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Conference noted::equitation

Title:	Equine Notes Conference
Notice:	Topics List=4, Horses 4Sale/Wanted=150, Equip 4Sale/Wanted=151
Moderator:	MTADMS::COBURNIO

Created:	Tue Feb 11 1986
Last Modified:	Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2080
Total number of notes:	22383

1690.0. "Facial paralysis" by TERSE::DOTY (Michelle Doty, tech writer, Littleton) Tue Dec 01 1992 19:22

Well, I may only have a few days left at DEC to ask 
for advice here...

The horse I've been leasing, Fawn, showed signs
of an eye injury a week ago.  It got worse
quickly - by Friday one side of her head -
ear, eye, and mouth - was paralyzed, and we
trailered her to Tufts (in Grafton, Mass.)
for diagnosis.  We now know that she has 
received some unknown trauma to her chin 
which inflamed a bone which has pinched a 
facial nerve.  (She cannot control her eyelid,
which caused secondary damage to eye from
dryness and exposure.)

Until last night I was still concerned
that she might not be able to eat enough to
to be able survive long-term, but apparently 
she can, and she's leaving the hospital 
tomorrow.  The hospital told her owner that
they expect her to be rideable again (sometime)!

Maybe it can heal, but now I'm imagining
that this condition could be permanent or
very long lasting.  And now I'm beginning to
wonder how I will ride a horse that may not
be able to feel one side of its mouth.  It's
actually quite an interesting puzzle.  For 
example, one obvious solution if she can't 
feel a direct rein aid would be to replace 
it with a neck rein aid.   I'm sure we (Fawn
and I) can devise other workarounds.

What other thoughts do you noters have?
Do you know anybody who has had to deal with
this type of condition, and what they did?
Did the condition improve?  (I need to get
more information from the vet if I can, too.)

Thanks.

- Michelle

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1690.1	ex	DECWET::JDADDAMIO	Speak softly;Carry a big CARROT!	`Tue Dec 01 1992 20:12`	9
	Hi Michelle, Two quick thoughts... 1. Perhaps the vets could test by pinching or something to see whether or not Fawn can respond to ordinary bit aids. If not, perhaps she could respond to a hackamore or lindel. 2. This would be a GREAT opportunity for both of you to work on responsiveness to seat and leg.
1690.2	Nerve "Growns" at 1/2" per month	KALE::ROBERTS		`Wed Dec 02 1992 11:25`	16
	I had a horse that had a nerve in his shoulder damaged, and at about the same time I damaged a nerve in my foot! Well, both my doctor and the vet for my horse told me that in nerve damage, the nerve has to regenerate/repair from the site of injury to its end, and it grows at about 1/2 inch per month. The numbness in my foot lasted about 6 months. The horse with the nerve damage in his shoulder, unfortunately did not last long enough for his nerve to "regrow" (would have taken about 60 months -- but his other foreleg already was in bad shape from his previous racing career, and couldn't take the strain so he had to be put down, sadly.) So it should not be awfully long before the horse you mention regains sensation. But in the meantime, as Joe mentions, you have a great opportunity to refine your other aids. -ellie
1690.3	Little Joe?	DECWET::JDADDAMIO	Speak softly;Carry a big CARROT!	`Wed Dec 02 1992 16:01`	3
	Who's Joe? ;-) John
1690.4	Did I really type Joe?? Duh!	KALE::ROBERTS		`Wed Dec 02 1992 18:09`	6
	Hi John! I claim the excuse of being brain damaged frmo reading too much MACRO code..... %^} -ellie
1690.5	Caution!	DECWET::JDADDAMIO	Speak softly;Carry a big CARROT!	`Wed Dec 02 1992 18:20`	4
	Be careful, ellie! MACRO is known to be the leading cause of both insanity and alcoholism! ;-)
1690.6		KALE::ROBERTS		`Wed Dec 02 1992 18:38`	4
	Oh no! You mean I'm going to go crazy too! Does that mean my brain will be ADDLed? Maybe I should MOVL to another job..... -e
1690.7	a few horses who were in similar situations	ELMAGO::HBUTTERMAN		`Thu Dec 03 1992 12:36`	31
	I don't know if this will help.. but I have seen two instances that were similar. One was a quarter horse who pinched a nerve in his face when he was tranquilized for gelding... this one did not ever get better.. his ear and eye on the effected side were limp the rest of his life, it didn't seem to bother him (personally) but ruined his show career. The other was my own broodmare, who (when she belonged to previous owners) was kicked in the jaw out to pasture. The fracture went the long way of the bone (from mouth to cheek). She looked like a chip munk for almost a year (she had a lump the size of a baseball but it did subside) and had a droopy eyelid. Today there is no sign of any thing externally... we did have some problem w/overflexing (I thought she was trying to get away from the bit) and I was showing her western so it took a great deal of work, concentration, and legs to satisfy her needs. And, when she was not happy (for whatever reason) she'd revert back... and it was frustrating (because it was usually when she'd just about won a class and decided she'd been good long enough and she'd drop her jaw and tip her head and "yaw").... At home I rode her w/a halter and leadshank...she loved not having a bit in her mouth and would have gone in a bosal I think. Years later folks recommended that you have do lots of things with a good horse dentist.. but that's not your situation... so, I hope that Fawn is not in pain, and I bet time will make a major difference........ good luck. holly
1690.8	Thanks	TERSE::DOTY	Michelle Doty, tech writer, Littleton	`Mon Dec 07 1992 13:46`	11
	Thanks for sharing your advice and experiences. Fawn's ear and eye seem slightly better, and she's definitely in good spirits. Almost unbelievably, she's now stabled next to a gelding who has the same condition, only a much milder version! (Neither of them can eat carrots without dropping many half-chewed pieces on the floor.) So there's somebody I'll be able to compare notes with.
1690.9	Follow up	TERSE::DOTY	Michelle Doty, tech writer, Littleton	`Fri Dec 11 1992 19:42`	13
	The vet explained to me on Wednesday that Fawn DOES have full sensation in her face and mouth. The nerve pathways for feeling and muscle control are entirely different. Her condition appears stable. Well, GOOD-BYE, DIGITAL... (I've been TFSO'd.) Thanks for all the help and information I've received from this notesfile. --Michelle