Any miracle cures for Navicular???

Chermar

Chermar

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I know I'm clutching at straws but has anyone had any success with this?? The horse in question is 6yro and hasn't done much in those two years due to one thing and another, primarily it is a conformation thing, but may be helped by remedial shoeing. The treatment suggested to us is hugely expensive and it's 50/50 even at that, so my OH won't entertain this. As it's a conformation problem breeding from her isn't an option for us, she has cronic sweet itch so even giving her a life of DR Green really isn't an option. The most likely thing for her atm is to be PTS then you know she won't suffer at the hands of cowboys etc. I would like to give her a chance but OH says we are putting off the inevitable, it's his horse and his decision, but can anyone offer me a glimmer of hope??
 
Mine was diagnosed with a chipped navicular bone last yr, he was also 6, hadnt done anything to strenuous over the years (act he ptp twice) and was due to cr*ppy Tb feet. He was given an injection into the joint and was shod with normal shoes and a gel pad on the effected foot for 4 weeks. Next visit was shod with a plastic pad on effected foot, then after that was shoed with wedged shoes but that sent him crackers!!! Made him excessively sore and off and on lameness,spooky bucky you name it he done it. So they were removed and replace with normal shoes and concussion pads on both fronts. Very cost effective to. Once the shoes were changed he went back to his normal sensible self in a week and went from 1/5th lame to sound in a month or so. That was last Sept and he remained sound until last week when he was pts due to other reason.
 
Is it definitely navicular syndrome? Many vets won't diagnose navicular disease until the horse has failed to respond to any treatment for at least 90 days.Will corrective shoeing help? I had a horse with navicular disease. We tried steriodal injections that didn't really do much. He was eventually denerved at Newmarket and went on being riddent happily for many, many years. Perhaps all is not lost - are you insured?
 
So there is hope!! No not insured......... but if we had to spend £1k and it was an 80% chance of working we'd do it. It's the fact of putting her through everything and it not working that's the problem.

Nicole what was the injection they used?
 
Slightly Foxed said:
Is it definitely navicular syndrome? Many vets won't diagnose navicular disease until the horse has failed to respond to any treatment for at least 90 days.Will corrective shoeing help? I had a horse with navicular disease. We tried steriodal injections that didn't really do much. He was eventually denerved at Newmarket and went on being riddent happily for many, many years. Perhaps all is not lost - are you insured?
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We've had Xrays done and you can see the change in the bone, so I assume so.
 
NicoleS_007 said:
Mine was diagnosed with a chipped navicular bone last yr, he was also 6, hadnt done anything to strenuous over the years (act he ptp twice) and was due to cr*ppy Tb feet. He was given an injection into the joint and was shod with normal shoes and a gel pad on the effected foot for 4 weeks. Next visit was shod with a plastic pad on effected foot, then after that was shoed with wedged shoes but that sent him crackers!!! Made him excessively sore and off and on lameness,spooky bucky you name it he done it. So they were removed and replace with normal shoes and concussion pads on both fronts. Very cost effective to. Once the shoes were changed he went back to his normal sensible self in a week and went from 1/5th lame to sound in a month or so. That was last Sept and he remained sound until last week when he was pts due to other reason.
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I am sorry for your loss Nicole!!

So there is hope through shoeing methods?
 
"So there is hope through shoeing methods"

Definitely, talk to your vet and farrier. Bar shoes are commonly used with good effect.
 
Yes but you don't have to go through expensive shoe methods. Mine had navicular and he's coming sound through being barefoot. One of the main causes for navicular is contracted feet making the back of the hoof capsule press on that bone and surrounding tissues. I think cutting the nerve is an extreme way of going about it when in all seriousness, the foot just needs more room to fit the bones in.
 
