Sunday, April 21, 2019

Useful Information Regarding Navicular Disease Treatment

By Michael Cooper


The most commonly occurring horse condition among others is navicular syndrome. This condition mainly leads to seasonal lameness in the front limbs in equines, particularly horses. The disorder is a degenerative condition of the structures located within the heels of horses. It is also referred to as navicular disease or caudal heel pain syndrome. It leads to degeneration or inflammation of navicular bones and structures around it. This is worth knowing about Navicular disease treatment.

This condition is only limited to the feet of the animal. Some of the structures that it affects include distal limpar ligament, deep digital flexor tendon, and navicular bursa. Deep digital flexor tendos runs down the leg to wrap around the navicular bone. This bone is usually placed at the back of the heel. Changes in the bursa and the navicula bone often cause pain in the ligaments and tendons in this area.

This disease is characterized by several signs. One of the major signs is chronic recurrent forelimb lameness. The lameness usually affects one of the limbs in most cases. However, it may affect both limbs in some cases. Another sign is that the affected feet is usually pointed when the animal is resting. Also, the affected feet usually develops hoof abnormalities.

In addition, other symptoms include underrun heels, medial lateral foot imbalance, one foot shrinking in size than the other, and broken hoof pastern axis. These symptoms may be difficult to recognize when the disorder is starting, but they become easier to recognize as the disorder worsens. A huge deal of damage is usually already done to the horse when the signs get visible.

Several investigative procedures need to be done to diagnose the condition. Clinical examination, x-rays historical assessment, and response to nerve blocks are some of these investigations. The examination of the horse is done while it is standing inside and outside the stable during a holistic clinical examination. Observation of the feet of the animal is also done when standing and when bearing no weight. Walking and trotting of the animal in a straight line is also observed.

Palmar digital nerve block is then done on the leg that is considered to be most lame. After that, the pain is localized through the injection of a small amount of local anesthetic. After the administration of the anesthetic, the animal is allowed between 5 to 10 minutes before it is reevaluated.

An x-ray scan of both feet of the horse is captured after accomplishment of the palmar digital nerve block. The photos are taken from all possible angles of the limbs. For example, x-ray images are captured from the side, front side and back side. The images focus particularly on the muscles, tendons, and the bones. Improved technology has made it possible for 3D images to be produced.

X-rays are useful, but they do not provide the level of detain that is often required in some cases. For instance, x-ray images may not be able to identify subtle bony changes or concurrent soft tissue injuries. In such cases, MRI scans are usually used in addition to x-ray images being taken. These days MRI scans are the standard diagnostic imaging procedure.




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