Please enable JavaScript to access this page. Medicine And Fitness: Things To Know About Navicular Syndrome In Horses

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, the condition cause is not known openly. But it is known that a small damage to Navicular bone stops the normal blood supply. Another cause leading to this is trauma. When this bone is affected, it damages ligaments and tendons. The discomfort leads to lameness and pain. Though this condition is prevalent, young stallions less than five years are not affected most.

There are many things seen as symptoms. Just look at the animal walking and if it does so with pain, the condition is worse. This condition affects the animal front feet. As a result, lameness is seen. This leads to walking difficulties. For those animals that try to walk, they end up walking slowly. The lameness might often occur. For owners who exercise the horse in small circles and on hard grounds, this can cause pain. You might realize that one foot is affected more than the other.

When the veterinarians arrive to do diagnosis, they check the health history, the signs, the nerve blocks and the radiography. Recurrent lameness suggests the condition is coming. If you watch carefully, the affected animals place the toe first, such that they put their body weight on the heels. To those affected, a local anesthetic is injected into nerves to alleviate the lameness.

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 a problem is detected, the best solution is to call a veterinary who offers good treatment. Though treatment is given to reduce discomfort, curing it entirely might not be realized. That is where corrective trimming and shoeing is done to ensure the foot is level. This also gives balance. Another solution is to use trolled toe egg bar for an early break. Medical treatment is also used.

The best way to help these animals is to do early prevention. Since different foot shapes are affected, it is good to maintain foot balance and heel support. This prevents foot lameness. A fetlock flexion testing is also carried out. If the problem is worsening, the veterinarian will have no option but recommending foot surgery to help restore the health.




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