Bog spavins refer to only the hock. The term "bog" refers to excessive fluid in the upper hock joint. You will also read about bone spavin, which refers to extra bone deposited in the area of the hock joint, usually on the inside of the hock. Any joint can develop extra fluid. When this occurs, depending upon the cause, the horse may or may not become lame. To determine the cause of the excessive fluid, a veterinarian will need to examine the horse and may both radiograph and ultrasound the area to fully evaluate the joint. Treatment will depend on the cause and will vary from simply continuing to observe the area if the horse is not lame and examination did not reveal a very serious problem to possibly joint surgery. Draining the fluid is not advised for two reasons: First, if it is not performed in a sterile manner, the joint may become infected. Second, if the underlying cause is not corrected, the fluid will just recur.

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