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Detecting And Treating Navicular Syndrome

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By Enid Hinton


When your horse is said to be suffering from navicular disease, you are likely to panic and avoid it because you do not understand the condition. The availability of scanty information about navicular syndrome does not mean that it cannot be managed. The condition requires early intervention before it gets worse and reduces the lifespan or competitiveness of your horse.

Treatment can only commence if the condition is detected early enough. Each case requires particular attention depending on the extent of infection. The condition is likely to be aggravated by the position of navicular bone. It is the surrounding soft tissues that make this condition extremely painful.

The grinding motion of bones around the distal area causes them to wear out. It results as hooves changes angles while your horse is in motion. The tendons are eaten away as the legs bends forward and backward while in motion. The resulting damage on tissues makes the toes very painful.

Wearing-out of bones and tendons results in a lot of pain. Pain may result from other conditions and therefore confirmatory tests need to be carried out. The hoof may be injured during training, racing or normal activities. Inflammation will also cause lameness. Performing horses are usually exposed to this condition.

Some horse breeds appear predisposed to the caudal heel pain. These breeds include Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses and Warm Bloods. These breeds have been diagnosed more often than others. Many of the cases are reported when they are between the ages of 7 and 14.

When the forward or backward axis breaks, your horse will experience caudal heel pain. Under run heels or abnormality in the conformation around the hoof also cause pain. Sheared and contracted heels cause a lot of pain. Horses with disproportionately small hooves or with mismatched hoof angles are likely to be affected.

Lameness affects one leg before it spreading to the other. You will observe this because each leg is affected to a particular degree. The first signs are swapping of legs around the corner or at tight angles as well as shorter strides. When swapping the legs, the affected one is placed inside.

The landing of the hoof is another indicator that the horse is sick. A horse that is not infected lands from heel-to-toe. When lameness has begun, it will land from toe-to-heel. If these signs are not clear, it is advisable to record the movements and play it later in slow motion. The symptoms are easier to detect.

Diagnosis is carried out using the wedge and frog pressure tests. These tests involve exerting pressure between the toes of the horse and trotting it for a while. In case of an inflammation, lameness gets severe with time. Since other conditions may give similar clinical signs, other confirmatory tests are carried out.

The veterinarian may opt for aggressive or conservative treatment depending on severity of the hoof. It is important to restore balance but this should be done gradually. Shoeing helps to reduce uncertain ground contact and gradually restore balance. The veterinarian may use anti-inflammation drugs. Un-nerving of hooves is done through surgery.




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