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What Navicular Syndrome In Horses Is All About

By Ina Hunt


Taking care of your animals in terms of health is an ideal step in order to enhance its lifespan as well as serve its purpose fully. The navicular syndrome in horses is a condition that affects feet and can be very painful to the animal. Proper care and treatment can be of help and restore the previous performance. In this article we look briefly of what the condition entails.

Lameness on the horse is a common sign that tells the animal is affected. It can be immediate though in most situations it begins a bit and progresses with time to severe levels. One is able to identify the pain by the horse trying to avoid placing pressure on affected heels. The mount find it difficult to go downhill, make turns that are sharp or even navigate on terrains that are hard and rocky. The animal has tendencies of being uncooperative in occasions of visiting the farrier.

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.

There exist to guarantee on which type of horse gets or not gets to develop the navicular problem though it is more common in the stock type horses. Fairly higher incidences are more common in warm blood breeds and thoroughbreds. The Arabians types get rarely affected. Lameness from this syndrome is mostly diagnosed in the ages between seven and fourteen.

Procedures on diagnosis are in most instances based on a combination of radiographic and clinical symptoms. It is incorrect to rule out presence of navicular syndrome in the case x rays indicate changes. More accurate conclusion ought to be grounded on consistent matching signs of both the radiograph and clinic signs. The extent of the condition can be identified by lollipop looking structures.

The first steps to combat this condition include consulting with a farrier and a vet. Though no cure is available, a hasty diagnosis will allow medical, treatment farrier or surgery to kick start early during the course of the disease. Therapeutic shoeing and proper trimming can offer relief from pain to most horses. Medications that are anti-inflammatory are injected on the heel area or administered orally 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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