horse to be nerve blocked any advice or tips please ??

kickandshout

kickandshout

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ok so far. . . . .
the vet has been to see my horse as he's very slightly lame more uncomfortable than lame, no nodding etc.
he's been lunged, trotted up, flexion tested and nothing is obvious. ( hoof testers too and my farrier checked and rechecked)
so he been booked in for nerve blocking and radiograph.
I've been around horses for many a year but never had his done so just picking the brains of you guys on here for some tips
thanks in advance.
 
Stay and watch. Things progress very quickly when a horse goes in for investigation, to fully understand it's best to be there. Good luck.
 
The vet will probably want to see him trot up then lunge on a firm surface to get a starting point of how lame he is on the day, he will then have the local injected into his foot before being trotted again to see if he responds, if still lame then injections will be used further up the leg until he responds by going sound, if and when they decide which part is causing the problem they will probably xray and maybe scan it as well.
If you are lucky he will come sound on an early block and something will show up so you get a diagnosis, with a very subtle lameness you may find it is inconclusive so don't go along expecting too much as this may just be the start of a long journey, the last one I took in had 2 days being looked at as he blocked to the foot so had to have further blocks to pin point the exact area causing the very subtle lameness, nothing showed on xrays so we ended up giving him a few weeks of very gentle exercise on bute as it was thought to be deep bruising, he was fine a month later and required no more treatment.
 
Thanks for your detailed description 'be positive'
he's being nerve blocked at home as he's got sweet itch so cant be stabled ill be there to see everything..
and it will be me doing the trot ups etc so thank you for your advice.
I wanted to ask advice as I was avoiding googling it as it'll probably just scare me.
I'm fingers crossed for a diagnosis.
he's already done 2 weeks of very light hacking and is showing no difference at all.
I'm convinced shoulder area as is the vet but he has to start at the hoof and work up.
 
he's having to be nerve blocked at home as he's got sweet itch so cant be stabled.

Thank you for your reply 'be positive' it will be me doing the trot ups etc so at least I know what to expect now.

he's already been on very light hacking for two weeks and no improvement. so I'm hoping something shows up.
myself and the vet is thinking more shoulder area but he has to start at the hoof and work his way up.
ill update you when I know.
 
Shoulder and foot lameness look very similar and are often mistaken for each other, so nerve blocking the foot first is correct.

It's not a difficult procedure for the horse, it'll be ok xx
 
All I would say is make sure that your practise send out a lameness and performance expert, not just a general vet or someone who specialises in, say, reproductive medicine. With a niggly, mild lameness, I really think you need the expert who looks at these cases all day, every day.
 
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