Basic Information You Need When Dealing With Navicular Pain

By Janine Hughes


This is a problem that is normally experienced by horses. Navicular pain is a symptom that points to soundness problems in horses. It is caused by the degeneration of the navicular bone and its surrounding tissues. This problem often occurs on the front feet and if pronounced can lead to disabling lameness.

There are a couple of reasons that are assumed to cause this problem. From recent research, toe-first landing can be a problem. It is considered a cause or at least a contributing factor. This is because it leads to misalignment of the lower joints. It can be caused by over trimming of the hooves. Long toes and poor shoeing can also lead to this type of landing.

You ought to ensure that your animal has proper blood circulation in all parts of the body. Poor blood transport in this area has led to pain in a number of breeds. You will notice a change in stride due to lack of comfort. This problem spread fear to many farmers, when their animals had it. Thanks to new technology there fear has been greatly reduced.

A first sign to notice will be lameness in your animal. Movement when on rough terrain will also be tedious. The horse may also show reluctance to move when on such places. When your animal will be on soft land things will seem easier. You may decide to seek expert advice and take your animal for an x ray. However, this is not a sure way to identify the problem.

A horse with this problem will often stumble as it walks. There are certain breeds whose anatomy will always put them at risk of this disease. This refers to those whose limbs are not able to support their excessive weight. A veterinarian is the only individual with the expertise needed to deal with a problem animal. A farmer should take his animal to one if there is an issue.

Majority of horses that have this issue can be helped. However, there are those sorry cases that are already at a progressed state and therefore not much can be done. To treat any horse showing signs of this disease correct shoeing should be done. This basically involves proper balancing of the hooves front to back and side to side.

Drug therapy is also a form of treatment. Here drugs are used to dilate the blood vessels. This is said to increase the flow of blood to the navicular bone. Most horses are said to have responded positively to this type of treatment. However, just receiving it once is not enough. There have to be more visits to the vet to prevent the pain from reoccurring.

Exercise is said to be helpful too. It helps deal with problems that involve decreased circulation and trauma to the bone. These animals do at least thirty to sixty minute exercises. This is within a period of six days in a week. The riding is structured and the animal is taught to bear more pain on the hind legs. There is a way out to this kind of problem in animals.




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