Benjamin
Well-Known Member
I need your opinions please.
3 years ago, Benj went lame and we went all out on the investigations. Blocks, xrays and MRI. It showed that he had DJD of the coffin joint and changes to his navicular bone, aswell as a lesion on the DDFT and distension of the navicular bursa. After a year of bringing him back into work, I started getting him shod Natural Balance. He has been sound for about 2 years now, with no problems.
Went VERY lame 7-8/10ths a couple of weeks ago. He went for nerve blocks and xrays. All the xrays have shown is that there are huge changes with the foot, most marked on the navicular bone, and he has grown some HUGE sidebones. So we are assuming that he has a tear in the DDFT again.
Vet came out again on Thursday, after we had dropped him down to 1 bute a day, and again, he is very lame.
Vet wants him back in to do more blocks. The coffin joint this time, as there is a chance that the navicular bone will block out aswell.
My problem is that I have no insurance for this, and already the bill is running up. And do I really need another block? What will it tell me?
If the navicular bone is really that mishapen and irregular, what is to stop it from tearing the tendon in the future, and I am in the same position again, this time next year?
I know I will need to have the joint medicated anyway.....
I really am in a tizz about what to do.
3 years ago, Benj went lame and we went all out on the investigations. Blocks, xrays and MRI. It showed that he had DJD of the coffin joint and changes to his navicular bone, aswell as a lesion on the DDFT and distension of the navicular bursa. After a year of bringing him back into work, I started getting him shod Natural Balance. He has been sound for about 2 years now, with no problems.
Went VERY lame 7-8/10ths a couple of weeks ago. He went for nerve blocks and xrays. All the xrays have shown is that there are huge changes with the foot, most marked on the navicular bone, and he has grown some HUGE sidebones. So we are assuming that he has a tear in the DDFT again.
Vet came out again on Thursday, after we had dropped him down to 1 bute a day, and again, he is very lame.
Vet wants him back in to do more blocks. The coffin joint this time, as there is a chance that the navicular bone will block out aswell.
My problem is that I have no insurance for this, and already the bill is running up. And do I really need another block? What will it tell me?
If the navicular bone is really that mishapen and irregular, what is to stop it from tearing the tendon in the future, and I am in the same position again, this time next year?
I know I will need to have the joint medicated anyway.....
I really am in a tizz about what to do.
