Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Things To Know About Navicular Syndrome In Horses

By Mattie Knight


Today, many people love to keep horses for sports. Maintaining these animals is not easy as they suffer from different conditions. If you keep these animals, you could have come across them facing difficulties walking. There are many causes of Navicular, but in most cases, it could be Navicular syndrome in horses making their life difficult.

Today, this disease is common, but the leading cause is not known. But veterinarians say that any damage on the Navicular bone will lead to a short supply of blood to the hoof region. Trauma is another cause known to lead to this. Deep tendons and ligaments get damaged and this is a cause of lameness and pain. Young stallions which have not attained the age of five years are not prone to this condition.

There are many signs that the horse is suffering from this disease. It is widely known that the front feet are affected. This leads to lameness making walking to be a bigger problem. For stallion that tries to walk, they do so in difficulties and walk slowly. Lameness often occurs when the animal is exercised in small circles and on hard grounds. It is also common to see one foot affected than the other.

A veterinarian does diagnosis and treatment. Here, they look at the health history, the signs, radiography and the nerve blocks on the feet. If lameness comes and goes, this is a good sign that Navicular condition is coming. Affected animals place their feet first on the ground to support the weight on their heels. A proper treatment to alleviate pain involves injecting anesthetic into the nerves.

People keeping horse shy away from it when they realize it is suffering. They do this because they lack knowledge on the best treatment option. In the last few years, researchers have published information about the available treatment on the foot anatomy. Though some early stages can be cured, others prove difficult. Knowing early signs help to make a decision on which way to solve the issue.

Navicular syndrome is not terminal. When good treatment is done in early stages, managements can help to reduce the discomforts and make them healthy again. This condition in horses can be related to that of human athletes suffering from bad foot. This means if good care and management are done, everything comes back to normal.

When you notice that the stallion is affected, call a veterinarian to give treatment. This condition can be treated, but rarely does it get cured. Shoeing and corrective trimming is important as it ensures that the foot is level and this gives balance. To encourage early break, Rolled toe egg bar are used. Some medications are also used to reduce pain.

If you love to keep horses, then you must ensure early prevention. The condition affects different types of foot shapes. Maintaining good balance and heel support can reduce the problem. Another common treatment that works well is the fetlock flexion testing. If the condition recurs, the horse will have to undergo a surgical process for healing to be realized.




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