Equine Navel Ill

Equine Navel Ill

Equine Navel Ill, is a deadly equine disease which strikes new born foals from birth to about four months of age.  Navel ill damage is done just after birth, when the umbilical cord has yet to dry and is therefore vulnerable to the invasion of bugs which enter the blood stream via the umbilical stump.   These bugs cause navel ill and lead to equine liver, lung and kidney damage as well as equine septicaemia which targets joints and is known as equine joint-ill. Equine lameness could result from navel ill.

Navel Ill ,or omphalophlebitis - a collective name for any infection of the equine umbilical stump,  is a horrible equine disease causing a huge health risk to new born foals from birth to about four months old.  
Navel ill is highly dangerous to foals whose immune systems are not strong enough to fight organisms not previously encountered.  It is vital to be vigilant in mare and foal management.  If your foal is born in a clean environment, it will not get equine navel ill.  The best place for a foal to be born and avoid the possibility of equine navel ill, is on a clean, grassy pasture uncontaminated by other horses. Failing that, good equine stable management is your best weapon in the war against equine navel ill.


Symptoms 
A swollen, painful navel which does not dry 
An abscess may develop from which pus may ooze
A high temperature


Causes 

• Lack of cleanliness during foaling causes equine navel ill. 
• Prevention his desirable but none more so than equine Navel Ill.
• Make sure your equine friend’s stall is clean fresh and disinfected before foaling.     
• Replace wet bedding with fresh, dry bedding to ensure the foal is not exposed to environmental bacteria causing navel ill.  
• Ensure enough colostrum is taken in by the foal in the first few hours of nursing. 
• Colostrum is the first line of defence against navel ill providing all necessary elements to fight equine navel ill.   
• If the foal is not up and nursing within three to six hours, call the vet otherwise the digestive tract is exposed to bacteria and equine navel ill. 
• Some owners like to dip their foal’s navel in a form of disinfectant.   
• Check this with your vet first as type of product and correct dilution ratios are very important. Chlorhexidine, seems to be the most highly respected solution.

Treatment 
Have the foal seen to by the vet immediately you suspect equine navel ill.  Treatment will involve large doses of powerful equine antibiotics.  Admission to a dedicated equine hospital is the best course of action. Treatment may be long-term and joint lavage may also be required.  You must move quickly to get treatment for equine navel ill.
CLEANLINESS – the terminator of equine navel ill.

joint ill

Joint ill usually occurs in foals, although it may occur in horses of any age. Joint ill takes several forms, all of them septic in nature since they are evidenced by a break down of tissues in the area leading to sepsis which is a toxic condition resulting from the spread of bacteria and toxic products from an infection.

These conditiions include septic arthritis, septic synovitis, septic physitis, and septic bursitis based on where the infection if localized. Acute heat, swelling, and lameness in or around a joint or tendon sheath is the earliest indication of this infection.

Symptoms

Fever
Swelling
Lameness
Lethargy
Loss of appetite
Sleepiness
Causes

Joint ill begins when bacteria enter the bloodstream and invade the bone or synovial membranes of the joint.

Any type of neonatal infection causing septicemia can cause joint ill and most cases in foals are the result of a navel infection. Bacteria gain entrance through the digestive or respiratory tracts. Often, the first indication of the disease is lameness, accompanied by hot, swollen joints and fever.

Prevention

Careful treatment of the navel of the newly-born foal is one of the best methods of preventing infections that lead to joint ill. With weanlings and older horses, good sanitation, along with prompt and thorough response to any bacterial or viral infections affecting the digestive or respiratory tracts, will help prevent joint ill.

Treatment

Treatment of joint ill should begin as soon as the infection is discovered. Massive doses of antibiotics for at least three weeks are often advised by veterinarians.

Joints with septic infections usually need to be irrigated, and at times it is necessary to open the joint to remove pus and debris. A suction drain is inserted and the leg is immobilized.

Stall rest and physical therapy are important for a successful outcome. Because of the seriousness of joint ills, a veterinarian should be consulted and treatments prescribed as early as possible.

