Navicular is known to be a disease in horses that can be managed if the diagnosis and treatment are done in good time. It mainly affects the front feet where the navicular bone and its surrounding tissues become inflamed and degraded. The most severe cases are characterized by significant lameness in the animal. Navicular pain should not cause unnecessary alarm as it can be controlled using various ways.
The disease can be detected by looking at both the clinical and radiographic signs. In simple terms, the practitioner can look at the x-rays of the hoof region as well as by directly looking for outright signs during a physical examination. There are several causes of this pain making the x-rays the surest way to diagnose the syndrome.
Some of the signs of this syndrome include; the horse will tend to bring the legs partly forward in order to land on the toe as opposed to the heel causing limping, the horse will give a painful response when hoof testers are applied across the middle third of the frog and presence of long toes and under slung toes that often leads to this disease than any other.
During the first examinations, most horses with the disease will seem lame on one leg but later end up lame in both front legs. The reason for this is that as soon as there is nerve blockage on one leg, the horse will limp on the opposite leg applying excess pressure on it. This should be a red waving flag to the medical practitioner that this horse is suffering from the condition.
The basis for treatment of the navicular syndrome should be correct shoeing rather than corrective shoeing. Horse owners should be aware of the rules of hoof balancing that is done from the front to back, then side to side. On the other hand, front hooves should be parallel to their pastern while back ones on the other hand should be aligned parallel to the pastern.
The most common problem seen with horses suffering from this condition is long toes and under run heels which can be controlled by trimming the long toe away. Correcting the heel is a difficult problem as the shoe has to be extended backward from the heel to the place where it should have been if the heel was not worn out.
Drug therapy is also important in treating the syndrome that must be combined with other methods. The most successful drug that has been use for the disease is known as Isoxuprine which dilates the blood vessels causing better circulation to navicular bones. About 80% of horses diagnosed with the disease can be cured by it according to reports.
The other aspect of treatment is exercise as it is the best way to improve blood circulation in the foot. The horse should be trained to bear more weight on the hind legs. Riders use the long and low exercise in an effort to achieve the same. As the horse becomes more used to this habit, the weight bearing will move from the front legs to hind legs thus avoiding pain.
The disease can be detected by looking at both the clinical and radiographic signs. In simple terms, the practitioner can look at the x-rays of the hoof region as well as by directly looking for outright signs during a physical examination. There are several causes of this pain making the x-rays the surest way to diagnose the syndrome.
Some of the signs of this syndrome include; the horse will tend to bring the legs partly forward in order to land on the toe as opposed to the heel causing limping, the horse will give a painful response when hoof testers are applied across the middle third of the frog and presence of long toes and under slung toes that often leads to this disease than any other.
During the first examinations, most horses with the disease will seem lame on one leg but later end up lame in both front legs. The reason for this is that as soon as there is nerve blockage on one leg, the horse will limp on the opposite leg applying excess pressure on it. This should be a red waving flag to the medical practitioner that this horse is suffering from the condition.
The basis for treatment of the navicular syndrome should be correct shoeing rather than corrective shoeing. Horse owners should be aware of the rules of hoof balancing that is done from the front to back, then side to side. On the other hand, front hooves should be parallel to their pastern while back ones on the other hand should be aligned parallel to the pastern.
The most common problem seen with horses suffering from this condition is long toes and under run heels which can be controlled by trimming the long toe away. Correcting the heel is a difficult problem as the shoe has to be extended backward from the heel to the place where it should have been if the heel was not worn out.
Drug therapy is also important in treating the syndrome that must be combined with other methods. The most successful drug that has been use for the disease is known as Isoxuprine which dilates the blood vessels causing better circulation to navicular bones. About 80% of horses diagnosed with the disease can be cured by it according to reports.
The other aspect of treatment is exercise as it is the best way to improve blood circulation in the foot. The horse should be trained to bear more weight on the hind legs. Riders use the long and low exercise in an effort to achieve the same. As the horse becomes more used to this habit, the weight bearing will move from the front legs to hind legs thus avoiding pain.
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