Horse owners and trainers have many things to worry about on a daily basis. Horses are large animals who do a surprisingly good job of taking care of themselves. However, even with the best care and attention they can still become lame. It is these situations, with no obvious injury or cause of the problem that are often the most difficult to diagnose. There are several conditions that owners need to be very aware of and know the signs and symptoms of.
Every owners should familiarize themselves with the basics of horse anatomy and physiology. This will be of enormous benefit when they need to discuss any condition with their veterinarian. One of the most common causes of chronic lameness in horses in navicular disease. This is related to damage and inflammation in the navicular bone, a small bone in the lower leg.
The condition is caused when the small but important navicular bone experiences stress or begins to degenerate. This is often a hereditary condition that affects certain breeds of horse. Quarter horses, with the stocky bodies and small feet and most commonly affected. Some blood lines are well known to be prone to the condition and should be avoided if possible.
Some cases of lameness are caused when the bone is affected by poor circulation in the leg. This can often be treated with anti inflammatory drugs. These are often enough to keep the animal in work and useful. However, care must always be taken to ensure the animal is not ridden at a fast pace on hard ground as this will aggravate the situation. Working on grass or in a sand ring is must better and reduces trauma to the feet and legs.
With an older horse the onset of the condition can be quite slow. The rider may notice a slight lameness, especially after the horse has jumped, worked hard or been ridden on hard ground. After a few days of rest they may seem to be sound again, but the pattern will repeat itself getting progressively worse.
Studies have shown that up to one third of horse have damage to the navicular bone that are very clear on an x ray, yet these same animals do not have any lameness. Therefore, owners should be very aware that the clinical symptoms are the most valuable indicator of this particular type of lameness.
In addition nerve blocks can be a very valuable tool in helping to diagnose the condition. A small amount of anesthetic is injected into the area of the bone and in many cases the horse will appear to be sound. In only the most severe cases should surgery be considered as an option.
In the event that surgery is needed, it can be up to eighty percent successful in keeping a horse sound for up to a year. However, in most cases the nerves will eventually begin to grow back and the horse will again present with some degree of lameness. These situations require careful management.
Every owners should familiarize themselves with the basics of horse anatomy and physiology. This will be of enormous benefit when they need to discuss any condition with their veterinarian. One of the most common causes of chronic lameness in horses in navicular disease. This is related to damage and inflammation in the navicular bone, a small bone in the lower leg.
The condition is caused when the small but important navicular bone experiences stress or begins to degenerate. This is often a hereditary condition that affects certain breeds of horse. Quarter horses, with the stocky bodies and small feet and most commonly affected. Some blood lines are well known to be prone to the condition and should be avoided if possible.
Some cases of lameness are caused when the bone is affected by poor circulation in the leg. This can often be treated with anti inflammatory drugs. These are often enough to keep the animal in work and useful. However, care must always be taken to ensure the animal is not ridden at a fast pace on hard ground as this will aggravate the situation. Working on grass or in a sand ring is must better and reduces trauma to the feet and legs.
With an older horse the onset of the condition can be quite slow. The rider may notice a slight lameness, especially after the horse has jumped, worked hard or been ridden on hard ground. After a few days of rest they may seem to be sound again, but the pattern will repeat itself getting progressively worse.
Studies have shown that up to one third of horse have damage to the navicular bone that are very clear on an x ray, yet these same animals do not have any lameness. Therefore, owners should be very aware that the clinical symptoms are the most valuable indicator of this particular type of lameness.
In addition nerve blocks can be a very valuable tool in helping to diagnose the condition. A small amount of anesthetic is injected into the area of the bone and in many cases the horse will appear to be sound. In only the most severe cases should surgery be considered as an option.
In the event that surgery is needed, it can be up to eighty percent successful in keeping a horse sound for up to a year. However, in most cases the nerves will eventually begin to grow back and the horse will again present with some degree of lameness. These situations require careful management.
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You can visit www.naviculardisease.com for more helpful information about Treatment Options For Navicular Disease.
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