Monday, November 23, 2015

An Article On Navicular Syndrome In Horses

By Mattie Knight


Horses are among mans most favorite animal. They are used for a variety of functions. Though many people may not be aware of this, horses are affected by a lot of diseases. This is because of their environment since they are tamed and lived in control conditions and other interactions which exposes them to these diseases. There are many known infections affecting horses. This article will concentrate on navicular syndrome in horses.

Also referred to as navicular disease, navicular syndrome is a disease which involves inflammatory process on the navicular bone. The surrounding tissues could also be affected. Inflammation may result to degeneration of these tissues. The front feet is commonly affected. Lameness could be the end result of this situation. The area on the hoof, posterior to the coffin bone in the limb of a horse is the navicular area. Several ligaments and tendons attach to this area. These include deep digital flexor and impar ligament. They aid in strengthening the bone.

There are many theories suggesting the causes of this infection. However, there is no single proven cause. Compression of the bone under the connecting tendon is the first factor thought to be causing this syndrome. Due to compression occurring repeatedly, degeneration of the cartilage occurs. Due to this, erosion of cartilage occurs which is the shock observing matter in the joint.

Tension on the ligaments supporting the said bone is the other factor thought to cause this disease. Some experts believe that due to strenuous frequent activities by the horses, tension builds up on the ligaments causing strain and inflammation. This also affects blood supply to the affected area.

There are several contributing factors to this disease. Conformation of the horses feet is the first factor. Some conformations including long toe, low heel conformation contribute to this syndrome. This is because they exert tension or stress on the navicular bone. Poor hoof shape, an inherited condition is also said to be a contributing factor.

Moving on, how the hoof is trimmed and the type of shoe it uses also contributes to this condition. Metal shoe is not good for horses. This is because they limit the normal expansion and contraction of the hoof as the horse moves. They therefore impair blood supply to lower parts. This results to inflammation of the affected parts.

Work and the body weight of a horse are other contributing factors. Working on steep hills or jumping contribute to this disease. This is because they exert stress on the bone. Regular exercise on irregular grounds also increases the risk of getting this syndrome. Those with high weight to foot size ratio have increased chances of getting the disease. This is due to stress on the foot.

Heel pain which leads to tip toeing, changes in appearance of hoof or even lameness are the most common signs and symptoms of this disease. The remedy to this include good trimming practices, proper care for hoofs, reduction in exercises and medications. If all this fail, surgery is the last option.




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