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Where There Was a Will,
ACupuNCTurE
Found the Way
Traumatic facial paralysis in a foal is
successfully treated with acupuncture
by Joanna Robson, DVm, cVSmT, cmP, cVA, SFT
hen I answered the phone, a or needles, with a likely high neck
W
strong but shaking voice asked if fracture, made me hesitate. I counseled
I would come right away. “The the owner about a plan: breathe deeply, Complete facial paralysis on this 3-month-
vet’s recommending that I put him down. await the results of the new radiographs,
old colt’s left side had some vets advising
his owner he should be euthanized.
Is there anything you can do, uh, with and reassess.
acupuncture? can you use acupuncture in
an emergency? Please help!” As expected, the radiology report
described a fracture of the left wing of
The little hanoverian colt had reared and the atlas, with a non-displaced fracture
slipped, toppling over backwards and of the dens (the protuberance of the
crashing onto the left side of his head and second neck bone that sits in the first).
neck on the hard-packed ground. Spinal cord compression was apparent.
The colt was not responding to anti-
As I walked into his stall, I saw a inflammatories. A second veterinarian
depressed little foal where brilliance and again suggested euthanasia due to
attitude once radiated. he was unable to quality of life concerns, and the colt’s
bend to nurse from his dam, and his neck apparent blindness.
had a large, painful bulge near his skull
on the left side. more significantly, his HOPELESS? I THINK NOT!
After a few treatments with only needles,
face was asymmetrical. While the right he colt’s owner was looking
T
electroacupuncture was added to
side was completely normal, the left lip for options and wasn’t ready to stimulate the nerves, decrease pain, and
drooped, his ear flopped low, his nose give up. I discussed with her
improve circulation.
was pulled to the right, and his left eyelids the need for the fracture to be healed
wouldn’t close. he also struggled to before we did any major work – any
breathe through his left nostril. This little quick jerking or pulling reaction,
colt had complete left-side facial paralysis. pressure from a halter, or head-tossing,
could be disastrous when dealing with a
Radiographs had been taken, and fracture over the spinal cord. I did a full
no fractures were initially noted. I neurological examination, and found
questioned this information, as a that, contrary to prior notation, the
sickening bone-on-bone grinding colt was NOT blind. he had an intact
and clunking emitted from the colt’s menace response and could retract his
neck every time he moved his head. I eyeball into the socket for protection,
requested repeat images with a radiology though he was unable to close his
consult. his owner looked at me eyelids. This gave me clues about which
pleadingly and asked if acupuncture nerves were affected.
might help her little colt, now just three
months old. We used an artificial tears product to
keep his eye lubricated, and he was
About 90% of the colt’s paralysis was
The risks involved in working with a 12- bucket fed around the clock by dutiful
remedied with acupuncture. Chinese herbs
week-old colt, unused to major handling working students who milked the mare.
were integrated to complete the healing.
22
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www.holistichorse.com holistic horse™ • February/march 2010 • Vol.16, Issue 65
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