People usually run away from a horse when they hear that it is suffering from navicular syndrome. This mostly used to happen a few years back. However, this idea is gradually changing as years go since people continuously get a better understanding of the condition. Previously, this was not the case as people feared the condition without understanding what it really was. People can now have a clear understanding of the condition due to the availability of better imaging technology. This is worth knowing about Navicular disease in horses.
A decade ago, any condition that affected the heel of equines was labeled as navicular syndrome. A lot of myths and misconceptions surrounded this disease that people were justified to fear it. Today, some of the condition that were labeled as navicula can be safely classified as not navicula. It is now well understood that there are several conditions that can affect the heels of horses besides navicular.
Some of these conditions can be treated successfully while others cannot be fixed. Navicular disease is today understood to have a higher level of prevalence in certain breeds of horses than in others. The condition also seems to get worse in certain breeds than in others. Horses of today live longer than before, and it is upon the owner to be able to detect navicula condition earlier and adopt a management plan.
The navicula bone is located at a specific spot within the heel of a horse. There are several soft tissue structures that are associated with it. These structures are located in all directions, that is, lower, upper, and the sides. Some of them include collateral sesamoidean ligament, impar ligaments, coffic bone, digital flexor tendon, and navicular bursa. The navicular bone has a central marrow cavity with small channels for nerves and blood vessels the bone.
The disease is believed to be caused by various causes. These causes include problems with navicular bone, problems in flexor surfaces or flexor tendons and injury and inflammation of supporting ligaments. Performance horses are the most affected by the condition. Chronic forelimb lameness in horses is mainly caused by navicular syndrome.
The disorder has been detected in a large variety of horses, but studies show some breed to have a higher predisposition. Breeds of horses that are predisposed to this disorder include Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds and warmbloods. The diagnoses in these breeds are highest compared to any other species of horses. Diagnosis is usually carried out between the age of 7 and 14 years.
Horses also get predisposed to the disorder due to conformation abnormalities in hooves, disproportionally small feet, sheared heels, underrun heels, contracted heels, and mismatched hoof angles. Even though both front limbs get infected, the condition usually has different levels of severity in the two limbs. The affects are usually more severe in one limb than the other.
Treatment options for navicular syndrome have continued to increase over the years. Horse owners are no longer tied to traditional treatment options. Also, diagnoses can be made more accurately, with the invention of better MRI technology. MRI scanning is the standards imaging procedure for this condition today.
A decade ago, any condition that affected the heel of equines was labeled as navicular syndrome. A lot of myths and misconceptions surrounded this disease that people were justified to fear it. Today, some of the condition that were labeled as navicula can be safely classified as not navicula. It is now well understood that there are several conditions that can affect the heels of horses besides navicular.
Some of these conditions can be treated successfully while others cannot be fixed. Navicular disease is today understood to have a higher level of prevalence in certain breeds of horses than in others. The condition also seems to get worse in certain breeds than in others. Horses of today live longer than before, and it is upon the owner to be able to detect navicula condition earlier and adopt a management plan.
The navicula bone is located at a specific spot within the heel of a horse. There are several soft tissue structures that are associated with it. These structures are located in all directions, that is, lower, upper, and the sides. Some of them include collateral sesamoidean ligament, impar ligaments, coffic bone, digital flexor tendon, and navicular bursa. The navicular bone has a central marrow cavity with small channels for nerves and blood vessels the bone.
The disease is believed to be caused by various causes. These causes include problems with navicular bone, problems in flexor surfaces or flexor tendons and injury and inflammation of supporting ligaments. Performance horses are the most affected by the condition. Chronic forelimb lameness in horses is mainly caused by navicular syndrome.
The disorder has been detected in a large variety of horses, but studies show some breed to have a higher predisposition. Breeds of horses that are predisposed to this disorder include Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds and warmbloods. The diagnoses in these breeds are highest compared to any other species of horses. Diagnosis is usually carried out between the age of 7 and 14 years.
Horses also get predisposed to the disorder due to conformation abnormalities in hooves, disproportionally small feet, sheared heels, underrun heels, contracted heels, and mismatched hoof angles. Even though both front limbs get infected, the condition usually has different levels of severity in the two limbs. The affects are usually more severe in one limb than the other.
Treatment options for navicular syndrome have continued to increase over the years. Horse owners are no longer tied to traditional treatment options. Also, diagnoses can be made more accurately, with the invention of better MRI technology. MRI scanning is the standards imaging procedure for this condition today.
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Navicular disease in horses can be dangerous if left untreated. To know more about this disease, visit the blog posts that appear at http://www.naviculardisease.com.
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