Radiographic measurement from the lateromedial projection of the equine foot with navicular disease.

The article is about a study that compared radiographic measurements of the horse’s foot in normal horses and those with navicular disease, revealing differences suggesting bone enlargement and other changes associated with the disease.

Study Overview

• The study was conducted to compare and analyze radiographic investigations of the equine foot, particularly in healthy horses and those suffering from navicular disease.
• Three groups of horses were examined: Group 1 consisting of 143 normal horses, Group 2 made up of 60 horses with clinical navicular disease (diagnosed only through clinical symptoms), and Group 3 containing 161 horses with both clinical and radiographic navicular disease (diagnosed through symptoms and x-ray confirmation).

Results and Observations

• The results showed that several measurements were larger in horses diagnosed both clinically and radiographically (group 3) compared to the healthy horses (group 1).
• The study found evidence of enlargement of the navicular bone—an important bone in the horse’s foot—in both proximodistal (top to bottom) and dorsopalmar (back to front) directions.
• Partial enlargement of the pedal bone—a significant weight-bearing bone in the horse’s foot—was observed in horses with clinically diagnosed navicular disease and those confirmed by x-rays.
• The age of the horses did not make a significant difference in these observations. However, horses aged four years and over exhibited an increased length of the hoof in the dorsopalmar direction and a decrease in the cranial angle of the hoof.

Interpretation and Implications

• The enlargement of the navicular bone noted in the study is consistent with the understanding of osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease affecting joints, suggesting a similar process may be occurring in navicular disease.
• Partial engagement of the pedal bone observed in affected horses could represent a regional acceleratory phenomenon—a biological process where healing is expedited in a localized area affected by disease or injury. This suggests that the horse’s foot may be attempting to heal or adapt to the damage caused by navicular disease.
• The findings provide potential for improving understanding of navicular disease, which could aid in developing more effective diagnosis and treatment options.