What Navicular Syndrome In Horses Is All About

By Ina Hunt


Proper upkeep of your animals in relation to health is a prudent measure to take as it will ensure that their lifespan increases as well as their productivity. Navicular syndrome in horses is a foot condition that turns out to be painful leading to limping. A look below can be insightful to get to understand about this condition.

The signs that the horse shows to suggest that it has been affected by this disease is lameness. It may appear suddenly but in most cases it start as mild and progresses to a worse one with time. The pain at the heels can be noted by the attempts of the horse keeping pressure off the area. Difficulty in turning sharply, moving on hard or rocky ground and going downhill is experienced by the affected pony. The animal tends to become uncooperative in times of farrier visits.

The root of the condition is unknown though many misconceptions point out to mixture of factors. The most likely to be affected mounts are those with upright pasterns, bodies that are heavy and with small hooves. Majority of victims include those which have an account of increased concussions and involve impact on frontal legs. A more common incline suggests a mixture of high stress and limitation in oxygenation in heels. However, the exact root of soreness and tissue damage are still unknown.

What type of horses gets affected or not is not a guarantee though the problem is more prone to the horses of the stock type. Fairly higher incidences can be found to be more common in thoroughbreds and warm blood breeds. Those of Arabian types rarely get affected. The lameness resulting from this syndrome is in most cases diagnosed as of between ages seven and fourteen.

The diagnosis is based mostly on radiographic and clinical signs. Supposing there appear changes in the x rays, it should not be ruled out that the pony is suffering from the disease until the results are matching with the clinical signs. More lollipop like figures shows of how worse the prognosis of the ailment is.

The initial step to combating the ailment is by consulting a vet or farrier. Although there is no existence in availability of cure, immediate diagnosis allows treatment, surgery or medication to commence at a much earlier stage of the ailment. Majority of mounts can be released off pain through offering therapeutic shoes and appropriate trimming. Anti-inflammatory treatment is given orally or injected into the heel to relieve pain.

Feeding practices are in no way a cause of the syndrome but due to the fact that the legs are the ones affected by this condition, an overweight mount will exert more strain on its musculoskeletal frame. Due to the relationship between small footed mounts, heavy bodied and this syndrome, it becomes wise to avoid letting your stallion grow too fat.

The condition is not terminal and proper care will restore the health back. One should seek medical attention as soon as possible whenever the symptoms start showing. Necessary precautions such as avoiding overloading your pony in rough terrains, ensuring you fit it with horse shoes and keeping it physically fit in relation to its hooves will be a productive step.




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