A preliminary report on the use of warfarin in the treatment of navicular disease.

This research studied the effectiveness of warfarin in treating navicular disease in horses. The results showed significant improvement in 17 out of 20 horses, indicating warfarin could be a viable treatment option for this condition.

Research Objectives and Methodology

• The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of warfarin, an anticoagulant, in the treatment of navicular disease in horses. Navicular disease generally affects the horse’s feet causing lameness.
• Twenty horses suffering from navicular disease were selected for the study, and each was administered warfarin orally. The dosage of warfarin was adjusted to prolong the one stage prothrombin time (OSPT), which measures the time it takes for a clot to form, by 2 to 4 seconds.
• The initial dosage given to the horses was 0.018 mg/kg and it was adjusted by 20% increments or decrements until the desired effect was achieved. The final dose ranged from 0.012 mg/kg to 0.75 mg/kg.
• The horses received warfarin daily throughout the trial period.

Research Findings

• The results from this study indicated that warfarin might present a potential treatment option for navicular disease in horses. Seventeen out of twenty horses showed considerable improvement and became sound, while the remaining three also showed significant improvement in their gait.
• The average age of the horses in the study was 7.5 years, and the average duration of lameness was 9 months before the study commenced.
• On average, it took seven weeks from the start of the treatment for the horses to show signs of recovery. This provides a relative recovery timeline benchmark when using warfarin in the treatment of navicular disease.

Implications of the Research

• The findings from this study could drastically change the approach to treating navicular disease in horses. Instead of relying on surgical interventions or pain management, care providers now have a potential new treatment option in the form of warfarin.
• However, being a preliminary study, more comprehensive studies with larger sample sizes and control groups are needed to definitively establish the efficacy and safety of warfarin in treating navicular disease in horses.