CORNS IN Horses

Corns
Bruise of the sole at the back of the hoof at the angle between the wall and the bars
Improper shoeing or poor hoof trimming A “corn” is most common in the forefeet on the inner buttress and can be caused by 

Corns are described as dry (only mild bruising), moist (serous exudate present), or suppurative (infected or abscessed). Bruising may be associated with lameness, depending on the severity. When the foot is raised and the solar surface freed of dirt and loose horn, a discoloration, either red or reddish yellow, may be noted. Pressure on the affected area with hoof testers usually causes varying degrees of discomfort, again depending on the severity of the lesion.

CAUSES

- Yellow or red discoloration of the sole, usually on the front feet 

- Possible lameness 

- Soreness of the area when using a hoof tester

- Area of corn may become abscessed

TREATMENT

- Consult your veterinarian

- Corrective trimming 

- Shoeing to protect and transfer weight from the bruised area 

- Draining of the area if there is an abscess

PREVENTION 

- Proper hoof trimming and shoeing

Navicular Syndrome

Navicular Syndrome

Inflammation and degeneration of the navicular bone and surrounding tissues. 
Navicular disease is one of the most common causes of chronic forelimb lameness in the athletic horse but is essentially unknown in ponies and donkeys
This disease begins with inflammation and gradually results in deterioration of the bony tissue of the navicular bone.

CAUSES

- Genetics and poor conformation 

- Improper nutrition 

- Continual impact of the toe on hard surfaces

SIGNS

- Intermittent lameness that tends to get worse over time 

- Toe will become worn as it hits the ground before the heel 

- Usually affects front feet

TREATMENT

- Consult your veterinarian

- Proper trimming and shoeing 

- Medications to increase circulation and decrease pain 

- Surgery may be necessary

PREVENTIONS

- Proper breeding 

- Proper shoeing 

- Adequate exercise, avoiding athletic stress

Cracks

Cracks

Symptoms:
A crack in the hoof wall originating at the coronary band is known as a quarter crack when it occurs on the side--or quarters--of the hoof. Toe cracks may also occur, but are less common. These cracks typically begin on the inside of the hoof, where they are not visible, and become obvious when the crack reaches the surface of the hoof wall. Affected horses will not always be lame, but if the area becomes infected, it can cause severe pain.

Causes:
Cracks can be caused by trauma to the coronary band or heavy concussion, such as work on hard surfaces. Horses with weak or thin hoof walls are more prone to quarter cracks. Poor hoof conformation or an improper trim—especially long toes and underrun heels--can also lead to cracks. Quarter cracks can affect any breed of horse in any sport, but tend to be more common in race horses.

Treatment:
If the hoof is infected, your vet will open the crack to disinfect the area and remove any dead tissue, if necessary. In some cases, the vet will repair the crack using screws, staples, or wire lacing. The horse will usually require special shoeing to relieve pressure while the crack heals and begins to grow out. In most cases, your vet will cover the crack with an acrylic patch to reinforce the repair.

Abscess in horses

Abscess

Symptoms:
Abscesses in the hoof are typically characterized by sudden-onset, severe lameness. In some cases, the horse may refuse to put any weight at all on the affected hoof. The horse will be sensitive in the area of the abscess and may have an increased digital pulse and swelling in the lower leg.

A vet or farrier can pare away the hoof to reveal and drain the abscess, confirming the diagnosis. If left untreated, the abscess may erupt on its own through the sole of the hoof or at the coronary band.

Causes:
A hoof abscess is a pocket of infection in the lamina. It can start with a puncture wound caused by the horse stepping on a sharp object in the barn aisle, or a misplaced horse shoe nail. The hole allows bacteria to enter the hoof, where it thrives in the warm, dark environment. While the bacteria eat away at the hoof tissue, the horse's immune system attacks. The resulting pocket of bacteria, white blood cells, and dead hoof tissue puts pressure on the sensitive structures of the horse's hoof, causing the pain response.

Treatment:
Once the vet has located and drained the abscess, the key is to keep the area clean to avoid reinfection. The hoof should be soaked in a solution of Epsom salts in warm water to help draw out any remaining infection. The hoof should be kept bandaged until it has healed. A vet may suggest an anti-inflammatory, such as Bute, to manage the horse's pain. The recovery period is typically no more than a week to ten days, but this can vary widely depending on the severity of the abscess and the owner's ability to prevent reinfection.