Lameness 2

• Navicular Syndrome

  Soreness or damage to navicular bone (distal sesamoid [B in pic]) and surrounding structures
• Navicular Syndrome

  • Not just navicular bone but all surrounding areas e.g., MSK tissue and soft tissue
  • Could be seen as man-made – or that humans has contributed to it
  • Everyday "wear and tear"
  • Quality of hoof care and development – importance of the digital cushion; just under navicular bone
  • Shoeing
  • Poor conformation predisposes
  • Slowly progressive nature of disease
• Navicular Syndrome

  • Most commonly affects front-feet
  • Often bilateral
  • Intermittent lameness
  • Pointing toes, short, choppy strides
• Ischemia of bone

  • Causes: Heel pain? (change in foot placement, poor development)
  • Excessive contraction of DDFT?
  • Hereditary (navicular bone = checked before bred from)
  • Excessive concussion and DDFT use e.g. in showjumpers
• 1. rays reveal bone loss along distal borders of navicular and within medulla
• Pathology of navicular syndrome is not curable
• Laminitis

  • Any horse or pony can be affected
  • Many risk factors but changes that occur in the foot in a bout of laminitis are the same: Inflammation of dermal and epidermal portions of laminae, Ischaemic necrosis of laminae and may separate, Pedal bone sinks and / or rotates within hoof capsule
• Risk factors for laminitis

  • Metabolic dysfunction
  • Secondary to systemic disease; bacteria that has entered the body e.g., mastitis
  • Secondary to mechanical overload
• Acute laminitis

  Severe e.g., bone trying to come through the wall
• Chronic laminitis

  • Bouts of lameness, not as severe each time as acute but will be on and off lame
  • Horn production affected – rings and depressions in hoof wall
• Control of laminitis

  • Limit CHO access; too much weight due to too much glucose (CHO) [sugar] weight is big factor for laminitis
  • Maintain optimum body condition
  • Prompt treatment of bacterial infections
  • Reduce concussion
  • Careful shoeing
• Diagnosis of lameness

  • Clinical examination
  • Gait analysis
  • Nerve blocks
  • Lab analysis – bloods, joint fluids
  • Radiographs
  • Ultrasound
  • Scintigraphy / MRI / Thermography / Electromyography
• Treatment of lameness


  1. Reduce inflammatory response using hot / cold hydrotherapy, drugs (corticosteroids, NSAIDs), magnetic field therapy, physiotherapy (ultrasound, laser, massage etc.)

  2. Provide pain relief
• Treatment of specific lameness conditions

  • Soft tissue injuries: Reduce inflammation, rest, support
  • Bony enlargements: Rest and NSAIDs
  • OCD: Rest, correct diet and exercise control, Surgery – remove joint mice
  • DJD: Rest (but keep moving!), NSAIDs, physiotherapy, nutraceuticals
• Treatment of Navicular Syndrome

  • Corrective / therapeutic shoeing
  • REST!
  • NSAIDs – bute
  • Steroid injection into joint or bursa
  • Isoxsuprine (vasodilator)
  • Biphosphonate drugs
  • Extracorporeal shockwave therapy
  • Neurectomy
• Treatment of Laminitis

  • Relieve pain and inflammation (NSAIDs)
  • Improve circulation – creams (vasodilators), massage,
  • Reduce exercise
  • Provide deep soft bedding or soft ground underfoot
  • Strap on polystyrene pads or similar
  • Corrective foot trimming and therapeutic shoeing
  • Weight control – stable, corral, muzzle, strip graze