Diagnostic nerve blocks are essential tools for localizing equine lameness, but their therapeutic use raises welfare questions about pain masking versus genuine treatment.
The welfare implications of nerve blocks in horses depend critically on whether they are used diagnostically to guide treatment or therapeutically to mask pain for continued work. Diagnostic nerve blocks are a welfare-positive tool that allows precise identification and subsequent targeted treatment of pain sources. Using blocks to allow horses to perform while experiencing underlying pathology they cannot feel constitutes pain masking that leaves the underlying disease untreated and potentially worsening. Neurectomy for navicular disease allows horses to work without discomfort but removes protective sensation that prevents awareness of hoof injury, creating its own welfare risks. Transparent veterinary communication about the purpose and limitations of each procedure is essential.