Treatment and pathogenesis of navicular disease (‘syndrome’) in horses.

This research focuses on navicular disease in horses – a common but complex condition that affects the horses’ hoof. The study explores various factors and treatments for the condition, highlighting that a comprehensive, multifactorial approach enables effective management, with about 75% of treated horses showing improvement.

Introduction

• The study addresses the challenging area of navicular disease in horses, a hoof condition that is a common cause of lameness.
• Despite numerous studies, the future of research in navicular disease is unclear since most studies only scrutinize one among many aspects crucial in understanding the disease.

Previous Work

• The researcher cites Wright’s work in the same issue and MacGregor’s 1988 study as remarkable exceptions. These researchers investigated various treatment options for navicular disease like rest, warfarin, isoxsuprine, and shoeing with egg bars.
• These comprehensive approaches showed that approximately 75% of horses exhibited improved performance. These outcomes indicate the possible recovery rate expected from multifaceted interventions in managing the disease.

Disease Progression and Management

• Often, horses with navicular disease aren’t diagnosed until the disease has considerably affected foot health or made the hoof’s conformation-balance irrecoverable.
• The best strategy in managing navicular disease may lie in prevention rather than cure, by implementing consistent and conservative good hoof husbandry practices.

Proposed Future Studies

• The investigator recommends further research concentrated on assessing hoof balance and confirming the relevance of the hoof wall-pastern axis being parallel. These factors appear to be of significant importance in preventing the onset and progression of the debilitating navicular disease.