The best treatment for naviular desease in horses?

Question

products and drugs used

Answer 1

I looked up this condition in a horse care book, and it recommended the following:

Navicular disease is believed to be the result of poor foot conformation and/or concussion, caused by hard work.

Although the condition is incurable, various treatments are employed to help relieve the pain. Corrective shoeing is used to raise the heels and reduce concussion to the navicular area. The horse may be given anticoagulants and anti-inflammatory drugs. Laser and ultrasound treatment may also be beneficial.

Answer 2

Bute is probably the most commonly used drug for not only navicular disease, but other common lamenesses in the horse. Bute tends to reduce the pain and inflammation in early stages, and is therefore effective.

When it is suspected that the pain originates in the navicular bursa or the coffin joint, injection with steroids is a common treatment. This is not really a cure, since steroids only reduce inflammation and do nothing to correct the underlying pathology.

Various techniques for increasing the circulation to the navicular area are effective in reducing the symptoms. The most commonly used is administration of isoxsuprine hydrochloride, a drug which causes dilation of the small blood vessels. This is a long course of regular drug therapy which can get expensive and time-consuming. Recently, a magnetic hoof pad has come on the market which is said to help relieve navicular pain. The theory behind its use is that magnetic therapy increases local circulation.

The anticoagulant warfarin is sometimes used for the same reason, to increase local circulation. It also is a rather permanent course of therapy. The horse must be watched carefully for bleeding problems, since the drug reduces clotting in the entire body.

Corrective shoeing is generally used, especially in the more chronic cases of navicular disease. Each horse should be trimmed according to the particular conformation that needs correct. A variety of shoe types have been used, including the egg bar shoe, the rolled toe shoe, the slippered heel shoe, the Tennessee navicular shoe, the wide web shoe, and others. All have been effective on specific horses, reflecting the fact that the navicular syndrome has multiple causes.

Neurectomy is a drastic treatment, but is often done in long-standing chronic cases of navicular disease. The nerve to the foot is cut above the fetlock, and the entire foot is permanently deadened. This causes the horse to stumble often because it cannot tell exactly where the feet are. Needless to say this is not a solution for a riding horse.

No other lameness in the horse invokes such a wide variety of opinions about definition, diagnosis, and treatment than does navicular disease. Ask a dozen veterinarians and you will get nearly a dozen opinions. The consensus, however, is moving towards a broad definition and the use of navicular syndrome for the problem.

Dr. David W Ramey writes, "Most likely no condition of the horse's limbs is as feared by horse owners as is navicular syndrome. Probably no condition is as frequently suspected as a cause of lameness in the horse as disease of the horse's navicular bone. Certainly, few conditions that cause lameness in the horse are as frequently diagnosed as is navicular syndrome."

Answer 3

Just remember long term use of Bute can harm their kidneys. First get xrays, have the xrays seen by a good farrier and work closely with your vet and farrier on a plan that suits your horse specifically. Depending on the severity of the navicular and the rotation there are different approaches. I would start off with the least invasive then go from there.

Answer 4

There is no treatment.

Good shoeing, good feed, and good care should help.

Also, get the horse Xrayed. You can inject the coffin bones or hocks, and that can keep the horse sound for a few months.

They sell a feed specifically made for navicular horses, by TLC company or something.. Look it up.

Answer 5

Talk to your vet and farrier. together they should be able to come up with a hoof care plan to help your horse. X-rays will need to be taken to determine the extent of rotation of the coffin bone and damage to inner hoof structures. This can be a very expensive procedure. You will also have to limit the use of Bute, it is hazardous to your horse after long term use.

Answer 6

Talking to your vet and farrier about treatment for the specific horse is your safest bet.

Answer 7

Just remove the Navel. No more naviular disease.

Answer 8

Put them down