Monday, March 30, 2015

The Impact Of The Navicular Pain On Race Horses

By Lelia Hall


This is a disease that arises from the inflammation of the navicular bone and tissues surrounding the area. It affects the front feet of a horse. As the bone gets subjected to continuous compression, degeneration happens. The cartilage flattens and soon becomes less shock absorbing and springy. The syndrome causes navicular pain on the heel area and eventually leads to lameness in athletic horses.

It becomes noticeable when a sick horse avoids applying pressure to this bone through placing weight on its toe. The horse also takes longer to stop in its stride. It shifts its position quite often when it is at a standstill. The horse does this in order to ease the pressure and pain away from the infected bone. This shifting gives the animal comfort with the easing of pain.

A positive prognosis of the disease is arrived at through observing clinical signs and through radiography. A veterinarian is able to treat the horse once they identify sickness through x-rays. A comprehensive physical examination of infected horses hoof area serves as confirmation about the presence of a malady. Again, a sick horse will clearly give the identifying signs which will enable a veterinarian detect presence of particular syndrome.

As the vet carries out and examination, they are bound to figure out the horses painful response as testers are applied on afflicted areas. The reaction corresponds directly to pressure applied on the infected navicular bone. An infected hoof of the most painful horse leg looks smaller than the opposite leg hoof. This results from the shifting of weight by the horses to its healthy leg.

A sick horse can be restored to its original peak performing activities. This can be made possible should the proper treatment and tender care be applied. The disease does not kill the horse. If an athlete has problems with any part of their legs, it does not mean the end of their sporting activities. It only makes them adequately aware of their problem leading to better care of their legs. A similar situation arises where with horses afflicted.

The syndrome infects both of front feet of the horses. A casual examination may only pick the infection on one leg. The nervous system of the apparently healthier leg soon gets blockaded leading to a limb on the other leg. A red flag is raised with this limping helping the veterinarian pinpoint the ailment on this leg.

In order to treat the disease, proper shoes for a particular horse must be picked. Making frequent adjustments to correct shoes must be avoided as much as possible. It leads to the infection through faults such as under-runs or defective long shoes. Another remedial technique is to balance a horses hooves from the front to the back and from each side to each side. This eases the pain on the sick horse. It is imperative that front hooves are parallel with the pastern line as well as the shoes back.

Another option is to treat the disease with Isoxsuprine. This is the most successful drug for the problem this far. It enables the increase in blood flow and circulation. It also dilutes blood vessels around the navicular bone. Blood circulation can also be enhanced with the requisite exercise.




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