|
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| I have been dealing with some soundness issues the last 3 years with one of my horses. At my last vet appointment the dr said she is a candidate for de-nerving. We did not get any farther into this discussion (I have full intentions of doing so) but I would just like to hear what everyones experiences are with this procedure. Good/bad. Pros/cons. |
|
| |
|
  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
 
| Worked great on a rope horse I used to own who had navicular. Had it done when he was six. I sold him when he was 14, and never had a single issue with it. I would do it again in a heartbeat, if regular treatments were not an option. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 5293
| I'm looking into this option too. Does anyone know about cost? |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| I have not inquired about cost yet but that is also a concern of mine. Still waiting to hear from my vet after I sent him some more lameness vidoes. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| Also whiteboy, did this procedure affect the selling price of your horse? |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | If you just want to ease the pain... sure.... I would not try to compete in a running event on a horse that can't feel it's feet.. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | komet. - 2014-07-23 2:29 PM
If you just want to ease the pain... sure.... I would not try to compete in a running event on a horse that can't feel it's feet..
This is what my vet told me. We could nerve him but he didn't recommend working him if we did it as he could further his injuries. We opted out of it and are able to keep him sound with special shoeing. |
|
| |
|
That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| ChicksInferno - 2014-07-23 1:12 PM Also whiteboy, did this procedure affect the selling price of your horse?
It cost me about $1500 for the procedure in 2001. It didn't make any difference on that horse, but he was a finished head horse. |
|
| |
|
That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| komet. - 2014-07-23 1:29 PM If you just want to ease the pain... sure.... I would not try to compete in a running event on a horse that can't feel it's feet..
It is only select portions of his feet. |
|
| |
|
Pig-Bear Dog Lover
| Cost me 1200$ 2014... I'm happy with it. I was very nervous/worried but once they heal it is SO much better having a comfortable horse. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 5293
| My vet says that roping and running barrels is fine after being nerves, just not jumping and something else I don't do. Lol how long does the recovery take? |
|
| |
|
That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| FLITASTIC - 2014-07-23 3:28 PM My vet says that roping and running barrels is fine after being nerves, just not jumping and something else I don't do. Lol how long does the recovery take?
It was long enough ago that I dont remember the recovery time, except that it felt like forever. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3514
| Have you looked into getting a hair analysis ? It will show what is going
on and what the horse needs to be sound. |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 336
Location: Missouri | readytorodeo - 2014-07-23 8:30 PM
Have you looked into getting a hair analysis ? It will show what is going
on and what the horse needs to be sound.
I'm sorry but huh wut?! Hair analysis to diagnose lameness? Or do you mean an underlying condition such as a deficiency? I ask because genuinely curious. We have in the past used a very well reputed lameness vet, lameness locater, xrays, etc. but I've never heard of this. Lots I've not heard of though, which is why I ask the theory and application behind it. |
|
| |
|
 Semper Fi
Location: North Texas | readytorodeo - 2014-07-23 8:30 PM Have you looked into getting a hair analysis ? It will show what is going
on and what the horse needs to be sound.
Huh? |
|
| |
|
 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | readytorodeo - 2014-07-23 8:30 PM Have you looked into getting a hair analysis ? It will show what is going
on and what the horse needs to be sound.
I think that sounds like melarky. I'm not sure how to spell that. How in the world would a hair analysis help in this case? |
|
| |
|
Semper Fi
Location: North Texas | CYA Ranch - 2014-07-23 10:06 PM readytorodeo - 2014-07-23 8:30 PM Have you looked into getting a hair analysis ? It will show what is going
on and what the horse needs to be sound. I think that sounds like melarky. I'm not sure how to spell that. How in the world would a hair analysis help in this case?
Your 'thinking' makes sense to me as well!
|
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 336
Location: Missouri | foundation horse - 2014-07-23 10:14 PM
CYA Ranch - 2014-07-23 10:06 PM readytorodeo - 2014-07-23 8:30 PM Have you looked into getting a hair analysis ? It will show what is going
on and what the horse needs to be sound. I think that sounds like melarky. I'm not sure how to spell that. How in the world would a hair analysis help in this case?
