Navicular Changes?

[HandsomeRansom]

I've been searching for a nice horse to purchase to use as a jumper. Finally when I think I found one, through talking to this horses trainer, I've learned that this horse was almost purchased before, but due to x-rays, he's had some navicular changes. He is a 9 year old Trakener/TB cross, used for dressage and has been jumping a year or so. Now, this horse has not been diagnosed with navicular syndrome, just shows changes. Apparantly, the horse has been very sound and have had no soundness problems. I have not had this horse vetted yet, but I do plan on it. Are horses w/ changes usually chronically lame? With preventative shoeing now, can that prevent an issue later? Any advice, or insite would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Lindsey

[danverschild]

Okay, I'm not a vet; I don't even play one on TV, so take this for what it's worth, and hope that Dr. Myers or one of the other vets will jump in...

You shouldn't ignore the fact that you have radiographic red flags, but it shouldn't be an automatic runaway, either. Radiographs are a poor diagnostic tool for navicular concerns. A good equine vet will look at a composite of about five or six different issues when concerned about navicular issues, and s/he will be aware that radiographs alone--especially on warmbloods--may send a false signal.

Get a good equine vet doing your pre-purchase. The radiographs may end up being a bargaining tool...

[mwmyersdvm]

I agree with Danvers that radiographs are often misleading in the diagnosis of navicular problems. I would get a thorough prepurchase exam and use these as a baseline for future sale as well as a current bargaining chip.
I would have the veterinarian view the past radiographs and if they are a year old or better, take new ones and compare them. If there are advances in bony changes then I would search further. If there are no advances, I would feel pretty good about the purchase - at least, this part of it.

M. W. Myers, D.V.M.

[jamesrooney]

I agree in general with what has been said in this thread. At the risk of being dubbed a book salesman, I might suggest that much of what has been said has already been dealt with at some length in The Lame Horse, beginning on page 112. The second edition of this book was published in 1998 but still seems to elude many farriers and (even more perhaps) veterinarians. It is not that expensive (I receive about $2.30 per copy, wow!) and is available from www.horseinfo.com. I believe Amazon carries it as well.
James Rooney

[danverschild]

I agree in general with what has been said in this thread. At the risk of being dubbed a book salesman, I might suggest that much of what has been said has already been dealt with at some length in The Lame Horse, beginning on page 112....

After 30+ years as a farrier, I freely admit that I've yet to come up with an original idea. Instead, I've actively drawn upon great sources, and I'm occasionally remiss in giving credit where credit is due. For what knowledge I have, I'm indebted to Dr. Rooney, to Haskell Crawford, Dave Duckett, Jim Linzy, Bob Marshall, Dr. Doug Butler, Scott Davidson, Tom Dorrance, and a host of others who have provided me with their insight--either through print or through personal exchange. Thank you!

~~Danvers

[Jan Palmer]

Okay, I'm not a vet; I don't even play one on TV, so take this for what it's worth, and hope that Dr. Myers or one of the other vets will jump in...

You shouldn't ignore the fact that you have radiographic red flags, but it shouldn't be an automatic runaway, either. Radiographs are a poor diagnostic tool for navicular concerns. A good equine vet will look at a composite of about five or six different issues when concerned about navicular issues, and s/he will be aware that radiographs alone--especially on warmbloods--may send a false signal.

Get a good equine vet doing your pre-purchase. The radiographs may end up being a bargaining tool...

If radiographs are a poor diagnostic tool for navicular problems how do you know if a horse has a navicular problem? Or is there such a thing? The woman who owns the barn where I board just had her massively muscled, small footed, long toed, fairly low heeled, 10yo QH mare diagnosed with navicular syndrome. The horse had been barefoot, sore and unridable for months. Always became worse after a trim.

A full field lameness evaluation was done, including blocks (went sound) and four views of each front foot. I saw no evidence of any laminitis (tight white line, no rings, etc.) past or present. The x-ray taken at an angle from behind with the foot on a slant board (don't recall the technical word for this view) showed that the navicular bone was full of holes or voids and some protrusions on the sides of the navicular bone that looked like spurs but the vet said they were something else and were very bad. Laterals showed no rotation or sinking, P3 looked normal, but the soles are very thin. Her farrier put egg bars (no pads) on and the horse went dead lame at the walk (had previous only been lame at the trot or canter). The owner was told it takes 5-6 weeks to get an improvement. The horse seems better at week 5 but will go lame if worked at all. What is this if not a navicular problem?

Jan

[danverschild]

It sounds as if the diagnosis on your trainer's horse was made from more than radiographic evidence, and that it matches up more with what one might expect from the "composite" analysis I referred to in my previous posting. Check out Dr. Rooney's excellent article on navicular concerns in the archive on this site, and check out Dr. Oglesby's article at http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/health/tha-navicular.shtml

[jamesrooney]

Thank you, Danvers. Jim Rooney

[Cloisonné]

I thank you too, Danvers. I know nothing at all about navicular problems but have seen a lot of QH's with similar lameness.

So, in this case (the QH mare), the diagnosis of navicular syndrome is accurate? Prognosis poor, i.e., she'll never be more than a lawn ornament or companion horse? Washed up at 10 years old! :(

Thanks again,

Jan Palmer (signed on via my home computer)