Laminitis

Laminitis is a disease that can occur in all breeds of horses and ponies.  It is one of the most painful conditions in the horse and can be caused by a number of factors.

1. Excess carbohydrate intake
2. Obesity
3. Overeating of lush green grass
4. Overloading, either from excess work on hard ground or overcompensating for an injured limb
5. Endotoxemia, e.g. mares retaining cleansing
6.  Various other hormonal and drug related interactions can affect the progress of the disease.

Acute Laminitis
The most commonly noticed stage in laminitis is the  acute phase.  In the acute phase the animal has a sudden onset of severe pain and is very reluctant to move.  It may seem very distressed and sweat.  Thereis a typical laminitic stance whereby the horse rocks back onto its heels, often arching its back.
Weight may be shifted from one foot to the other, heat will be felt in the feet especially at the coronary   band and a large pulse may also usually be evident  above the heels.

Typical Laminitic Stance
In the horse the lamellae line the inside of the hoof and the outside of the pedal bone.  These interdigitate to suspend the horse from its hoofs.  In laminitis these lamellae are inflamed and their interactions start to breakdown, this can lead to rotation of the pedal bone and if the condition progresses then ‘sinking’ (founder) can occur.

What To Do

• Call your Vet.  He/she will examine your animal and provide drugs such as ACP (acepromazine), Bute (phenylbutazone). Frog supports will probably be fitted to your horse’s feet, these will most likely be composed of a high density foam pad.
• Remove the animal from the source of the problem, if it is at grass put him in a deeply bedded stable.
• If his stable is a long way from the field, trailer him home rather than making him walk
• The best bedding is deep shavings, at least 18 inches deep, covering the whole floor area
• Keep the horse quiet and encourage him to lie down, do not force exercise.