Your 'thinking' makes sense to me as well!
Me three. I would spend my money on xrays and lameness locater with a vet who specializes in lameness! |
|
| |
|
More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | ChicksInferno - 2014-07-23 11:22 AM I have been dealing with some soundness issues the last 3 years with one of my horses. At my last vet appointment the dr said she is a candidate for de-nerving. We did not get any farther into this discussion (I have full intentions of doing so) but I would just like to hear what everyones experiences are with this procedure. Good/bad. Pros/cons.
I have a mare that my vet suggested a last resort of de-nerving. I chose to retire her and get a couple babies out of her. |
|
| |
|
 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Hair analysis is worthless. Nothing more than a scheme designed to suck money out of gullible people. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3514
| I have had several hair analysis done on horses. It has been spot on every time. |
|
| |
|
Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 5:26 AM I have had several hair analysis done on horses. It has been spot on every time.
 |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1037
| FLITASTIC - 2014-07-23 3:28 PM My vet says that roping and running barrels is fine after being nerves, just not jumping and something else I don't do. Lol how long does the recovery take?
6-8 weeks with a heel nerve, then working them back into normal routine. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 585
Location: Texas | I have had 3 horses nerved. 1 to be comfortable turned on and retired. The other 2 were very nice horses that went on to win. 1 won High School Nationals and had been nerved 3 times. I don't understand why a vet would say don't run after this procedure. |
|
| |
|
More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 5:26 AM I have had several hair analysis done on horses. It has been spot on every time.
So you had hair analysis done on horses that were unsound - you bought their "special" supplements and now your horses are sound.....is that correct or am I missing something? I find this very hard to believe. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3514
| CYA Ranch - 2014-07-24 11:12 AM readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 5:26 AM I have had several hair analysis done on horses. It has been spot on every time. So you had hair analysis done on horses that were unsound - you bought their "special" supplements and now your horses are sound.....is that correct or am I missing something? I find this very hard to believe.
Yes I bought the herbs that were reccomended. Horse is sound. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1079
| barrelracr131 - 2014-07-24 7:20 AM readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 5:26 AM I have had several hair analysis done on horses. It has been spot on every time.
^ this is everything.  |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| workerbee - 2014-07-24 8:58 AM
I have had 3 horses nerved. 1 to be comfortable turned on and retired. The other 2 were very nice horses that went on to win. 1 won High School Nationals and had been nerved 3 times. I don't understand why a vet would say don't run after this procedure.
Thank you, I spoke to another vet today who said there is a new product from Europe that is just being legalized in the US called Tildren (sp), but it costs about $500 for a 1x/IV that should last about 6 months. I still have one more injection to try then I will have to re-evaluate things. My mare is still rather young so its a bitter pill to swallow retiring her to be a broodmare at this point, but of course I am getting wore out (going broke) spending $$ to get her sound enough to be competitive again. Each trip to the vet experienced enough to treat this is 4 1/2hrs one way! |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 5293
| I just had Tildren done on my horse Tuesday. We opted for the single limb profusion (350.00) rather than the IV whole body approach. My horse is only sore in one foot. So thats what I went with. It will be a month to see if it works. If it does, I may do the whole body next time. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| Please do keep me posted if you feel Tildren works. Is the month wait is to reach its full effectivness? |
|
| |
|
More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 1:57 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-07-24 11:12 AM readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 5:26 AM I have had several hair analysis done on horses. It has been spot on every time. So you had hair analysis done on horses that were unsound - you bought their "special" supplements and now your horses are sound.....is that correct or am I missing something? I find this very hard to believe.
