now in mid Oct, right ankle  starting to break down again,  left doing fine. 

CF had short lasting injections into both hocks in Aug. Should last for 2 to 6 weeks, week 3 was great, then wore off....
Vet back at week 5 and injected both hocks again with slow release steriods, right hock done inside and out. Now 3 weeks down the line, he has to be ridden from field as even standing in for half hour makes him stiffen. After 20 mins walking under saddle he starts to really loosen up snd by 30 mins is back to how he was in June and v sound.
However, stand him for 10 mins or more on return and he pulls up lame on off hind.
Pottering in field 24/67 he is currently sound.
Vet back Thurs for honest discussions, ho hum


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## spotty_pony2 (11 October 2015)

My boy wasn't lame when he had them, but I noticed an improvement within days. My Vet said they would be working at their best after two weeks of them being done.


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## sidewaysonacob (12 October 2015)

My boy has had both hocks and pasterns done several times.  Speed of improvement has varied massively from noticeable improvement within a few days to it taking almost a month.  But every time my vet has recommended light work (after a few day's rest) to get the joint moving and allow the steroids to do their job.


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## C1airey (12 October 2015)

Immediately.

The lad had injections in both hocks in June for arthritic changes. Two days' box rest and a further week off with turnout and then he was back in work. He looked better the moment he stepped off the lorry and is still moving well now. 

The only issue I've had is that now he's able to work properly, he's lost weight and his back has muscled up a bit, so we needed a new saddle!


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## Albertina (12 October 2015)

Mine had both coffin joint done twice and it only took a couple of days to notice the difference. The effects sadly didn't last very long either with mine, the first lot was about 6 months. Sadly he has now been PTS as he deteriorated quite badly :-(


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## ILuvCowparsely (12 October 2015)

[59668] said:



			Those of you whose horses have had steroid injections, how long before you saw an improvement and how long before the horse came sound? Thanks!!
		
Click to expand...

Depends what the injection is for really -  tendon can be as little as 2 months or longer than 6 months


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## Chottsy (12 October 2015)

My horse had one hock injected back at the end of February this year. He was diagnosed with arthritis in his near hock and I was given a range of options. 

Out of the many options of varying cost I chose to x-ray and treat based on x-rays. He had steroid injection on 27th Feb, had 1 week box rest followed 1 week restricted turnout. Vet then came back out to assess and from then I started riding again. On 2 week vet check, my vet had to ask which hock he had injected because my boy now looked so even behind (before it had been quite obvious he was stiff in that leg, even when he loosened up during exercise). 

I brought him back into full work over the space of a few weeks. My vet basically said start with 10 mins walking and do more and more each time I rode. 

Over 7 months later he is looking and feeling better than ever. He did need some chiro work to help get him there, probably a mixture of being uneven before and a saddle that did not fit him. He now really powers from behind and is so much more even in his ridden work. It has also brought back his love of jumping. He went through a stage of stopping if he got in too deep, and then worrying about it. He now drags me around the course trying to lock on to every jump!  It's so lovely to have him feeling so well! I took him on a 10 mile fun ride last week, where he spent about 9.5 miles cantering sideways, bouncing on the spot or jogging and just generally being a massive * T I T!!!* No stiffness whatsoever the next day, he would have quite happily gone round again!

I also have had him on a Global Herbs supplement since about 2 months in. Noticed even more improvement within weeks of putting him on the supplement. 

I know I am only 7 months down the line, but he has got better and better as the months have gone and I 100% believe it all started with the steroid!


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