RE: Nose Twitch for Giving Shots --> RE: Injection Pain - plastic disc

[Guest guest]

you are too cute! Here in Lexington (horse capitol of the world according to the signs) I see a lot of patients who are involved with horses one way or another, and they all know what a twitch is. I actually own one, and have often joked with patients that I can get it out if need be... they always laugh. But they sit still after that!

Annie

I don't have a picture of its use in my office on kids, but the technique is the same as below.

Our vets on the site can vouch for its effectiveness, I'm sure.

I have never had a child complain of the slight injection poke in the thigh or arm when I've used this technique.

Consider adding it to your armamentarium.

http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/fieldservice/Equine/eqrestr/eqrestr.htm

A nose twitch can safely restrain a horse without the use of sedatives.

Locke, MD

Just Kiddin'

-- Annie SkaggsLexington, KY

[Guest guest]

you are too cute! Here in Lexington (horse capitol of the world according to the signs) I see a lot of patients who are involved with horses one way or another, and they all know what a twitch is. I actually own one, and have often joked with patients that I can get it out if need be... they always laugh. But they sit still after that!

Annie

I don't have a picture of its use in my office on kids, but the technique is the same as below.

Our vets on the site can vouch for its effectiveness, I'm sure.

I have never had a child complain of the slight injection poke in the thigh or arm when I've used this technique.

Consider adding it to your armamentarium.

http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/fieldservice/Equine/eqrestr/eqrestr.htm

A nose twitch can safely restrain a horse without the use of sedatives.

Locke, MD

Just Kiddin'

-- Annie SkaggsLexington, KY

[Guest guest]

Yeah, my dad was/is a vet -- trains thoroughbreds now.

There are variations as you know -- biting the ear, twisting the ear, grasping shoulder skin, twisting tail, chaining nose, pinching nose.

Possibly untapped pediatric research -- who wants to start?

Taking a problem by the nose

The twitch, a horseman's tool for centuries, remains one of the most effective ways of restraining a horseSometimes a horseman, veterinarian, or farrier needs to restrain a horse to make him stand still. But, occasionally, for a variety of reasons, some horses just will not stand quietly for procedures that are new, strange, or slightly uncomfortable to them.In these cases, one of horsemanship's oldest tools-a twitch-is often used to make the horse stand still.The traditional twitch is made from a length of wooden handle about 15-to-30 inches long, with a loop of rope or chain attached to one end. To put a twitch on a horse, a horseman puts his hand through the loop and takes hold of the horse's upper lip, then slides the chain or thong over his hand and around the lip. The handle is then twisted until the loop tightens around the lip.Some newer versions are made of metal and clamp onto the upper lip and halter, so that the horse handler can have both hands free to doctor or deal with the horse after adjusting the twitch if there is no one else there to hold the twitch. But these "nutcracker" versions are not as safe or as effective, because they cannot be released immediately in an emergency nor tightened or loosened as the need arises.The safest and most effective twitch is the traditional type made from a handle at least 27-to-30 inches long, giving enough room to stay out of the way of the horse's front feet if he misbehaves. It is possible to keep hold of the twitch if the horse becomes fractious, and the twitch can also be removed safely at any time without the need to get in front of the horse.Chain loops have some advantage over ropes or cords since the chain tightens and loosens more quickly and easily (with less turns of the handle) and pressure can be increased or decreased with little effort. A rope twitch requires many turns of the handle to get effective pressure on the lip and can easily be overdone. And tightened rope loops will not loosen as readily. But some horsemen prefer rope or leather, because, if used properly, it can be easier on the horse's upper lip than a chain.The most dangerous kind of twitch is the "one-man" design that clamps the upper lip in a metal frame and clips to the halter ring. Once the metal clamp has been applied, there is no further adjustment, and some horses will rebel against this constant pressure. A handler using a traditional twitch can release some pressure on the horse if necessary, or tighten the twitch if the need arises. And if the horse breaks away, the tool will fall harmlessly to the ground and release the horse's nose.Not all horses, however, can be twitched. Some-due to youth, personality, or hypersensitivity-will not tolerate a twitch and end up fighting the device even more than the procedure being performed. For those horses, some other type of restraint must be used. In many cases, though, the twitch can be very useful for temporarily immobilizing a fidgety horse without making him headshy or resentful. The twitch should never be painfully tight; just tight enough to put a little pressure on the upper lip. At the end of the procedure, the twitch should be released slowly and the upper lip gently massaged.Ancient mysteryWhy the twitch works so well to subdue a horse has long been a mystery. Some people believe the horse is merely distracted by the discomfort in his lip, but others theorize that pressure on the upper lip actually leads to a decreased sensation of pain in the rest of his body.In England, recent studies of the twitch's effects found that twitched horses' heart rates were significantly lower than those of horses not twitched, even under circumstances that would ordinarily cause pain and increased heart rate.Dutch scientists also found that twitching increases the horse's ability to handle pain. Use of a twitch, like acupuncture in humans, is believed to stimulate receptor fibers in the skin that respond by activating endorphins, morphine-like substances produced by nerve tissues, which reduce pain sensations and lower heart rate.In one study, the Dutch found that endorphin levels rose 81% during twitching and dropped back down to normal 30 minutes after the twitches were removed. They also found that heart rate decreased 8% while the twitch was on. Painful stimuli while twitched raised the heart rate only slightly, while non-twitched horses experienced a heart rate increase of 22% when given painful stimuli.In extreme cases, however, when the horse is in a lot of pain from serious injury or colic or is in a highly unstable emotional state, a tranquilizer may be necessary in order to safely handle him.But in many "in-between" situations requiring simple treatment, the twitch can easily and temporarily sedate a horse, with no aftereffects for horse-or human.

is a free-lance writer based in Salmon, Idaho, specializing in veterinary and breeding topics. Locke, MD

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of SkaggsSent: Saturday, November 22, 2008 1:08 PMTo: Subject: Re: Nose Twitch for Giving Shots --> RE: Injection Pain - plastic disc

you are too cute! Here in Lexington (horse capitol of the world according to the signs) I see a lot of patients who are involved with horses one way or another, and they all know what a twitch is. I actually own one, and have often joked with patients that I can get it out if need be... they always laugh. But they sit still after that!Annie

On Sat, Nov 22, 2008 at 12:44 PM, Locke <lockecoloradogmail> wrote:

I don't have a picture of its use in my office on kids, but the technique is the same as below.

Our vets on the site can vouch for its effectiveness, I'm sure.

I have never had a child complain of the slight injection poke in the thigh or arm when I've used this technique.

Consider adding it to your armamentarium.

http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/fieldservice/Equine/eqrestr/eqrestr.htm

A nose twitch can safely restrain a horse without the use of sedatives.

Locke, MD

Just Kiddin'-- Annie SkaggsLexington, KY