The disease begins with inflammation of the bursa between the navicular bone and the tendon of the deep digital flexor. It is a common cause of lameness in horses. If the navicular disease is treated with the prescribed drugs this condition can be contained and horses return to their healthy conditions.
One of the main symptoms of this sickness is where the horse places its weight on toes most of the times. The horse does this to hinder pain and pressure on the scaphoid bone. Another sign is that the horse delays to stop the strides it takes. Horses who are victims of this illness keep on shifting their weight when standing to reduce pain on the heel area. This makes the horses to place most of their weight on the toes making the gait hard resulting to pain mostly on the shoulders. Such condition disappears after the animal rests. Presence of long toes and under slung heels is another symptom found in horses with navicular sickness.
A major cause of sickness is interruption of supply of blood to the bone. This damage occurs to the deep flexor tendon, the burse and the bone tissues resulting to mild pain. This condition is often found in horses with five years or more. However, the illness is manageable with time.
Identification of this kind of illness can be done by veterinarians either physically or by use of x-rays. Physical identification is conducted by use hoof testers. The tester is pressed on the fore feet and if the sickness is present the horse tends to move. Back feet should as well be checked and reaction compared to that of front feet.
Medication of the complaint is done through various techniques. Appropriate shoeing is one of the techniques of dealing with this illness. It is simply balancing of hooves forward to backward and side wards. Since the most experienced impact of this affliction is long toes, this can be corrected by trimming the front hoof.
Another way of dealing with this ailment is by use of drugs. Isoxsuprine drug has severally been used and the outcomes are positive. This drug therapy aids in expanding the blood vessels in the navicular bone allowing free movement of blood. Recent reports shows that around eighty percent of horses treated with this medication have reacted positively.
Another aspect employed in controlling this ailment is use of exercises. The most known kind of exercise in horses is riding. To make this work, a horse should ride thirty to sixty minutes six times in a week. In addition horses are trained to exert much of their weight on the hind legs. The last aspect of controlling this sickness is by use of surgery. Surgeries are conducted to horses who do not respond to the above mentioned control measures.
In conclusion, the ailment is not a death sentence. With the types of medication mentioned above and much care, the sickness can be managed and victims can head back to their normal health. Awareness on how to deal with this affliction should be created so as to save as many horses as possible.
One of the main symptoms of this sickness is where the horse places its weight on toes most of the times. The horse does this to hinder pain and pressure on the scaphoid bone. Another sign is that the horse delays to stop the strides it takes. Horses who are victims of this illness keep on shifting their weight when standing to reduce pain on the heel area. This makes the horses to place most of their weight on the toes making the gait hard resulting to pain mostly on the shoulders. Such condition disappears after the animal rests. Presence of long toes and under slung heels is another symptom found in horses with navicular sickness.
A major cause of sickness is interruption of supply of blood to the bone. This damage occurs to the deep flexor tendon, the burse and the bone tissues resulting to mild pain. This condition is often found in horses with five years or more. However, the illness is manageable with time.
Identification of this kind of illness can be done by veterinarians either physically or by use of x-rays. Physical identification is conducted by use hoof testers. The tester is pressed on the fore feet and if the sickness is present the horse tends to move. Back feet should as well be checked and reaction compared to that of front feet.
Medication of the complaint is done through various techniques. Appropriate shoeing is one of the techniques of dealing with this illness. It is simply balancing of hooves forward to backward and side wards. Since the most experienced impact of this affliction is long toes, this can be corrected by trimming the front hoof.
Another way of dealing with this ailment is by use of drugs. Isoxsuprine drug has severally been used and the outcomes are positive. This drug therapy aids in expanding the blood vessels in the navicular bone allowing free movement of blood. Recent reports shows that around eighty percent of horses treated with this medication have reacted positively.
Another aspect employed in controlling this ailment is use of exercises. The most known kind of exercise in horses is riding. To make this work, a horse should ride thirty to sixty minutes six times in a week. In addition horses are trained to exert much of their weight on the hind legs. The last aspect of controlling this sickness is by use of surgery. Surgeries are conducted to horses who do not respond to the above mentioned control measures.
In conclusion, the ailment is not a death sentence. With the types of medication mentioned above and much care, the sickness can be managed and victims can head back to their normal health. Awareness on how to deal with this affliction should be created so as to save as many horses as possible.
