Conference noted::equitation

    Melinda,
    
    I think I entered that info some time back....it is either in the
    note about wormers or the one about colic surgery.  My vet told
    me this after I had had a couple of young horses fail the vet for
    navicular errosians.  As she put it, the changes seen in these x-rays
    were typical of a much older horse that had had years of hard work.
    Apparently, this type of problem is being seen more and more in
    young horses and is possibly linked with the use ivermectin wormers.
    I don't know who is doing the research...or which vet journal it
    was published in....I got the info from Sally McCreery.  As she
    explained, this has not been proven and will probably take years
    of research (since this wormer is relatively new to the market).
    I do, however, believe most vets (and Rochester) will caution using
    ivermectin wormers on a regular (every 8 week) basis...but then
    this is true of any wormer.  I personally feel uneasy about it because
    of all the problems it caused when it was in the injection form.
    I use ivermectin only twice a year...just to be safe.
    
    Jeannie
                                                              

Thanks for the info Jeannie.  I know of someone who just had a young horse
vet-checked and navicular changes were found.   I've had at least 4 young horses
vetted which had navicular changes in xrays -- but that was before ivermectin
was available.

I could believe *something* is causing the bone changes - I know excessive
vitamin A can cause bone changes... but I also could believe that the 
reason we're seeing more navicular in young horses is simply because we're 
X-raying more and so finding out more.  

Melinda

	Of course I can't remember which issue but in a recent (last 4 months
	or so) EQUUS they had an article about navicular. It was in the FILE
	section. It seems that they (meaning researchers I guess) are finding
	that x-rays showing navicular changes are not reliable. Horses that
	show the bone change don't get navicular and horses that look good
	may end up with it. Seems like horse medicine is like people medicine
	this years treatment may turn out to be next years cause. But, just
	to be on the safe side - what age are you calling a young horse? Does
	this mean yearling and below? liesl

By a young horse I mean one under 5 years old.  I've had two 2 y.o. filly's
fail a vet-check due to navicular changes.  Some vets will ignore slight
changes, while others will note them.   Since then I've seen these same horses
performing well in events or dressage shows -- years later.  And they'll 
probably die of old age before they ever become lame from navicular. 

    I hate to see anything take a bad rap when it wasn't deserved. 
    The problems experienced with injectable Ivermectin from everything
    I have read had nothing to do with the drug.  It was a result of
    non-practitioners who were reusing needles instead of disposing
    of them after every use.  The problems experienced were injection
    site infections and hepatitus.  When the oral administration tests
    were completed and showed that the drug was as effective, the drug
    companies chose to remove the injectable product to limit their
    liability in cases of application abuse.  Drug companies are paranoid
    about liability these days even if they know their product is safe
    since the real loss of money is not in paying a settlement but in
    defending yourself against one!
    
    Bob
    

    NAVICULAIR- CAN BE IN ANY HORSE, BUT QUARTERHORSES WILL GET IT THE
    MOST. THE BONE IS RIGHT BELOW THE CORANET BAND. (IN THE HOOF) THE BONE
    WILL DEKAY AWAY. ONCE IT STARTS, IT STARTS RUBBING ON THE FLEX TENDEN.
    SWELLING STARTS, ANS WILL BECOME LAME. THE HORSE WILL TAKE REAL SHORT
    STEPS, TRYING TO GET THE WEIGHT ON THE TOES. SOME SHOES WILL WORK
    SOMETIMES. SURGREY COULD HELP, BUT THERE IS NO CURE FOR IT. 
    
    
    THANK YOU 
    JERRY JUSTUS
    (INSTURCTOR FOR THE HANDICAP)