Navicular bursar

[bigdeal1]

My horse went to vet yesterday and was nerve blocked in his heel. The diagnosis was pitting on the navicular bursar. We were told to put him on Danilon until that didn't work and then to medicate the joint? Has anyone any advice on this front because the farrier then questioned why not medicate now?
thanks

 

[pfarrugia]

Hiya,
I agree with your farrier - if it is the navicular bursa it should be treated immediately to stop any further damage. Maybe you should just call your vet up for a chat and ask why he won't medicate now. There are enough drugs on the market at the moment to treat it - and if he doesn't want to use an intra-articular medication, there are enough intra muscular/intra-venous ones out there.
Good Luck

 

[bigdeal1]

What does the medication actually do? Does it prevent the damage becoming worse? How long is it likely to last?
Many thanks!

 

[pfarrugia]

Hiya,
Depends on what they actually use. I'd have thought probably something like hyonate/hylartil - this will just lubricate the joint. If they go for something like adeqauan it will rebuild cartilage. Depends on what the joint looks like. My boy had both and they worked a treat - you'd have to be insured or pretty well off tho!

I'm not a vet so obviously can't tell you what's best but my vet said that the quicker you medicate the better the chances are.

Good Luck

 

[puddicat]

Yes - follow the information given by your vet and ask him/her if you want to know the basis for their treatment. Your vet is the person with the training to be able to give you the best advice.

Let's put it into perspective. Vets start as the brightest best achieving students at 'A' level having usually achieved at least 3 As while doing extramural activities such as Duke of Edinburgh Awards or Grades in music. The then study EXTREMELY HARD for at least five years learning anatomy physiology, biochemistry etc IN DETAIL. The see practice in their holidays. By the time they get to diagnose your horse they are consumate professionals with an extensive knowledge and skill at the job they are performing.

Farriers are ususally low academic achievers and they spend a few years learning a trade through apprenticeship. NOW the UK taboo about education and achievement means this sounds as if I'm denegrating farriers but in fact I'm not, I don't believe that differences in academic ability or endeavour has any relation to peoples value or ability to fulfil a vital task. Farriers' training is sufficient for them to shoe horses competently - that's what they do. The point is that there is a misguided tendency for people to attach equal value to information received from any source. Truth is, you wouldn't expect a vet to have a detailed knowledge of farriery and a farrier is a million miles away from being able to comment knowledgeably on this particular condition or the treatment prescribed. The reasons for treatment are complex and individual to a case and the world is far from as simple as dressagedivaz suggests. I can think of several good reasons why your vet might have followed the path of treatment you describe. So the advice to ring your vet and discuss it is useful, everything else isn't.