Some Basic Facts Relating To Navicular Disease
The navicular bone is a tarsal bone located in the ankle joint between the talus and the cuneiform. This bone may be damaged in some cases. The commonest disease of this bone causes lameness in horses that mainly affects the forefeet. Having some knowledge of the foot anatomy is vital to understanding the management of navicular disease.
It is not clear what exactly causes this problem but a number of theories have been advanced. These include, among others, increased activity, diet and genetic disorders. Horses that take part in competitive activities are most likely to be affected than the sedentary ones. Repeated compression of the bones under flexor tendons such as the deep tendon flexor leads to cartilage degeneration and flattening.
Due to inflammation that occurs in the region, there is a reduction in blood flow and increased pressure in the hoof. There is intense pain in the heel that causes lameness to set in. Initially, the lameness is intermittent but tends to be constant as time progresses. In an attempt to transfer pressure to the anterior aspect of the hoof, horses take on a tip-toeing gait. They will be seen to stumble every now and them.
There are a number of conformational defects that serve as a risk factor for the disease. Most of the known defects increase the risk of concussion and by extension, bone damage. Narrow feet, small feet and long toes are all examples of conformations that increase pressure on the tarsal bones. This effect is multiplied several times during movement due to the large amount of shock produced.
If horses are trained on hard and irregular terrain, the risk is increased. This is because there is a tremendous amount of stress put on the main tendons predisposing them to wear and tear. This effect may also be seen in horses that spend a lot of time in the upright position. In this case, the cause is increased load transmission through the hoof. This is worsened by a high weight to foot ratio.
Poor selection of shoes or trimming is another cause of lameness. This is more common in the domestic horse as compared to that which lives on the wild. There are experts who have proposed the adoption of barefoot trimming among domestic horses. The argument is that the hooves should be allowed to expand and contract during movement. This movement is said to assist in blood flow a feature that is not present when metallic shoes are used.
Since the causes are numerous, it is not possible to come up with one form of treatment. For the diseases that are a result of degenerative changes, reversal of the damage is virtually impossible and the focus is mainly on symptomatic relief. The feet should be properly trimmed to achieve biomechanical and neurological balance. Another supportive measure is to reduce the work performed by the horse.
There is room for pharmacotherapy. Drugs that improve blood flow such as vasodilators have been shown to be beneficial in some cases. Other groups of drugs that are useful include corticosteroids, NSAIDs, bisphosphonates and gallium nitrate. Surgery is reserved for cases that fail to respond to conservative therapies.
It is not clear what exactly causes this problem but a number of theories have been advanced. These include, among others, increased activity, diet and genetic disorders. Horses that take part in competitive activities are most likely to be affected than the sedentary ones. Repeated compression of the bones under flexor tendons such as the deep tendon flexor leads to cartilage degeneration and flattening.
Due to inflammation that occurs in the region, there is a reduction in blood flow and increased pressure in the hoof. There is intense pain in the heel that causes lameness to set in. Initially, the lameness is intermittent but tends to be constant as time progresses. In an attempt to transfer pressure to the anterior aspect of the hoof, horses take on a tip-toeing gait. They will be seen to stumble every now and them.
There are a number of conformational defects that serve as a risk factor for the disease. Most of the known defects increase the risk of concussion and by extension, bone damage. Narrow feet, small feet and long toes are all examples of conformations that increase pressure on the tarsal bones. This effect is multiplied several times during movement due to the large amount of shock produced.
If horses are trained on hard and irregular terrain, the risk is increased. This is because there is a tremendous amount of stress put on the main tendons predisposing them to wear and tear. This effect may also be seen in horses that spend a lot of time in the upright position. In this case, the cause is increased load transmission through the hoof. This is worsened by a high weight to foot ratio.
Poor selection of shoes or trimming is another cause of lameness. This is more common in the domestic horse as compared to that which lives on the wild. There are experts who have proposed the adoption of barefoot trimming among domestic horses. The argument is that the hooves should be allowed to expand and contract during movement. This movement is said to assist in blood flow a feature that is not present when metallic shoes are used.
Since the causes are numerous, it is not possible to come up with one form of treatment. For the diseases that are a result of degenerative changes, reversal of the damage is virtually impossible and the focus is mainly on symptomatic relief. The feet should be properly trimmed to achieve biomechanical and neurological balance. Another supportive measure is to reduce the work performed by the horse.
There is room for pharmacotherapy. Drugs that improve blood flow such as vasodilators have been shown to be beneficial in some cases. Other groups of drugs that are useful include corticosteroids, NSAIDs, bisphosphonates and gallium nitrate. Surgery is reserved for cases that fail to respond to conservative therapies.
About the Author:
You can visit www.naviculardisease.com for more helpful information about The Management Of Navicular Disease Syndrome.
تعليقات
إرسال تعليق