Navicular Syndrome

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Navicular Syndrome
Myria Shipman, Dr. Frank Flanders and Asha
Wise Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum
Office Georgia Department of Education February
2006
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Disease or Syndrome?

• Because there is no proven cause or treatment it
  is better referred to as a syndrome
• Navicular Syndrome is generalized heel pain due
  to problems with the navicular bone
• Other causes of heel pain are often misdiagnosed
  as Navicular Syndrome

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Three Causes of Navicular

• Concussion or trauma to the Navicular bone
• Thinning and erosion of the cartilage
• Degeneration of the Navicular bone
• Injuries of the Navicular bone and surrounding
  areas
• Arterial obstruction
• strain and inflammation of the impar ligament can
  obstruct these blood vessels and reduce blood
  flow to and from the navicular bone

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• Changes in the Navicular bursa synovium
• Osteoarthrosis (degenerative joint disease)

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Predisposing Factors

• Poor hoof conformation
• long toes and low heels
• narrow upright feet
• Extreme work on hard surfaces
• Standing in stalls for extended periods of time
• Improper trimming and shoeing

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Symptoms

• Often a unilateral lameness
• Usually restricted to the forelimbs
• Walking toe to heel
• Short choppy strides
• Reduced wear of the heel region

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Management Practices

• Medication
• vasodilators
• anti-inflammatory
• corticosteroids
• Reduce intensity of training
• Exercise program should be determined by the
  severity of problem

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• Corrective shoeing
• corrective trimming raise heel, role toe
• types of shoes keg, conventional bar, egg bar,
  aluminum, rolled-toe (any of these can be
  combined with pads)
• conformation of hoof and location of pain
  determines trimming and shoeing methods

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• Surgery
• Neurectomy (nerving) severing of the palmar
  digital nerves on either side of the deep flexor
• Gallium Nitrate ???
• Many times bone disorders are caused
• by an excess of Aluminum
• Gallium competes with Aluminum for
• absorption in the bone, causing a delay
  in
• further degeneration
• Fed as a supplement