What To Do In The Event Of Navicular Disease

By Francis Riggs


Navicular syndrome is a term referring to soundness issue affecting horses. The typical complications involve swelling or erosion of navicular bone and the surrounding matter on the feet at the front. Navicular disease most of the time leads to severe and debilitating lameness.

The contributing aspects to this disease development include genetics, activity, diet and conformation. The horses involved in competitive areas are the ones which suffer more from this kind of disease as compared to those used for recreational or sedentary purposes.

The indicators that an animal is suffering from the condition include increased pressure and decreased blood flow within the affected hoof because of strain. Also inflammation of navicular bone supporting ligaments contributes to this. Heel pain commonly occurs in the affected animal and the lameness may be mild at the beginning but later progress becoming severe.

In order to protect the heel from more pain, the horse lands on its toes. Coordination loss or stumbling as an animal walks may be witnessed. Lameness can occur cyclically, one leg at a time or appear in both at the same time. Cyclic occurrence means overcompensation by the animal and the occurrence pattern is not consistent.

Lameness is best picked during the animal workings on a surface that is stiff. Having it move in circular motion can be helpful in picking any limping or overcompensation tendencies. After the condition has been present for months, the feet may change shape. This is most evident on the foot severely affected. It becomes a lot more upright and narrowing occurs.

Traditional methods available to manage this syndrome deal with relieving the symptoms temporarily. They therefore are not effective in reversal or halting deteriorative effects of the disease. They do not result to structural progress either. The focus is on increase of the animal comfort level and coping ability in the short term. However the physiological level of condition continues to progress.

If the animal is experiencing bone complications, equi-bone should be given to supplement nutrients used to build bones in the body. As the nutrients reach the required levels, more of calcium mineral will be absorbed into the bone improving the density of bones. This makes it stronger and also less sensitive as it goes through rebuilding process. While rehabilitation from erosive diagnosis or injury is underway, the loading rate of supplement is fed for a 5 month period and a switch to maintenance therapy thereafter made to support the achieved results.

After equi-bone feeding loading phase has been successfully achieved, the effect it has produced should be maintained. Given that the animal is faced with remodeling the affected bone on its own, supplementation of ability to enhance the remodeling consistently is of importance. This is in order to minimize the chances of recurrence of the disease in future. This is to be done by feeding the animal a scoop of equi-bone twice daily as maintenance regimen to achieve the best outcome in ensuring the horse remains healthy and sound.




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