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 is no specific scientific evidence that points to the cause of this problem. However, there are some things that people assume. This pain is said to be caused by the manner in which the horse walks. If the toe lands first, this is a sign of a problem. When hooves are trimmed correctly and shoeing done right, this can be prevented.
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.
Lameness is said to be the first sign an animal owner will notice. The horse will really struggle to maneuver when on a hard surface. The same will not be observed when it is on a softer surface. A hard surface leads to a lot of strain on the horse. At times an x ray is normally done by an expert on horses however it may not give the necessary conclusions.
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.
There are various treatment to these problems. However, some horses have already reached a point of no return. This means the point at which their problem is cannot be reversed. The basic type of treatment involves correct shoeing. This just means taking care of the hooves of your animal. They should be balanced at all angles.
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.
Can you imagine that exercise is also helpful? It can help in improving circulation and working on the problem area on the bone. This practice is done on a weekly blessings for not less than half an hour. The animal is slowly shown how to shift its weight from the front limbs therefore putting less pressure on it. There are ways of dealing with these issues.