This is a disease that is associated with inflammation of the navicular bone and the tissues in the surrounding area, usually on the front feet. When the bone is subjected to repeated compression, degeneration occurs with the cartilage flattening and slowly becoming less springy and shock absorbing. Navicular syndrome in horses causes pain in the heel area and can lead to lameness in athletic horses.
When walking, the affected horse places its weight on the toe to avoid creating pressure on the heel area which contains the flamed bone. While doing this, a longer time is taken to stop a stride than is ought to and when standing the horse tends to shift weights often. This in turn relieves pain thus pressure from the area in question.
Radiographic and clinical signs form the basis of diagnosis of this condition. A specialist physically examines the hoof of the affected leg as well as x-ray images from which they base their treatment. They get some or all information needed for their job due to the depiction of clear signs from the animal which some of them are evident especially in their posture and movement.
When looking at the sick animal, the veterinarian will observe that when foot testers are applied, it responds with pain. This is a correspondence to the application of pressure directly to their navicular bone. On the most affected side of the leg, the hoof tends to be smaller than the other opposite front legs hoof which is as a result of bearing more weight to the foot for some time.
The most important thing to note about the disease is that it is not terminal as with specialized treatment and care, the horse can return back to its normal state and level of performance. An animal diagnosed with navicular syndrome can be compared to human track athlete with bad feet. It is not safe to say that the track star may never run again; it only means that they have to take care of their feet and be well informed of these problems.
Normally, these animals are actually lame on both front feet but when initially examined, they will seem to be lame only on one leg. However, when the nervous system of that leg suffer blockage, it appears to be limping with the other leg. This phenomenon of limping is a red flag to vets that acts as an indication of the syndrome.
The foundation of treating any horse with the disease is making the right choice when it comes to shoeing and not having to make corrective shoeing as many affected horses suffer from the condition as a result of their long shoes and under run heels. This therefore means following a technique whereby the hooves can be made to balance from the front side to the back and from side to side so as to avoid the aching. The front hoof should be parallel to the line of the pastern and the back of their shoe too.
The other treatment is the use of drug therapy with the most successful drug being the lsoxsuprine. This drug dilates the blood vessels and is presumed to increase circulation of blood to the affected bone. Exercise can also act as a way of enhancing blood circulation.
When walking, the affected horse places its weight on the toe to avoid creating pressure on the heel area which contains the flamed bone. While doing this, a longer time is taken to stop a stride than is ought to and when standing the horse tends to shift weights often. This in turn relieves pain thus pressure from the area in question.
Radiographic and clinical signs form the basis of diagnosis of this condition. A specialist physically examines the hoof of the affected leg as well as x-ray images from which they base their treatment. They get some or all information needed for their job due to the depiction of clear signs from the animal which some of them are evident especially in their posture and movement.
When looking at the sick animal, the veterinarian will observe that when foot testers are applied, it responds with pain. This is a correspondence to the application of pressure directly to their navicular bone. On the most affected side of the leg, the hoof tends to be smaller than the other opposite front legs hoof which is as a result of bearing more weight to the foot for some time.
The most important thing to note about the disease is that it is not terminal as with specialized treatment and care, the horse can return back to its normal state and level of performance. An animal diagnosed with navicular syndrome can be compared to human track athlete with bad feet. It is not safe to say that the track star may never run again; it only means that they have to take care of their feet and be well informed of these problems.
Normally, these animals are actually lame on both front feet but when initially examined, they will seem to be lame only on one leg. However, when the nervous system of that leg suffer blockage, it appears to be limping with the other leg. This phenomenon of limping is a red flag to vets that acts as an indication of the syndrome.
The foundation of treating any horse with the disease is making the right choice when it comes to shoeing and not having to make corrective shoeing as many affected horses suffer from the condition as a result of their long shoes and under run heels. This therefore means following a technique whereby the hooves can be made to balance from the front side to the back and from side to side so as to avoid the aching. The front hoof should be parallel to the line of the pastern and the back of their shoe too.
The other treatment is the use of drug therapy with the most successful drug being the lsoxsuprine. This drug dilates the blood vessels and is presumed to increase circulation of blood to the affected bone. Exercise can also act as a way of enhancing blood circulation.
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