Tag Archives: lameness

Horses, The Pet Professionals

Spring and lameness – Laminitis and beyond

 

One of the most beautiful landscapes that spring has to offer us is a vast, luscious green pasture, with the sun shining up in the blue sky and the opportunity for our horses to graze freely and enjoy nature.

However, as horse owners are well aware, fresh spring grass is very sugary and, if you have roughed off your horse and then suddenly notice that they are limping, the first thing that would cross your mind would probably be laminitis.

There are factors other than diet that can predispose your horse to develop this condition, including excess weight and obesity, hormonal and metabolic disorders, bacterial infections, excessive concussion, and even stress. Also, if your horse has had laminitis before, it is more likely for this problem to recur.

Unfortunately, laminitis is a serious condition that can easily become chronic, with the hoof structures suffering permanent damage, which is why it’s so important to seek veterinary assistance as soon as you notice something unusual about your horse’s walk.

Acute episodes of laminitis tend to be extremely painful, and clinical signs will not go unnoticed, including:

  • Reluctance or inability to walk or even stand,
  • Altered stance, usually favouring weight support on the hind feet,
  • Lameness,
  • Signs of pain which may resemble an episode of colic.

However, there’s more to lameness in the horse than laminitis. So, if your horse is lame, what else could be causing it?

There are other chronic conditions that can cause pain in your horse’s feet and, consequently, an altered gait, such as osteoarthritis and navicular syndrome, for example.

With chronic conditions, clinical signs tend to be more subtle, given that the horse has had time to adapt. In such cases, you may not be able to perceive an evident limp, but you may notice a slight head bob as your horse is walking, or an abnormal stance, for example.

As for acute conditions, these can include injuries, sprains, fractures, infections and even lesions that are higher up in the musculoskeletal system, such as the back and the neck.

If you notice something is different about your horse’s walk, you can check their feet and lower legs to try to identify if there’s a visible or palpable injury, such as hoof rings, cracks or dark spots, something caught in the gaps of their hooves, cuts, swelling and if the legs feel warm or painful.

Independently of the cause, all kinds of hoof and lameness problems should be addressed as soon as possible. Lameness-associated conditions are usually very painful and can even be life-threatening. If you have any concerns regarding your horse’s health, don’t hesitate to contact your vet for advice.

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Horses

Navicular Syndrome

 

Horses have very particular anatomy and physiology. They are very large animals, and their weight is all supported by 4 hoof-covered phalanges or fingers.

Yes, you read that correctly! Horses only have one complete finger in each limb, and the last distal phalanx (the coffin bone) is covered with the hoof, and it’s the only structure that makes contact with the floor. This is one of the reasons horses are so prone to developing lameness problems.

One of these problems is navicular syndrome. This syndrome affects a tiny bone named navicular bone that moves with the two last phalanges. Navicular syndrome usually affects the front limbs of the horse, and one foot is often in worse shape than the other. This syndrome can have many causes and can result in different clinical signs, the most common one being lameness. Overweight horses are more prone to developing this condition.

If you have a horse with navicular issues, you may notice him or her appear lame in one (initially) or both front limbs. While lunging, you may notice lameness on the inside limb in both directions. You may also notice he or she sets their feet toes first. Lameness is usually more evident after work/exercise and gets better with rest.

Unfortunately, navicular syndrome is a degenerative condition, and the navicular bone suffers alterations over time with inflammation and density loss. The soft tissues around it may also be consequently affected.

Since this is known to be a progressive degenerative condition which is usually painful and can cause disabling lameness, navicular syndrome always needs to be addressed and managed so your horse can maintain a good and active life.

Would you like to know more about horses? Check our Equine Courses:

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