I'm sorry but if this were true then every vet in the world would be on it like flies on poop. Dolly wouldn't be retired, Jethro wouldn't be dead, Louie wouldn't be on stall rest, I'll quit there but there are many more. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 5293
| Yes, Tildren does not work over night. The drug has to get into the bony structures and do its job. Vet said if it was going to work it would be showing by 4 weeks and could reach max effectiveness by 6 weeks. Some horses never need to be done again while others need annual treatments and some every 6 months. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1611
| ChicksInferno - 2014-07-24 4:49 PM
workerbee - 2014-07-24 8:58 AM
I have had 3 horses nerved. 1 to be comfortable turned on and retired. The other 2 were very nice horses that went on to win. 1 won High School Nationals and had been nerved 3 times. I don't understand why a vet would say don't run after this procedure.
Thank you, I spoke to another vet today who said there is a new product from Europe that is just being legalized in the US called Tildren (sp ), but it costs about $500 for a 1x/IV that should last about 6 months. I still have one more injection to try then I will have to re-evaluate things. My mare is still rather young so its a bitter pill to swallow retiring her to be a broodmare at this point, but of course I am getting wore out (going broke ) spending $$ to get her sound enough to be competitive again. Each trip to the vet experienced enough to treat this is 4 1/2hrs one way!
Tildren is not new its just now being FDA approved which means it is now WAYYYYY more expensive. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 5293
| My vet said just the opposite. It is extremely expensive now because it has to come from Europe. The FDA approved version is now called CEVA. She said that if my horse needed it again it would be cheaper by next year. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3514
| CYA Ranch - 2014-07-24 4:36 PM readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 1:57 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-07-24 11:12 AM readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 5:26 AM I have had several hair analysis done on horses. It has been spot on every time. So you had hair analysis done on horses that were unsound - you bought their "special" supplements and now your horses are sound.....is that correct or am I missing something? I find this very hard to believe.
This is your opinion. Everyone is entitled to have one. It worked for my horses. And Jethro was on SilverLining Herbs. Dollie has navicular and I know that she tried herbs on her. I believe Animal Element Detox. Hair analysis does not replace a vet. But it can assist with diagnosis. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| FLITASTIC - 2014-07-24 5:43 PM
My vet said just the opposite. It is extremely expensive now because it has to come from Europe. The FDA approved version is now called CEVA. She said that if my horse needed it again it would be cheaper by next year.
This is exactly what my vet said. |
|
| |
|
 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | The horse in my avatar was de-nerved over 3 years ago without issue. The cost was $800. I barrel raced her for about 2 years but retired her due to an unrelated issue. She is still 100% but is just trail horse now. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 110
| Someone asked about how this affects selling? I have what I would call a High-End mare that I am considering de-nerving but I am concerned about the future and what this will do to her value (not that without it she is worth much) but I would hate to do something without all of the information. Would people buy a mare that had been nerved?
Edited by allaboutme2 2014-08-07 12:38 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Did I miss the party?
Posts: 3864
| readytorodeo - 2014-07-24 3:26 AM I have had several hair analysis done on horses. It has been spot on every time.
For vitamin/mineral deficiencies that could potentially cause some sort of body or muscle "soreness", I could maaaaybe see this. To find a "lameness" issue, not so much. |
|
| |
|
 Proud to be Deplorable
Posts: 1929
| ChicksInferno - 2014-07-23 11:22 AM
I have been dealing with some soundness issues the last 3 years with one of my horses. At my last vet appointment the dr said she is a candidate for de-nerving. We did not get any farther into this discussion (I have full intentions of doing so) but I would just like to hear what everyones experiences are with this procedure. Good/bad. Pros/cons.
I have had several horses over the years that have been nerved and never had a problem. However I never had one that had the entire hoof nerved that I would not suggest. I would suggest that you try Sarapin and Vet A Log. It lasts 6-8 weeks and your Vet can divide the hoof into 4 sections and inject in only the effected section. If you get the results you want than you can decide if you want to take it farther and have that area nerved. Good luck |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 5293
| Update on my Tildren. Its been 15 days since treatment and my horse is now sound! Was grade 2 lame and now feels.great. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 3514
| I had my vet out to check mare . Did not tell her what the hair analysis had said. It was spot on. So yes I'm still a believer. She was having front feet lameness . Hair analysis said her coffin bone. It was correct. Injected coffin bone and she is sound. Also feeding herbs that were reccomended.