Sorry cant remember the name of the injection, something mybe like cortazone!!! or maybe thats something else!!! lol ... The injection is about £60 but sometimes doesnt work, sometimes only works for a month or two then sometimes works for years, mine lasted a year mybe could have lasted longer for him but we shall never know. I think my vets bill for lameness work up, x rays, nerve blocks, injection was near £400 then the remedial shoeing came to a total of about £220ish
 
Another one here voting for barefoot - my horse was written off - terrible x-rays and soft tissue damage - prognosis was very guarded. Now sound with barefoot - have a look in the veterinary forum - there are several people having success barefoot.
 
tallyho! said:
Yes but you don't have to go through expensive shoe methods. Mine had navicular and he's coming sound through being barefoot. One of the main causes for navicular is contracted feet making the back of the hoof capsule press on that bone and surrounding tissues. I think cutting the nerve is an extreme way of going about it when in all seriousness, the foot just needs more room to fit the bones in.
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Funny thing is we pulled the shoes off her when we got home from the vets and I did consider barefoot to myself as she has been 'ok' the last few days........................ Although if I can get OH to let me take over I do need to get her feet into a better shape and maybe starting of with remedial work might help cusion her a little.

I'm actually quite annoyed with myself over it I did remark to myself that I thought she looked a little flat on her heel......... but dismissed it (familiarity breeds contempt!) I know had I walked into my friends yard I'd have spoted it straight away.....
 
Hi, my friends horse was also written off with Navicular. She got a qualified barefoot trimmer, have a look on the barefoot sites you will see various types of trimmers, I use the UKHNCP type who are absolutely brilliant. My friends horse is still going strong 5 years down the line, he is now 23. Shoes may help for a while but they don't solve the problem they just hide it.
Do some research on all the barefoot sites on the internet it may help you make a decision.
Good luck.
 
I've never had a horse with a diagnosis of navicular but from much I've read about there is no such thing as a 'miracle cure'.
My advice is to do some reading yourself here's a good starter... http://www.hoofrehab.com/NavicularSyndrome.htm
Imo the barefoot option is better sooner rather than as a last resort which it often seems to be. Also rehab does take time...
Nic Barker UK Trimmer is running a research project it may be worth having a chat to her or another experienced Trimmer.
http://www.rockleyfarm.co.uk/RockleyFarm/Home.html
 
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I went to a BEVA veterinary conference a while back (in part to help us as insurer's understand more about disgnosis for conditions) as navicular seems to be diagnosed fairly frequently we especially wanted to sit in on the lecture thing about the syndrome. There is a hell of a lot of research going on into the causes of the condition and so far there is no real known cause and seemingly no specific problem that is a pattern in 'navicular' cases as such so navicular is used as a diagnosis quite often. We saw some very interesting footage of camers going into the jont area and what was found and they are now seeing some regular changes in navicular cases that you can see on the x-rays.

There is still no known cause although conformation can play a part. However there is also a suggestion that poor farriery could be a factor as the natural balance of the foot has been altered and therefore this puts pressure on certain areas on the foot/tendons. Even I have noticed there seem to be some people who have had several horses with navicular. Personally I have never had a horse with this condition and we've had a fair few horses! Makes you wonder whether those people who have should maybe be looking at their farriers and not just thinking it's their own bad luck or down to the horse's poor conformation. Therefore the suggestion of barefoot trimming or a very good remedial farrier (if your horse needs shoes) is definitely worth trying - allowing the foot to grow ad work how it would naturally. A farrier who has not worked sympathetically with the horse's natural conformation could just end creating problems.

I certainly don't think navicular is the end of the world at all - not these days anyway. I think some time at grass and some months of barefoot/remedial farriery could be worth trying. Ultimately you never do know with these things, each horse is different but it's always worth trying as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't go down the root of de-nerving or operating as these options present their own problems.
 
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Thank you Lady T............... I think it's a combination of the two on our part I was looking at the rest of the yard and although they maybe aren't just as good as they should be the mare's in question are definately far worse than anything else.

There is my other dilema........... we've given our farrier £1000's over the last 5 years with maybe having as many as 6 to shoe every 8 weeks without fail. I don't believe I should just stop using him and let him off, I want him to face the fact that he as the proffessional (he is reg) should also have spotted this and I want the rest of the horses feet put to how they should be FOC........... am I being unreasonable? Haven't phoned him yet.
 
IMO you're not being unreasonable. I am very particular about my horses feet, and my farrier helps with my obsession by explaining everything and reviewing my mares feet with me regularly. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask him to start to pull toes back etc...
 
