it's not navicular :)

Emilieu

Emilieu

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Xrays today showed nowt up with Deano's navicular bone and no damage at all that can't be rectified. I'm so pleased. Remedial shoeing for three cycles to strengthen frog and sole and straighten up pedal bone which is currently lying a bit flat. Vet really pleased and says he is confident that he will be more than rideable when its all done and can go back to wearing normal shoes / possibly barefoot. I'm going down to see the xrays after new year but he brought along a load of pictures he had taken as they worked to explain what he was saying. Very interesting and so pleased.
Bit of a pointless post but thought I should update for everyone who has offered support and advice :)
 
My lad has the same, but came right via barefoot.
I'm sorry but remedial shoeing is going to strengthen the frog/ sole how? And I'm totally buffled to how it will strighten up the pedal bone.
 
I dont know your story, but glad to hear your horse hasnt got it. I just wanted to share an experience with you in support. My daughter's eventer was diagnosed with DDFT in March/April of this year in both front feet. Thankfully we had insurance, so the vet made sure she had an MRI scan. The scan revealed two smallish tears which were sitting right int he vicinity of her navicular joint. She was medicated with cortisone and made a remarkable recovery in about 6 weeks. She is now fit and sound. However, we have been told that in future she may need more medicating in that particular joint, but she may not, we have to play it be ear. She is going back out eventing next year.

Now the funny thing is that the vet who treated, who is actually a lameness specialist, told us both that there was no such thing as 'navicular syndrome', and that navicular as a syndrome comprised any number of symptons. Before the advent of the MRI scanner, our mare would have been diagnosed as suffering from navicular syndrome though, and without this level of diagnosis, her recovery time would have been much, much longer.

All I can say is I am so pleased for you that your horse will recover, and good luck. I just wanted to share my story, as I know when you are going through the hell that is box rest (another story, I could write a very long book on it), every little helps.
 
Thanks for the update, I hope it goes well and do keep us updated

Thatsmygirl I think iirc the OP had quite a good explanation from her vet in her previous post about why this horse was not currently a suitable barefoot candidate and that corrective shoeing was the best idea for the time being :)
 
Hi thatsmygirl, if you have seen my previous thread you will know that barefoot was my preferred treatment but xrays indicated that my boy was not a viable candidate at the moment as his sole has dropped and taking him barefoot on hard winter ground would put him at risk of trauma induced laminitis. I was very disappointed but not willing to risk that by going against their advice. The vet went through in great detail about how the shoe will work to stimulate the frog and strengthen the foot as well as restore the correct balance to the foot in turn straightening the bone. I was more than happy with his explanation and Deano is in the hands of a very experienced and well respected farrier.
 
I hope it works for you I really do. I haven't seen your other thread if I'm honest.
I never thought I would ride my lad again but it's the best feeling in the world when it happens. It's great.
 
Can I make one suggestion - take photos of his feet at each shoeing both side shots and of the sole and frog so you can monitor progress.


When mine went lame (soft tissue damage like theory x1) we did the whole remedial shoeing bit as he had 'thin soles'.

A good farrier makes the foot look better with trimming and placing of the shoe and bar shoes can cover up the heels and frogs but I took shots while the farrier had the shoes off for shoeing and you could see his heels were underrunning more and more and the frogs contracting.

The vets and farrier were expecting to see improvements and thought they did but the photos told a different story.

Hopefully in your case they will show improvements and it's good to have an objective record.
 
TheoryX1 said:
Now the funny thing is that the vet who treated, who is actually a lameness specialist, told us both that there was no such thing as 'navicular syndrome', and that navicular as a syndrome comprised any number of symptons. Before the advent of the MRI scanner, our mare would have been diagnosed as suffering from navicular syndrome though, and without this level of diagnosis, her recovery time would have been much, much longer.
Click to expand...

My vet told me the same. He said (before we knew that his navicular was ok) that they would use the term if necessary for the insurance but that these days it is really a misnomer. Thank you for sharing your story :)

I am planning on taking photos tonight and happy to post them if anyone is interested. The vet had taken photos of every stage and I have to go down next week to go over the xrays so I can see what is happening inside the hoof too. I believe vet is intending to re x-ray at the next shoeing so that we can know for sure if the shoes are doing their job.
 
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