(Now that I read the rest of the thread, I see you already had it done, so I revised the post.) A horse in our barn that I know very well is in the same position, just a bit further alone. He got his stitches out a few days ago and is doing great. Excellent feeling in his toes, moving perfectly normally – except now he’s happy and sound. Here’s hoping yours are both the same very soon.
Our vet/surgeon is very, very experienced with neurectomy. He’s done neurectomy studies, written papers, handles frequent referrals from other vets, gets asked to travel around the country to do the surgery, and has done more of the surgeries than the vast majority of veterinary surgeons – not because he likes to do them, but because it was his study speciality and he is known for his knowledge and skill in the area. He always wants to do the block first to find out how the horse reacts and moves under saddle and, if he jumps, see how he does jumping. Quoting him, if you don’t like how the horse goes when he’s blocked, you won’t like him nerved.
He always makes the point that theoretically, the modern low neurectomy should only deaden sensation to the heel area; however, the nerves are kind of like a tree root and every horse can be different. In some cases, the loss of sensation extends to the toe.
Our vet’s practice is to first try steroid injections, and if that doesn’t work, then Tildren coupled with injections. If that is not successful in making the horse sound, then he’ll consider surgery, in appropriate cases after evaluation. He always does the temporary block first. The surgical protocol is surgery under general anasthesia at the surgical hospital, come home the next day if no complications, 10-12 days stall rest (with hand walking) until the stitches come out, then go back to light work and get the horse’s fitness back. If all goes well, return to normal work. Then X-ray every year to monitor the status of the foot and particularly the navicular bone. If the bone becomes too ragged, it can cut the tendon without the horse feeling it, and that’s the end. Our vet will not operate on a horse whose navicular bone is too badly degenerated. So, if needed, yearly Tildren treatments to help keep the bone in good condition. In the unusual situation that a neuroma develops, it can be removed with further surgery.
The fact is, there are plenty of GP jumpers, dressage horses, reiners, and barrel horses out there who’ve been nerved – but its not exactly something people announce to the world.
I cannot express my feelings when I called him over to the fence. He came trotting over with this bright look in his eye, ears up with a floaty trot! Made my day.