Chermar, I have just read your last post. I also spent thousands of pounds on farriers, and it does make you mad and cross. Someone else posted on here a while ago about the barefoot issue and said 'farriers do 4 years training, walk away with a certificate and that's that'. They do not do continued assessment. My friend tried to report a farrier to the Farriers Registration Council for crippling her mare, she got nowhere. They wanted independent Vet reports etc., etc., which would have cost her thousands. Nothing happened to said farrier he is still going round doing absolutely shoddy work.

Barefoot trimmers are regulated, well the qualified ones are anyway. Mine have yearly assessments and must meet the standards required, lots of them are qualified nutrionists as well so are able to advise on feed.

Your farrier may or may not know how to trim a hoof for barefoot. Most farriers (not all I suppose) trim the foot flat as though they are putting shoes on. A barefoot hoof needs concavity.

Barefoot may be answer for your mare. The hooves need to be correctly balanced. Barefoot does seem to work for navicular.

By the way, I am not bashing all farriers, sure out there, there must be some good ones.

Good luck
 
Woman at my yard has 5 yr old with navic, been lame for last 6 months, now gone barefoot and is back in light work. Vet had said wedges in shoes? I think but she stuck with barefoot and looking like the horse will have full working life ahead.
 
Chermar said:
I know I'm clutching at straws but has anyone had any success with this?? The horse in question is 6yro and hasn't done much in those two years due to one thing and another, primarily it is a conformation thing, but may be helped by remedial shoeing. The treatment suggested to us is hugely expensive and it's 50/50 even at that, so my OH won't entertain this. As it's a conformation problem breeding from her isn't an option for us, she has cronic sweet itch so even giving her a life of DR Green really isn't an option. The most likely thing for her atm is to be PTS then you know she won't suffer at the hands of cowboys etc. I would like to give her a chance but OH says we are putting off the inevitable, it's his horse and his decision, but can anyone offer me a glimmer of hope??
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Conformation aside, this sounds just like my rehab. I think you need to get her off grass completely and see if the sweetitch disappears like it did with mine. He had changes on xrays and had been treated with Adequan, Tildren and HLA and bar shoes. He had feet so weak I could bend them with my fingers. Off grass completely, he grew strong enough feet to support his legs and last weekend, 7 months after I took off his shoes, he won the first novice dressage that the girl I have given him to had ever ridden in. He also showjumps and does two hour hacks.

It's not a mirable but by golly it feels like it some days!!!
 
Hi,

About 15 years ago I used to share a horse that was diagnosed with navicular at 6 years old (TBxID, but v.v.tall - 18.2hh!!). He had 6 months off and was given warfarin, then we changed farriers and got him shod much more upright. He was brought back into work and was fine. He went on to do BE, and as far as I know is still happy and well.

Good luck, don't give up hope.
 
NicoleS_007 said:
Sorry cant remember the name of the injection, something mybe like cortazone!!! or maybe thats something else!!! lol ... The injection is about £60 but sometimes doesnt work,
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Was it Cartrophen? I used this for my horse, it helped, he was sounder, but not sound enough to compete, he had it fairly badly though :)
 
Thanks everyone I do think the general concences is getting the foot right and so far the majority of you are saying barefoot. With nothing to loose I'm going to see what I can do.... I've also come across a suppliment called Equi-Elements that helps with the bone etc so I'm going to give that a go and maybe a spa treatment or too!! Will keep you posted!!
 
emmyc said:
Was it Cartrophen? I used this for my horse, it helped, he was sounder, but not sound enough to compete, he had it fairly badly though :)
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No defo wasnt called that lol, mine came completely sound thank goodness and was worked even harder than he previously was, with him it seemed the more work he got the better he was. But i know another one with nav sidebone changes and it was better with far less work so suppose it really depends on the changes and the horse.
 
Our 7 yr old mare was diagnosed with Navicular Syndrome - scans etc, we tried remedial shoeing - then decided to rest her for about 4 months so went barefoot - continued in light work for about 6 months still barefoot - she has been sound since (is now nearly 10yr old) and is still barefoot - and jumping 1m20. You need a really good farrier - ours is excellent who takes time with her and does an excellent job with her feet - even the vet says so!!!

It is worth giving barefoot a try - but you must give it time.....
 
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