Peripheral Nerve Injuries

Question 1

Injury to suprascapular n

Answer 1

=sweeney. Possible atrophy of supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscle. Lateral subluxation of the shoulder on weight bearing.

Damage after collision of the shoulder with objects.

Question 2

Injury to radial n

Answer 2

Unable to bear weight on the affected limb because of the lack of elbow extension. The shoulder is rested on an extended position, and the limb rests with the dorsum of the eastern on the ground. The limb can be moved forward by the action of the pectoral gridle muscles while the horse walks.

Damage in conjunction with humeral fracture, occasionally after recovery from general anaesthesia.

Question 3

Injury to brachial plexus

Answer 3

Signs of radial nerve paralysis often predominate, possible evidence of suprascapular n and other nerves/nerve roots. Possible long term atrophy triceps. May have diffuse hypalgesia of the lower limb.

Damage because of compression brachial plexus and radial n roots between the scapula and the ribs.

Question 4

Injury to femoral n

Answer 4

Unable to support weight because of lack of stifle extension. At walk, the limb is advanced with difficulty and the stride is short.
The limb buckles (due to stifle, hock and fetlock flexion). Quadriceps muscle atrophy after 10-14 days. Patellar reflex is absent.

Injury due to external blow to the limb., occasionally after recovery from GA

Question 5

Injury to sciatic n

Answer 5

Poor limb flexion with stifle and hock extended and fetlock flexed when the horse is not weight bearing. Limb hypalgesia distal to stifle, except medial surface between stifle and hock

Injury due to varies of causes, seen after IM injection in foals, and after recovery from GA

Question 6

Injury to tibial n

Answer 6

Hypermetric or stringhalt-like gait with flexion of the hock at rest. Hypalgesia caudal limb distal to hock (caudomedial coronary band)

Uncommon.

Question 7

Injury to peroneal n

Answer 7

Inability to flex the hock and extend the digits. Acutely: hyperextension of hock and hyperflexion of fetlock and interphalangeal joints - drag the fetlock along the ground. Short protraction of the stride. Might bear weight if the foot is placed in normal position. Hypalgesia of craniolateral portion of the limb from hock to fetlock.

Injury: it passes across the lateral surface of the tibia, so gets easily injured from kick or blow lateral pelvic limb or after recovery from GA

Question 8

Injury to median and ulnar n

Answer 8

Stiff, goose-stepping gait with hyperextension of the carpal, fetlock and pastern joints.

Uncommon.