At 09:10:10 on 13.08.11, Flicka wrote:
This week a leading racehorse trainer, Howard Johnson, was given a four year ban after it was found that he had raced a horse that had been given a palmar neurectomy (denerved), eight times. A neurectomy involves severing the nerves to the lower leg to cause numbness so in effect the horse can't feel it's foot. I was talking to someone recently about one of my horses having Navicular and they suggested I got him denerved. I said I wouldn't dream of doing that to him, particularly as he hunts and needs to feel his feet, but obviously they thought it was a fairly justified option and I know they aren't alone. Have you or do you know anyone who has had a horse denerved? How common is it? What do you think about it? Is it ok in certain circumstances?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/horse_racing/14502091.stm

At 00:21:59 on 23.08.11, JessAndGrenville123 wrote:
I heard about this, and no i wouldn't de nerve a horse, something could go seriously wrong and no one would know because the horse wouldn't feel it and wouldn't be lame so how is it in any way good? Even if a horse is constantly in pain i would rather put it down than denerve the legs, they could do alot more serious damage and not realise because they wouldn't feel it :\

At 16:56:20 on 24.08.11, HorseVet wrote:
Hi Denerving should only ever be a last resort to enable a horse to retire in comfort and should never be ridden. I know of a situation where a horse was denerved and couldn't feel the foot abscess that developed. It eventually stepped out of its own hoof one day with the only saving grace being the horse couldn't feel it and was euthanased. Unfortunately vets are routinely recommending a denerving procedure to treat hind leg proximal suspensory desmitis. Again this is totally unnecesary and is a symptom of lazy vet practice in not finding out the reason behind the suspensory ligament inflammation. It makes horses ineligible to compete at BE, BSJA and FEI but unfortunately because the surgery is carried out through keyhole surgery these regulations are being ignored. If you hear of anybody who is being told de-nerving is the only option tell them to do their own research on the www and get a second opinion from someone who doesn't accept that this is the only avenue of treatment. Cutting a nerve is akin to taking your car in for a service because the oil warning light is on and the mechanic giving you your car back with the warning light bulb taken out as the only remedy. Sure there is no longer any warning but it's only a matter of time before the engine seizes. In horses it will be the hocks that are damaged as your next telltale warning that something is wrong. Don't do it Best wishes HorseVet
http://www.naturalhealingsolutions.co.uk