![]() ![]() This typically takes a number (up to 3), shoeing’s to achieve. The concept is trimming and shoeing to restore normal alignment in the foot (hoof-pastern axis) and decrease pressure on the navicular area. It is important to remember that navicular disease is both chronic and degenerative, so although it can be managed in some horses, it cannot be cured.Ĭorrective shoeing is paramount and getting your farrier and vet to work together is essential. What is the best treatment for navicular disease in horses These diagnostics are not always readily available or economically viable for some owners. These appear particularly useful for picking up subtle lesions earlier in the disease process and that can impact prognosis. ![]() Radiographs can demonstrate a range of degenerative joint changes in the navicular bone: marginal enthesiophytes, enlarged synovial fossae (so-called vascular channels) of variable size and cysts due to loss of medullary trabecular bone, general sclerosis of the medullary cavity, and flexor surface changes (observed on “skyline” radiographic views), including erosions and loss of a defined cortex.Īdvanced imaging (Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography) can offer superior diagnostics for soft tissue injuries inside the hoof capsule. Radiographs should be taken but do not always correlate directly to the severity of lameness or disease. Anaesthesia of the navicular bursa is much more specific but not as commonly performed because of the level of difficulty with this procedure. ![]() A transfer of lameness to the other forelimb, which is also eliminated by a palmar digital nerve block, is necessary for a tentative diagnosis of navicular disease. This nerve block anesthetises the entire sole and coffin joint in addition to the heel, so a response to the block itself is not diagnostic. Horses with navicular disease are rarely positive to hoof testers, but a palmar digital nerve block will eliminate the lameness. This is mainly based on the horse’s presentation (age, breed commonly at risk) and, significantly, on the lameness examination. Clinical DiagnosisĬlinical diagnosis by a veterinarian is crucial. A flexion test of the distal forelimb may produce a transient worsening of the lameness but can be quite subjective. the two lame feet cancel each other out). In the early stages of the disease, the lameness may not be visible even at a lunge and until a nerve block is performed on one limb (i.e. Lameness is usually exacerbated by lunging the horse in a circle, which can be a useful aid to diagnosis. Horses typically tighten through the neck muscles and become stiff and may even change their behaviour due to being painful and uncomfortable in both front limbs. Because the disease is commonly bilateral, there may be no obvious head nod when the horse is trotted in a straight line, with only a shortened stride present. Owners typically report an intermittent, shifting lameness and a reluctance to work. ![]() How to tell if your horse has Navicular Disease It may also cause navicular bursitis, with direct damage to the flexor surface’s fibrocartilage and the collagenous surface of the flexor tendon itself. This conformation leads to excessive concussion between the flexor tendon and the navicular bone. Excessive pressure on the navicular bone occurs with a “broken back” hoof-pastern axis, usually accompanied by an underrun heel and excessively long toe. It is usually a progressively deteriorating condition.Ĭonformation of the distal limb is likely to play a large and significant role in the process and the degree of lameness. Warmblood horses, Quarter horses, and Thoroughbreds) and rare in others (e.g. There is also an hereditary component as navicular disease is overrepresented in some breeds (e.g. It is generally considered a significant joint problem in the more mature riding horse, commonly appearing around 8 to 12 years of age. The consensus is that whilst a significant component is biomechanical, there is also a vascular component as well. The syndrome appears to have complex pathogenesis (cause) rather than being a specific disease entity. Navicular disease (ND) is a chronic degenerative condition of the navicular bone of the foot and is one of the most common and frustrating causes of horse lameness. ![]()
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