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.
The methods of diagnosis of this disease are mainly radiographic and clinical signs. An expert usually performs a physical examination on the animal and also looks at the x-ray images as part of treatment procedures. Most animals show some or all the signs which provide the veterinarian with all the necessary details for treatment.
When foot testers are used on a sick animal, the most anticipated response is pain during an examination session. The response is in correspondence of application of pressure to the navicular bone. The hoof of the affected foot has been seen to be smaller than that of the opposite leg due to the shifting of animals weight to their unaffected leg.
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.
When first observed, most of these animals show signs of infection on only one leg but are actually lame of both front feet. The nerves of that leg will block after some time and cause the horse to limp on the other leg. This behaviour of animals limping on one leg should alert the veterinarian that it is suffering from navicular 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.
The methods of diagnosis of this disease are mainly radiographic and clinical signs. An expert usually performs a physical examination on the animal and also looks at the x-ray images as part of treatment procedures. Most animals show some or all the signs which provide the veterinarian with all the necessary details for treatment.
When foot testers are used on a sick animal, the most anticipated response is pain during an examination session. The response is in correspondence of application of pressure to the navicular bone. The hoof of the affected foot has been seen to be smaller than that of the opposite leg due to the shifting of animals weight to their unaffected leg.
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.
When first observed, most of these animals show signs of infection on only one leg but are actually lame of both front feet. The nerves of that leg will block after some time and cause the horse to limp on the other leg. This behaviour of animals limping on one leg should alert the veterinarian that it is suffering from navicular 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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