People usually run away from a horse when they hear that it is suffering from navicular syndrome. This mostly used to happen a few years back. However, this idea is gradually changing as years go since people continuously get a better understanding of the condition. Previously, this was not the case as people feared the condition without understanding what it really was. People can now have a clear understanding of the condition due to the availability of better imaging technology. This is worth knowing about Navicular disease in horses.
A decade ago, any condition that affected the heel of equines was labeled as navicular syndrome. A lot of myths and misconceptions surrounded this disease that people were justified to fear it. Today, some of the condition that were labeled as navicula can be safely classified as not navicula. It is now well understood that there are several conditions that can affect the heels of horses besides navicular.
Out of these conditions, some can be successfully treated whereas others can never be treated. Today, navicula disease is known to prevail more in particular breeds of horses compared to others. The disorder also looks like it worsens in particular breeds more than in others. Nowadays, horses live for longer than before, and that makes the detection of navicular condition earlier better so that management plan can be formulated.
The navicula bone is located at a specific spot within the heel of a horse. There are several soft tissue structures that are associated with it. These structures are located in all directions, that is, lower, upper, and the sides. Some of them include collateral sesamoidean ligament, impar ligaments, coffic bone, digital flexor tendon, and navicular bursa. The navicular bone has a central marrow cavity with small channels for nerves and blood vessels the bone.
A number of various causes have been related with navicula syndrome. Some main cauces are problems in the flexor surface or flexor tendon, issues with the navicula bone and inflammation in supporting ligaments. These issues mostly happen in performance horses, that is, horses that people use for performance. The condition mainly leads to chronic lameness of the forelimbs in equines.
Although many different horses have been diagnosed with this disease, it has also been proved that certain breeds are more susceptible. These breeds include Quarter Horses, warmbloods and Thoroughbreds. These breeds are the most diagnosed. The diagnosis usually takes place between the age of 7 and 14 years.
Horses also get predisposed to the disorder due to conformation abnormalities in hooves, disproportionally small feet, sheared heels, underrun heels, contracted heels, and mismatched hoof angles. Even though both front limbs get infected, the condition usually has different levels of severity in the two limbs. The affects are usually more severe in one limb than the other.
Cure alternatives for navicular syndrome have kept on adding up as the years pass by. Horse owners are no longer restricted to ancient treatment options. Diagnoses are also more accurate, following the invention of improved MRI technology. MRI scanning is the standardized imaging process for this disorder nowadays.
A decade ago, any condition that affected the heel of equines was labeled as navicular syndrome. A lot of myths and misconceptions surrounded this disease that people were justified to fear it. Today, some of the condition that were labeled as navicula can be safely classified as not navicula. It is now well understood that there are several conditions that can affect the heels of horses besides navicular.
Out of these conditions, some can be successfully treated whereas others can never be treated. Today, navicula disease is known to prevail more in particular breeds of horses compared to others. The disorder also looks like it worsens in particular breeds more than in others. Nowadays, horses live for longer than before, and that makes the detection of navicular condition earlier better so that management plan can be formulated.
The navicula bone is located at a specific spot within the heel of a horse. There are several soft tissue structures that are associated with it. These structures are located in all directions, that is, lower, upper, and the sides. Some of them include collateral sesamoidean ligament, impar ligaments, coffic bone, digital flexor tendon, and navicular bursa. The navicular bone has a central marrow cavity with small channels for nerves and blood vessels the bone.
A number of various causes have been related with navicula syndrome. Some main cauces are problems in the flexor surface or flexor tendon, issues with the navicula bone and inflammation in supporting ligaments. These issues mostly happen in performance horses, that is, horses that people use for performance. The condition mainly leads to chronic lameness of the forelimbs in equines.
Although many different horses have been diagnosed with this disease, it has also been proved that certain breeds are more susceptible. These breeds include Quarter Horses, warmbloods and Thoroughbreds. These breeds are the most diagnosed. The diagnosis usually takes place between the age of 7 and 14 years.
Horses also get predisposed to the disorder due to conformation abnormalities in hooves, disproportionally small feet, sheared heels, underrun heels, contracted heels, and mismatched hoof angles. Even though both front limbs get infected, the condition usually has different levels of severity in the two limbs. The affects are usually more severe in one limb than the other.
Cure alternatives for navicular syndrome have kept on adding up as the years pass by. Horse owners are no longer restricted to ancient treatment options. Diagnoses are also more accurate, following the invention of improved MRI technology. MRI scanning is the standardized imaging process for this disorder nowadays.
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Navicular disease in horses can be dangerous if left untreated. To know more about this disease, visit the blog posts that appear at http://www.naviculardisease.com.
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