samedi 20 septembre 2014

How To Know If Your Horse Has The Navicular Disease

By Karina Frost


A lot of effort should be put into caring for a horse. They deserve a lot of care because if they are neglected, they tend to get sickly. A horse owner should be ready for extra expenses since a horse may get hurt or become sick. The navicular disease describes any disease causing pain in the area of the navicular bone. Its effect is visible on the front limbs.

The owner of a horse can look out for various symptoms that usually point to this disease. So as to be sure, he or she must first seek the help of a veterinary officer. The horse may become lame due to a lot of pain on one foot. However, this symptom may disappear if it gets to rest and persist if it works often. Other symptoms include shorter strides and shifting of weight.

There is no precise reason for this condition. However, some say it is due to improper shoeing practices and perhaps irregular farrier care. Unbalanced hooves can also be a factor. Horses that do work mostly involving their front legs or those that work where there are rocky surfaces, could also be at risk. This leads to limited oxygenation around the hoof.

There are a couple of ways to treat this disease. One method is the shoeing treatment. Each case should be treated individually as each horse is different. This method allows for the balancing of hooves on every side. The horse will go back to its regular heel to toe landing and not vice versa. Horse shoes have different designs needed for different horse hooves.

The second method is the administering of drugs. It addresses the decreased blood flow aspect of this condition. The animal could also go through structured exercise within a particular time. This trains it on shifting weight to the back legs which are used to less pressure. Given time the horse may register some improvement.

Surgery is described as a drastic method that is necessary when all other methods fail. Ligaments could be cut therefore improving the condition. Another method of surgery involves the cutting of nerves. This stops the animal from sensing pain in the hoof area. After this procedure, a horse still needs a constant visit to the vet to re-do the procedure.

Surgery always has its ups and downs. The nerve may grow again causing more pain to the animal. Moreover, there could also be a growth of benign tumors. This could be found at the base of the cut nerve. Veterinary officers have come up with procedures to rectify these problems. However, as advised this method should be used when necessary.

Always monitor your horse to know when it is acting off. If it has difficulty going downhill and moving while on hard ground you should definitely investigate further. You are likely to miss some of these signs so when in doubt look for a veterinary. Your horse will eventually be back in shape and back to its original activities. If best care is taken, dealing with this disease is not a problem. Once symptoms are detected do not waste time, consult an expert.




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