Every day is a day that horses walking with a limp are seen in the street or on farms. Limps can be as a result of simple injuries in some cases, but in others, they could be caused by underlying medical problems that need quick attention. Navicular syndrome in horses is a collection of disorders which are usually related and have serious and disabling effects.
This condition only occurs in the navicular bone and structures that surround the bone. If the condition goes unnoticed for a long period of time, it is likely to cause permanent lameness in the animal. So far, it is the leading cause for lameness in horses around the world. Even with early discovery, there is no guarantee that the animal will not end up lame. That is how serious the disease can be.
The causes of navicular syndrome are way too many to be sure which one is responsible in all cases. The results of some studies indicate that the real causes are unknown while other researchers state that the causes are hereditary. As a result of heredity playing a role, affected stallions cannot be used for purposes of breeding some countries. With the prohibition of affected stallions to breed, there has been a reduction in cases in countries that uphold such laws.
Some major causes of the disorder are reduced blood flow to the bone due to interference or trauma caused to the bone as a result of various actions. In the end, ligaments, bursa, and surrounding structures get damaged permanently. Permanent damage causes lameness which may be irrecoverable. Young animals are not affected by the problem. However, those at the age of five and beyond are at a higher risk and are the ones often affected.
Symptoms come in different ways and are usually difficult to catch in their initial stages. Low grade lameness is a major symptom in front feet where the disease also occurs mostly. A slight limp can be noticeable at this stage. Failure to correct at this stage makes the condition to worsen. Symptoms can also be intermittent, only observable when the animal is moving in circles or on hard ground.
In certain cases, one foot gets more affected. An obvious limp can then be noticed during movement. As a result of too much pain, the animal stands putting the affected leg in front. Also, as a measure of easing pain, the horse avoids placing too much weight on the heels by standing on toes. It is at this stage that recovery steps should be taken in order to boost chances of making full recovery.
Many methods exist for diagnosing the problem. The first step to successful diagnosis involves maintaining a history of all symptoms observed. Veterinarians provide diagnosis basing on such histories. The existence of the condition is then confirmed through radiography.
MRI scans have also been used to diagnose the problem. Both MRI and radiography reveal damages that may have occurred in the bone, ligaments, tissues, and other structures. However the interpretation of the scans and pictures taken by the diagnosis methods has always presented problems because views differ about normal-looking bone structures.
This condition only occurs in the navicular bone and structures that surround the bone. If the condition goes unnoticed for a long period of time, it is likely to cause permanent lameness in the animal. So far, it is the leading cause for lameness in horses around the world. Even with early discovery, there is no guarantee that the animal will not end up lame. That is how serious the disease can be.
The causes of navicular syndrome are way too many to be sure which one is responsible in all cases. The results of some studies indicate that the real causes are unknown while other researchers state that the causes are hereditary. As a result of heredity playing a role, affected stallions cannot be used for purposes of breeding some countries. With the prohibition of affected stallions to breed, there has been a reduction in cases in countries that uphold such laws.
Some major causes of the disorder are reduced blood flow to the bone due to interference or trauma caused to the bone as a result of various actions. In the end, ligaments, bursa, and surrounding structures get damaged permanently. Permanent damage causes lameness which may be irrecoverable. Young animals are not affected by the problem. However, those at the age of five and beyond are at a higher risk and are the ones often affected.
Symptoms come in different ways and are usually difficult to catch in their initial stages. Low grade lameness is a major symptom in front feet where the disease also occurs mostly. A slight limp can be noticeable at this stage. Failure to correct at this stage makes the condition to worsen. Symptoms can also be intermittent, only observable when the animal is moving in circles or on hard ground.
In certain cases, one foot gets more affected. An obvious limp can then be noticed during movement. As a result of too much pain, the animal stands putting the affected leg in front. Also, as a measure of easing pain, the horse avoids placing too much weight on the heels by standing on toes. It is at this stage that recovery steps should be taken in order to boost chances of making full recovery.
Many methods exist for diagnosing the problem. The first step to successful diagnosis involves maintaining a history of all symptoms observed. Veterinarians provide diagnosis basing on such histories. The existence of the condition is then confirmed through radiography.
MRI scans have also been used to diagnose the problem. Both MRI and radiography reveal damages that may have occurred in the bone, ligaments, tissues, and other structures. However the interpretation of the scans and pictures taken by the diagnosis methods has always presented problems because views differ about normal-looking bone structures.
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