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NAVICULAR DISEASE. In navicular disease the bursa, flexor tendon, and navicular bone may become chronically inflamed. Because of the seat of the lameness, it is commonly known as "coffin-joint" lameness. This disease affects standard and thoroughbred horses more often than it does the coarser breeds. Hereditary causes are largely responsible for navicular disease.
Its inferior face is moulded to the frog. THE BONY CORE formed by the last bone of the digit and the coffin bone was described briefly with the other foot bones. A very important bursa, because it is so frequently inflamed in coffin-joint lameness, facilitates the gliding of the flexor tendon over the navicular bone before it becomes attached to the inferior face of the pedal or digital bone.
Animals that have "coffin-joint" lameness should be allowed to run in pasture as much as possible, because natural conditions help to keep down the inflammation and soreness and promote a more healthy condition of the foot. In shoeing the horse it is best to shorten the toe and raise the heel. It is advisable in the more favorable cases to cut the sensory nerves of the foot.
It may be noticed in animals that have ring-bone, or coffin-joint lameness. The most common cause for this unsoundness is inflammation of the muscles and tendons of the flexors of the digit. As a result of long standing or severe inflammation, shortening of these structures occurs in consequence of the contraction of the inflammatory or cicatricial tissue.
This is, no doubt, one reason for "coffin-joint" lameness being more common in driving and speed horses than in slow-going work animals. Rheumatic inflammation, bad shoeing and punctured wounds in the region of the bursa many cause it. A case of navicular disease involving one front foot. The first symptom usually noted is a tendency to stumble.
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