Edited by readytorodeo 2014-08-08 8:26 AM
|
|
| |
|
 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | Depends on the EXTENT of de-nerving that you are talking about.
I'm going through lameness with my horse Red right now. If the coffin injections in his front feet every stop work, my vet told me that he is a prime candidate for de-nerving to relieve his heel pain. For him, he would only de-nerve the one that runs down the back of the foot, specifically he would de-nerve under the fetlock. The toe would not be numb. The side of the hoof would not be number. The front of the foot would not be numb. The side of the foot would not be numb. The fetlock would not be numb ......... See what I am getting at here? For the specific problem my horse has, only a very small area would be denerved. Basically the heel bulbs and the very back part of the hoof.
And when this is done for a horse with heel pain you will actually DECREASE the chance they are going to trip and fall. Let's think about this: If a horse has heel pain, they are going to start landing "toe first" in order to avoid that pain. THAT is when a horse is going to stumble. If they hit their toe (landing toe first) and the pastern gives out on them ... then they stumble. But if you've done a proper de-nerving and eliminated their heel pain, they are going to correctly land "flat-footed" or maybe even "heel first" and are going to stumble much less as a result.
So I think it is important to understand exactly what areas of the foot you are going to de-nerve and truly understand how it is going to affect your horse before you say "I'll never ride a horse that is de-nerved because they can't feel their foot." Because it usually is just not correct.
My vet said that most de-nerved (when dealing with heel pain, like my horse) lasts a minimum of 2 years, although the nerve can regenerate. He's got a couple horses that around going 10+ years strong just on one surgery and are doing fine. The maximum amount of times he will do the surgery is 3 times, because by then there is so much scar tissue it is hard to even find the nerve and do a good job.
After knowing all that from my vet, if I was ever looking to buy a horse who had that done, if the horse was the right fit for me, I would buy them. Now, in general, a horse with lameness is a horse with lameness. So just that fact along may have an impact on the price due to the maintence they require. But if they had the de-nerving done, it wouldn't shy me away.
Edited by r_beau 2014-08-08 12:13 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1159
Location: alabama | i said this in another post...I JUST put a horse down due to someone nerving him previously. The nerves grew back and he was in horrible pain. I just don't think its fair to the horse to keep competing on a nerved horse, the inside is still breaking down the more wear an tear u put on them. Maybe others have had better luck, this was just my experience and it was SUPER hard to watch! |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 150
Location: Okla | I was at a junior rodeo just watching a few weeks ago and saw the most gastly thing ever! A horse was running the barrels and when he came around his turn on the second barrel-you could see something happened to him but the horse just kept going until he crossed the finish line where people were standing to get the horse pulled up. His hoof was just "dangling and flopping" back and forth. Word got out the owners had 'nerved' him, so needless to say, the horse had to be put down. To me, it was just wrong to do this to a horse just in hopes of winning a few bucks. I don't understand people these days and know I will ruffle a lot of feathers in saying this, but when you actually see something like this in person, it shines a whole different light on a lot of things-and makes me feel good within myself knowing if any of my horses are not right, they stay home.... |
|
| |
|
Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | old timey barrel rac - 2014-08-10 9:59 AM I was at a junior rodeo just watching a few weeks ago and saw the most gastly thing ever! A horse was running the barrels and when he came around his turn on the second barrel-you could see something happened to him but the horse just kept going until he crossed the finish line where people were standing to get the horse pulled up. His hoof was just "dangling and flopping" back and forth. Word got out the owners had 'nerved' him, so needless to say, the horse had to be put down. To me, it was just wrong to do this to a horse just in hopes of winning a few bucks. I don't understand people these days and know I will ruffle a lot of feathers in saying this, but when you actually see something like this in person, it shines a whole different light on a lot of things-and makes me feel good within myself knowing if any of my horses are not right, they stay home....
They might have nerved the whole foot or had some other sort of do it yourself method, or perhaps the horse was impossible to stop like you sometimes see during a breakdown on the track.
