Certain diseases have been known to affect horses while remaining unknown in ponies and donkeys. Navicular syndrome is an example of such disease. The disease causes lameness in many horses, particularly those involved in athletics. It is a degenerative condition that causes loss of medullary architecture, fibrillation, traumatic and enthesiophyte formation, and bone sclerosis. Regardless of this disease being discovered years ago, it continues to be source of trouble even today.
The source of the condition is not a disease entity, but rather complex pathogenesis. However, research links a biochemical and vascular component to it. Additionally, this problem is also believed to be hereditary because instances reduced after disallowing breeding certification to stallions with this condition. The condition never appears till the age of 8 to 10, making it to be characteristic in mature horses.
How well the distal limb is conformed seems to play a major role in influencing the disease process and the level of lameness. Some of the most likely causes are long toes, underrun heels, and excess pressure placed on the hoof-pastern. The result of aforementioned factors is excess pressure being imposed on the navicular bone and flexor tendon. Other conditions that are likely to result are damage of fibrocartilage and navicular bursitis.
The disease entails several stages, with the final ones getting much worse. Seasonal lameness can be observed during the first phases, but no head nod can be seen because of the bilateral nature of this illness. Moving the animal in circular motion worsens the situation and makes symptoms more visible. Shortened strides are also another characteristic symptom observable during the initial stages.
Age and breed are important factors during diagnosis. Horses show a specific reaction to palmar digital nerve anesthesia when a lameness examination is performed. A rate of 11% positives was found using hoof testers by some study, rendering hoof testers quite unsatisfactory in all cases. Anesthesia of navicular bursa has been found to be a precise diagnosis process among all others. However, it is not done during lameness examination because of the complexity of the injection and the amount of pain involved.
The nature of the disease is that it is degenerative and chronic, making achievement of total cure impossible, especially in severe cases. However, in some cases, the condition has always been managed very well. Corrective shoeing and administration of NSAID are among the commonest options for treatment. Phenylbutazone is the most commonly utilized NSAID. However, renal injury and injury are common side effects that could result from using phenylbutazone and as such should be utilized cautiously.
In cases where the lameness is much worse, efficiency of drugs could be limited, leaving rest as the only recommendable treatment. Incorporating foot care measures can also work well together with drugs. The alignment and balance of phalangeal could be restored by trimming and shoeing the hooves. A period of two weeks is enough to determine if the shoeing is effective.
It is recommendable to seek assistance immediately the condition is discovered. Animals can be disabled by severe cases. Animals feel a lot of pain if not treated in time.
The source of the condition is not a disease entity, but rather complex pathogenesis. However, research links a biochemical and vascular component to it. Additionally, this problem is also believed to be hereditary because instances reduced after disallowing breeding certification to stallions with this condition. The condition never appears till the age of 8 to 10, making it to be characteristic in mature horses.
How well the distal limb is conformed seems to play a major role in influencing the disease process and the level of lameness. Some of the most likely causes are long toes, underrun heels, and excess pressure placed on the hoof-pastern. The result of aforementioned factors is excess pressure being imposed on the navicular bone and flexor tendon. Other conditions that are likely to result are damage of fibrocartilage and navicular bursitis.
The disease entails several stages, with the final ones getting much worse. Seasonal lameness can be observed during the first phases, but no head nod can be seen because of the bilateral nature of this illness. Moving the animal in circular motion worsens the situation and makes symptoms more visible. Shortened strides are also another characteristic symptom observable during the initial stages.
Age and breed are important factors during diagnosis. Horses show a specific reaction to palmar digital nerve anesthesia when a lameness examination is performed. A rate of 11% positives was found using hoof testers by some study, rendering hoof testers quite unsatisfactory in all cases. Anesthesia of navicular bursa has been found to be a precise diagnosis process among all others. However, it is not done during lameness examination because of the complexity of the injection and the amount of pain involved.
The nature of the disease is that it is degenerative and chronic, making achievement of total cure impossible, especially in severe cases. However, in some cases, the condition has always been managed very well. Corrective shoeing and administration of NSAID are among the commonest options for treatment. Phenylbutazone is the most commonly utilized NSAID. However, renal injury and injury are common side effects that could result from using phenylbutazone and as such should be utilized cautiously.
In cases where the lameness is much worse, efficiency of drugs could be limited, leaving rest as the only recommendable treatment. Incorporating foot care measures can also work well together with drugs. The alignment and balance of phalangeal could be restored by trimming and shoeing the hooves. A period of two weeks is enough to determine if the shoeing is effective.
It is recommendable to seek assistance immediately the condition is discovered. Animals can be disabled by severe cases. Animals feel a lot of pain if not treated in time.
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