# Cost of nerve blocking



## chevs (30 October 2009)

Hi

My mare that has been suffering with laminitis is due to be re-shod next week. Problem is that she cant weight bear on her damaged foot so after discussion with vet have decided to give her a nerve block in that foot.  Any-one have any idea how much roughly this will cost??  My insurance reached it's limit months ago, sadly, and her ongoing treatment has been costing a fortune. She has a foal at foot and developed laminitis the morning she foaled, her foot is severely rotated and there's no hope of her ever recovering, it's merely a case of keeping her comfortable for as long as she's happy to keep going.  I don't grudge her a penny, she's been an absolute star through it all. We never thought for a minute that she'd still be here 5 months on, but she is still happy in herself, loving being a mum and moving ok.  She's on metacam at £50 a bottle which lasts her a week, and her shoes are fitted every 4-5 weeks so the cost is never ending.  Got a feeling this will probably be her last set of shoes, but you never know, she's a real fighter.

Thanks


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## ofcourseyoucan (30 October 2009)

did she retain her placenta after foaling? have you tried her on bute? you have obviously had her x rayed if you know about pedal bone rotation? how is she shod? heart bars? nerve blocks around 50 per block, starting with one side of foot then other, then fetlock block etc, working way up! plus visit plus x rays etc. a thorough lameness diagnosis will cost around 500 and take 2 days! is the laminitis weight related ? mechanical or cushoinoid related? or foaling induced laminitis (retained placenta)? never heard of a horse prescribed metacam!!! expensive! Good luck


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## chevs (30 October 2009)

She developed laminitis in the morning and foaled that night, vets said it was the surge of hormones that caused it. She was on Danilon but had a bad gut reaction and has been on metacam on and off for the past 4 months.  She has had about 10 x-rays done now, some done at the weiper centre, glasgow vet school, she seen a specialist down there as she was such a mystery.  She had imprints on initially but now has heartbars on. 

Thanks for your reply


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## ofcourseyoucan (31 October 2009)

i would keep her well shod with lots of heel support and just feed her a long stem fibre diet (hay, haylage alpha and beet) and grazing restricted. your original post?? are you thinking of de nerving her? fine if your management is particular and fussy!!!!! and her turnout is very safe. the nerves will re grow allbeit a bit disorganised in a few years i would try her bACK ON DANELLON OR BUTE ALONG WITH A GOOD PRE PRO BIOTIC (alongside vet contribution.) glasgow and edinburgh vets are both excellent. keep with the heartbars. best of luck, sorry dont know the cost of de nerving, but if you did de nerve you wouldnt need drugs! known many hapy de nerved show jumpers jumping big big tracks, very common in germany!


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## glenruby (31 October 2009)

Its not de-nerving that is being advised by her vet, its putting in a nerve block in her foot (probably a palmer digital block) to allow her to bear weight comfortably for long enough for the farrier to reshoe her. Im not sure of the cost tough, but believe it is as someone said about 50pounds.

A horse who has fairly recently suffered from a "gut reaction" whilst on bute should under NO circumstances be put back on it (at least without a thorough vet exam and even then its exceptional circumstances). Thats a silly thing to say. please, if you dont know much about the effects of bute, refrain from giving advise on its use. It can be a dangerous drug.


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## joan (31 October 2009)

I had to take my horse back to the Vet recently due to intermittent lameness, having been seen 2 months prior to this with a full investigation (Xrays, nerve blocks etc).  He was run up in walk &amp; trot and then lunged to check the level of unsoundness.  Vet said he was lame on the off fore and did a nerve block into the coffin joint.  Total cost of that visit was around £99.


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## Theresa_F (2 November 2009)

I had Farra nerve blocked this year - to discover an abscess.  The actual nerve block cost itself was £30, though of course the bill was a lot more to cover visit, exam, meds etc.


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## kezimac (4 November 2009)

i took mine to vets to have full lameness workup - she had palmer nerve block i think the nerve block was prob £50? so if vet doing at your yard would be plus callout.


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