Nowadays if they used current methods to nerve a horse, the horse only loses feeling in a small part of the foot and I would highly doubt a horse would keep running if it had a breakdown like that because it couldn't feel it. They can still feel the fetlock, toe, and sides of the foot.
If I had one that was a good candidate, I would not hesistate to do it. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| FLITASTIC - 2014-08-07 11:31 PM
Update on my Tildren. Its been 15 days since treatment and my horse is now sound! Was grade 2 lame and now feels.great.
You aren't able to ride yet though? 30 days was it? But good to hear, my mare was sound again for 3 days after her last injection, ran her fastest times ever in this certain pen. Monday lame again. I just don't know if I want to spend anymore money this year figuring out the problem or wait to try my vets next recommendation next year. I also appreciate all the new replies. I haven't talked to my vet in 2 weeks but I did not know about nerving specific portions of the feet either. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 300
| old timey barrel rac - 2014-08-10 9:59 AM
I was at a junior rodeo just watching a few weeks ago and saw the most gastly thing ever! A horse was running the barrels and when he came around his turn on the second barrel-you could see something happened to him but the horse just kept going until he crossed the finish line where people were standing to get the horse pulled up. His hoof was just "dangling and flopping" back and forth. Word got out the owners had 'nerved' him, so needless to say, the horse had to be put down. To me, it was just wrong to do this to a horse just in hopes of winning a few bucks. I don't understand people these days and know I will ruffle a lot of feathers in saying this, but when you actually see something like this in person, it shines a whole different light on a lot of things-and makes me feel good within myself knowing if any of my horses are not right, they stay home....
While I appreciate all facts/first hand accounts about nerving, this is all hear say unless you know the owners and they confirmed their horse was nerved, even then any horse can break a bone running barrels whether or not it was due to nerving or just stepped wrong. And I have seen horses be put down to broken bones, it is very sad no matter the situation. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| barrelracr131 - 2014-08-11 8:33 AM
old timey barrel rac - 2014-08-10 9:59 AM I was at a junior rodeo just watching a few weeks ago and saw the most gastly thing ever! A horse was running the barrels and when he came around his turn on the second barrel-you could see something happened to him but the horse just kept going until he crossed the finish line where people were standing to get the horse pulled up. His hoof was just "dangling and flopping" back and forth. Word got out the owners had 'nerved' him, so needless to say, the horse had to be put down. To me, it was just wrong to do this to a horse just in hopes of winning a few bucks. I don't understand people these days and know I will ruffle a lot of feathers in saying this, but when you actually see something like this in person, it shines a whole different light on a lot of things-and makes me feel good within myself knowing if any of my horses are not right, they stay home....
They might have nerved the whole foot or had some other sort of do it yourself method, or perhaps the horse was impossible to stop like you sometimes see during a breakdown on the track.
Nowadays if they used current methods to nerve a horse, the horse only loses feeling in a small part of the foot and I would highly doubt a horse would keep running if it had a breakdown like that because it couldn't feel it. They can still feel the fetlock, toe, and sides of the foot.
If I had one that was a good candidate, I would not hesistate to do it.
My question to the vet would be can they feel the pastern, and navicular bone? |
|
| |
|
Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | cheryl makofka - 2014-08-11 12:55 PM barrelracr131 - 2014-08-11 8:33 AM old timey barrel rac - 2014-08-10 9:59 AM I was at a junior rodeo just watching a few weeks ago and saw the most gastly thing ever! A horse was running the barrels and when he came around his turn on the second barrel-you could see something happened to him but the horse just kept going until he crossed the finish line where people were standing to get the horse pulled up. His hoof was just "dangling and flopping" back and forth. Word got out the owners had 'nerved' him, so needless to say, the horse had to be put down. To me, it was just wrong to do this to a horse just in hopes of winning a few bucks. I don't understand people these days and know I will ruffle a lot of feathers in saying this, but when you actually see something like this in person, it shines a whole different light on a lot of things-and makes me feel good within myself knowing if any of my horses are not right, they stay home.... They might have nerved the whole foot or had some other sort of do it yourself method, or perhaps the horse was impossible to stop like you sometimes see during a breakdown on the track.
