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 many and it is sometimes hard to tell which cause is responsible in a certain case. A lot of research studies have concluded that the exact cause of the disease is not known. However, in some countries, it has been associated with heredity. As such, some countries have prohibited the use of stallions with the disorder for breeding purposes. Such countries have experienced a reduction in cases.
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 present themselves in different ways and can be hard to notice during the first phases. The condition is more common in front feet and symptoms include low grade lameness. At this stage, the animal may show a slight limp in both feet. The condition becomes worse over time if not taken care of. Symptoms are also characteristically intermittent, and may only show when the animal is exercising on hard grounds or moving in small circles.
There are cases when the effects are more severe in one foot. In such instances, movement is characterized by an obvious limp. The affected leg is also usually placed in front by the animal because of too much pain being felt. Additionally, the horse never places its full weight on the hurting heels. It prefers standing on toes. To increases chances of a full recovery, treatment and invention efforts should start at this point.
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 many and it is sometimes hard to tell which cause is responsible in a certain case. A lot of research studies have concluded that the exact cause of the disease is not known. However, in some countries, it has been associated with heredity. As such, some countries have prohibited the use of stallions with the disorder for breeding purposes. Such countries have experienced a reduction in cases.
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 present themselves in different ways and can be hard to notice during the first phases. The condition is more common in front feet and symptoms include low grade lameness. At this stage, the animal may show a slight limp in both feet. The condition becomes worse over time if not taken care of. Symptoms are also characteristically intermittent, and may only show when the animal is exercising on hard grounds or moving in small circles.
There are cases when the effects are more severe in one foot. In such instances, movement is characterized by an obvious limp. The affected leg is also usually placed in front by the animal because of too much pain being felt. Additionally, the horse never places its full weight on the hurting heels. It prefers standing on toes. To increases chances of a full recovery, treatment and invention efforts should start at this point.
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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