Q & A with The Vet

Navicular Syndrome

Dear Dr. Teskey:

We have a beautiful Paint gelding that we bought 5 years ago when he was 4. When we originally purchased him we had him evaluated and he had a positive flex test front right. He was not visibly lame but we were told to expect problems.  I'm a physician and my wife is a nurse, it was love at first site so we bought him anyway.  He has never been used much except for our infrequent lessons, but has always been shoed.  He was fine for the first 3 years, but after buying him a 30 acre farm in the hills with rolling pastures and a lousy caretaker, he turned up lame.

We moved him home, sold the farm and sent him for diagnostics and prescriptions.  After X-rays, Bone scan, Ultrasound and digital blocks, he was diagnosed as having navicular disease.  We were told to use plastic shoes, slight elevation of his heal, heal pads...etc.  We were also told to try him on Gallium Nitrate solution which we did for 9 months.  We have changed farriers and now have a well known local farrier who shoed for the Olympic venue here in 1996.  Nothing is working. He still runs around like a horse should and loves it, but pays for it later. Everyone is telling me he needs to have a Neurectomy(s).  I'm resisting the concept.  Can you help or can you give me any advice?

Sincerely,

R. B., M.D.

Hi Dr. B,

The main pathology we're recognizing with horses such as this is a lack of development along with atrophy of soft tissue structures in the heel region of the hoof, most notable the digital cushion and the lateral cartilages.  Horses like this have more fatty digital cushions rather than nice, plump fibro cartilaginous ones, and skinny, weak lateral cartilages rather than ones that are thick and filled with large numbers of veins. What's interesting is the role of blood in the hoof as hydraulic fluid, dampening concussion as a function more important than that of just delivering oxygen/nutrients to the hoof.

Also, the nerve net inside the hoof is intricately involved in regulating proper circulation, so neurectomy is an especially tragic and unfortunate procedure done to hooved critters.

The best result in improving these horses has come through the use of properly fitted boots WITH the proper pad system inserted.  Check out EasyCare’s website to learn more.  Also check out Pete Ramey's site for some excellent reading and ideas.  Run a search for "navicular boots pads" and you'll get some good pics and sites come up.

Take care,

Dr. Tom T.

 

Education

Hello,

I am looking to find out what is the best boot to start with.  I live in Florida and am a trail rider.  My horse is a TWH mix (smile).  I think she has some draft in there somewhere.  She is 20.  The only real problem I have had is thrush, she is very prone (if you have info on that I would take it, I have tried everything under the sun).  I currently have her barefoot and would love to keep it that way.  She had shoes in the past.  My main problem with her new found barefoot freedom is she keeps developing a split in her front left.  The farrier has told me not to worry "yet."  I am not good with the looming danger, and then I don't ride, so I was thinking boots may be an answer.  No one I know uses them here, shoes on dang near everyone!!!  I am just a backyard pet owner so money is a factor.  I need to see if the boots last long, and are worth the investment.  Will the boot provide the extra integrity that a shoe would so I no longer have the threat of the split?

What style would be best for me?

I am looking to do something asap, I will await your reply.

Thank you in advance,
Desperate in Florida 

Hi Desperate,

Give those new G2 Old Mac boots a try. For someone just starting out with this, they will work very well for you.You can see them at EasyCare, Inc. and they have the sizing charts all right there.  They are a great investment because they outlast shoes at least 10 to 1, and of course they don't damage your horse like steel shoes do.  Boots offer the best, most honest protection you can buy.  Shoes are a "band-aid" at best and the problems only persist and/or get worse in the long run.  If the split in the hoof doesn't resolve, it's an indication of imbalance and/or infection in the hoof.

Take care,

Dr. Tom T.

 

Horse Hoof Question

Hi, I hope you can help with this.  Any insight would be greatly appreciated.  My friend has an 8 yr old TB gelding.  He previously has been sound until now.  Back in March 2006 she had his feet trimmed, barefoot not shod.  A friend had taken the horse as his mount for a clinic in April 2006, about 2 1/2 - 3 wks later, (while at the clinic, we don't know why) he had him trimmed again.  He said he was to long on his toes- then he chipped a hoof.  We may never know why he had the clinic farrier trim again, or why that farrier would trim a horse like that.  But the horse was trimmed extremely short in the toe.  It has been 10 months and no new growth in the toe.  His hooves are extremely hard and squaring out.  The toe is so hard, you can not affect it with hoof nippers.  Her current farrier says it was cut to short into the (lamini?  I hope I am using the correct word)  The horse is currently on Biotin supplements.  He is always gimpy on his front end.

She has had this horse since he was 18 months old.  Putting him down is the last thing she wants.  But over the last month or so he seems to be in more pain.  Have you ever heard of this problem?  Is their any type of correction. 

Her farrier is trimming him to take weight off the toe so it will grow, but nothing seems to be working.  He is barefoot. 

Any ideas would be great.  My friend is desperate, so we are all looking for answers for her.

Thanks,

M

Hi M,

This doesn't sound like that severe of a problem.  It could be that the farrier just doesn't know how to proceed with a case like this.  Sometimes a trimmer/farrier will trim an area on the hoof to match another area for length, adding insult to injury.  In other words, it's a bad idea to try to get all areas to "match" when one area has been already over trimmed.  Finding someone more knowledgeable will be important, or researching more about the hoof on the computer may also allow you to get the horse back in health.  Ask around and/or search on the computer for natural hoof care trimmers that might be in your area. 

I would need pictures to consult with you very effectively on this case.  If you'd like to do something like this, we can talk about arrangements.

Stay positive, the horse can most often heal from these problems.

Dr. Tom T.