Nowadays if they used current methods to nerve a horse, the horse only loses feeling in a small part of the foot and I would highly doubt a horse would keep running if it had a breakdown like that because it couldn't feel it. They can still feel the fetlock, toe, and sides of the foot.
If I had one that was a good candidate, I would not hesistate to do it. My question to the vet would be can they feel the pastern, and navicular bone?
They can feel the pastern, toe, sides of the foot, and fetlock.
If you mean the back of the pastern, not exactly sure but I think they can because I believe the incision point to be really low for this procedure.
Not sure about the navicular bone itself. I don't have a lot of personal experience with this other than through a friend who had her good barrel mare done on both front feet. Horse ran for many years after that and was retire when her hocks went bad, which was unrelated to her front feet issues. |
|
| |
|
| old timey barrel rac - 2014-08-10 8:59 AM I was at a junior rodeo just watching a few weeks ago and saw the most gastly thing ever! A horse was running the barrels and when he came around his turn on the second barrel-you could see something happened to him but the horse just kept going until he crossed the finish line where people were standing to get the horse pulled up. His hoof was just "dangling and flopping" back and forth. Word got out the owners had 'nerved' him, so needless to say, the horse had to be put down. To me, it was just wrong to do this to a horse just in hopes of winning a few bucks. I don't understand people these days and know I will ruffle a lot of feathers in saying this, but when you actually see something like this in person, it shines a whole different light on a lot of things-and makes me feel good within myself knowing if any of my horses are not right, they stay home....
I have seen a couple horses break bones running, and yes most of them keep going. I feel bad for the owners of the horse. To bad people don't appreciate the wonderful heart the horse had and choose to find something to judge and verbally punish and gossip. Real classy. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| barrelracr131 - 2014-08-11 1:29 PM
cheryl makofka - 2014-08-11 12:55 PM barrelracr131 - 2014-08-11 8:33 AM old timey barrel rac - 2014-08-10 9:59 AM I was at a junior rodeo just watching a few weeks ago and saw the most gastly thing ever! A horse was running the barrels and when he came around his turn on the second barrel-you could see something happened to him but the horse just kept going until he crossed the finish line where people were standing to get the horse pulled up. His hoof was just "dangling and flopping" back and forth. Word got out the owners had 'nerved' him, so needless to say, the horse had to be put down. To me, it was just wrong to do this to a horse just in hopes of winning a few bucks. I don't understand people these days and know I will ruffle a lot of feathers in saying this, but when you actually see something like this in person, it shines a whole different light on a lot of things-and makes me feel good within myself knowing if any of my horses are not right, they stay home.... They might have nerved the whole foot or had some other sort of do it yourself method, or perhaps the horse was impossible to stop like you sometimes see during a breakdown on the track.
Nowadays if they used current methods to nerve a horse, the horse only loses feeling in a small part of the foot and I would highly doubt a horse would keep running if it had a breakdown like that because it couldn't feel it. They can still feel the fetlock, toe, and sides of the foot.
If I had one that was a good candidate, I would not hesistate to do it. My question to the vet would be can they feel the pastern, and navicular bone?
If you mean the back of the pastern, not exactly sure but I think they can because I believe the incision point to be really low for this procedure.
Not sure about the navicular bone itself. I don't have a lot of personal experience with this other than through a friend who had her good barrel mare done on both front feet. Horse ran for many years after that and was retire when her hocks went bad, which was unrelated to her front feet issues.
You said earlier they clip just below the fetlock, to me just below the fetlock is the pastern bone. So if they clip that I would think that is the main nerve responsible for the pastern, navicular, heel, and everything at the back of the foot.
If this was even on the table for one of my horses, I don't think I could do it in good conscious and keep running them. I would have to become more educated about it, but this would be a discussion I would be having with my vet.
No one has touched on the failure and infection rates of the surgery, these would be questions I would be asking the surgeon. |
|
| |
De-nerving