Equine Nerve Irritation

[patp]

One of our horses suddenly produced some alarming symptoms, as follows:
He was standing in his stable a couple of months ago eating his hay, when all of a sudden he went potty! He was biting at his shoulder and kicking out (he kicked a big hole in the stable wall!) the skin on his shoulder was twitching, and he was in obvious distress and pain. We called the vet as at first we thought he had been stung by something and the vet agreed and treated him accordingly. However, although he was ok the following morning, by the evening the same symptoms appeared. From thereon, the symptoms got worse and the vet came twice more, gave different painkillers and took blood. The blood came back normal. The vet then sent him to the equine hospital for tests, but these only showed mild changes in the spinal area.
We were given two alternatives: An anti-inflammatory injection in the spine close to the offending joint or the medication Gabapentin for nerve irritation.
We tried the Gabapentin and this seemed to work but after three weeks of it the vets told us to stop it. Unfortunately, two weeks later, the symptoms started up again, but this time they are much worse and the horse gets dangerous in the stable. He is back on Gabapention for two months this time, and again the symptoms have disappeared. However, we are worried about what occurs when he has to come off it again. We are also going to have the anti-inflammatory injection in his spine to see if this helps. The vets believe it is some sort of equine neuralgia (not headshaking or shivering). They dont know why or how it occurs.

Has anyone experienced anything similar with their horse please?

 

[Birker2020]

One of our horses suddenly produced some alarming symptoms, as follows:
He was standing in his stable a couple of months ago eating his hay, when all of a sudden he went potty! He was biting at his shoulder and kicking out (he kicked a big hole in the stable wall!) the skin on his shoulder was twitching, and he was in obvious distress and pain. We called the vet as at first we thought he had been stung by something and the vet agreed and treated him accordingly. However, although he was ok the following morning, by the evening the same symptoms appeared. From thereon, the symptoms got worse and the vet came twice more, gave different painkillers and took blood. The blood came back normal. The vet then sent him to the equine hospital for tests, but these only showed mild changes in the spinal area.
We were given two alternatives: An anti-inflammatory injection in the spine close to the offending joint or the medication Gabapentin for nerve irritation.
We tried the Gabapentin and this seemed to work but after three weeks of it the vets told us to stop it. Unfortunately, two weeks later, the symptoms started up again, but this time they are much worse and the horse gets dangerous in the stable. He is back on Gabapention for two months this time, and again the symptoms have disappeared. However, we are worried about what occurs when he has to come off it again. We are also going to have the anti-inflammatory injection in his spine to see if this helps. The vets believe it is some sort of equine neuralgia (not headshaking or shivering). They dont know why or how it occurs.

Has anyone experienced anything similar with their horse please?

Not sure I can help with your experience other than to say that Gabapentin is what I am on for nerve pain associated with a large prolapsed disc and its fantastic stuff. I take my orally in the form of a little plastic capsule four times a day and it really had helped me. But you should be aware that with humans anyway Gapapentin needs to be reduced slowly over a period of days/weeks unless the doc tells you otherwise. Total withdrawal (in humans) can cause anxiety, difficulty sleeping, feeling sick, pain, sweating and increased risk of seizures.

 

[patp]

Thanks Applecart, our vet did actually say that this time they will withdraw the horse off the Gabapentin slowly, which ties in with your comments! Pat

 

[LindseyS]

Hi Pat,
I'd love to know how the horse is doing at present? Is he still on Gabapentin?
Could you share the dosage he's on.

Only yesterday we started my horse on 70 300mg pills a day of the Gabapentin (15mg/lb), for what is thought to be a femoral or sciatic neuropathy.

I am still waiting to see an improvement. I am very worried however about what will happen when he comes off it.

My vet said she hadn't had a problem taking horses off it, but I know in humans it has to be tapered down, your experience certainly worries me.

How were the spinal changes diagnosed, if you don't mind me asking? My horse had a bonescan which revealed SI inflamation, but his spine did not lit up. However thermography showed increased heat in the lumbar region where X-rays showed some whitening of the tips of the dorsal processes (spondylosis I believe it's called).
Did you do the spinal injection? Do they actually inject in the vertebrae themselves or between the tips of the dorsal processes.
We injected between the tips to no avail.

It's more a longstanding issue of chronic pain with my horse, but more recently he had episodes where he goes 3 legged lame (as if he's fracture a leg), but the pain is originatin from the spine and then goes back to normal as if nothing happened.
It's also impossible to shoe or trim his hinds without high doses of sedation (Dormosedan/Torbugesic) and unfortunately the increased dosage often causes him a gas colic immediately after, hence we are hoping the Gaba may help us decrease the sedation dosage needed.

Thanks for any reply!

 

[patp]

Hi Lindsey, I have tried to reply to you twice but wasnt successful. Here's hoping you get this one! Our horse 'Frenchie' is still on the Gabapentin and will be for the next month and a half (a two month course this time). Within a week of him going back on it all his symptoms ceased and he returned to being the normal lovely, gentle horse he is. We too, are worried about what will happen when he comes off the Gabapentin again at the end of December.
However, our vet has stated that he will withdraw the drug slowly over a period of days this time, rather than just stop the drug instantly. Frenchie is on a dosage of 33 tablets (3x11 tablets per day) of 400mg. I assume that the dosage is worked out due to the horse's height and weight. Frenchie is a 16.3 French Thoroughbred.

We have not tried the injection yet as we are having a meeting this coming Thursday with our vet and the equine surgical team who looked after Frenchie when he was hospitalised. One of the topics of the meeting will be to decide whether or not to try the injection. As I understand it from a quick telephone call with the vet, the injection would be done under ultrasound beside the body of the spine, (degenerative changes found in C5/6 on xray) close to the affected joint, which is near the base of his neck, and not between the dorsal processes as in your horse. I may have misunderstood my conversation with the vet, but I will get back to you with an update after our meeting on Thursday!

Good Luck
Regards,
Pat

 

[LindseyS]

Hi Pat,
Thanks so much for your reply.

Indeed, dosage will be size dependent, my guy is an 18.1h warmblood.
So far I am seeing an improvement, but somehow had hoped for even more of an improvement, making me wonder if a slight increase of the dosage would be beneficial.
Also it's interesting you are having to spread it over 3 feedings.
In the morning he still looks sore, but about 2 hrs after the medication he looks so much better, so probably from nightfeed to morningfeed the medication has worn off.

I have no idea how long we will keep my guy on it, but I will definitely taper down. If will send you my email by pm, because I'd love to hear how your horse does in December.

I have followed another horse with a neuralgia over the back due to a C6/C7 impigment. The Gabapentin helped break the circle of pain for that horse. They also injected C6/C7 and kept the horse on a high dose of acetyl l-carnitine, even when off the Gabapentin. You literally couldn't touch his back with a finger, just putting a cloth on his back and he'd be jumping from pain. In just a couple of months they got the severe sensitivity under control, but sadly had to retire him from under saddle work.

I am very curious if end of this week I will be able to lower the IV pain/sedation medication for shoeing now that my horse is on the Gabapentin. I really hope so, else the purpose of our trial will sort of have failed .

Thanks again and let's stay in touch!