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What can you do after recognizing the signs of laminitis?
DO NOT WAIT! Call your veterinarian immediately. Your veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination and attempt to determine the cause of laminitis. In addition, x-rays of all feet involved will be taken to determine if rotation or sinking has occurred. Digital x-rays allow your veterinarian to make a decision instantly regarding the severity of laminitis. Although excessive grass and grain consumption are common causes of laminitis, there are many other reasons a horse can develop laminitis. In the case of Barbaro, excessive weight bearing on one hind leg triggered laminitis in the other hind foot. There can also be an underlying illness in the gastrointestinal, respiratory, reproductive, renal, endocrine or other organ system. Early intervention by your veterinarian will give your horse a better chance of recovering from laminitis without permanent lameness.
After calling your veterinarian, place the horse in a stall that is deeply bedded with shavings. The goal is to support and cushion the feet to decrease the pain and prevent rotation.
If you can determine that the feet are warm and there are increased digital pulses (takes some practice), stand the horse in ice water. Keep ice floating in the water at all times and continue this as often as practical e.g., 15 - 30 minutes every few hours until your veterinarian arrives. NOTE: This is considered an emergency, not a routine appointment, so make sure your veterinarian knows the urgency of the situation.
Always check with your veterinarian before you administer any type of drug.
If you suspect that grass and or grain may be the cause of the laminitis, put the horse in a stall with fresh water and no feed material until your veterinarian arrives.
Remember that horses like people have different thresholds for pain. Become familiar with your horse’s normal vital statistics (temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate) and pay attention to his behavior and everyday habits. Ask your veterinarian to show you how to take the vitals and assess the digital pulses. Become familiar with what is normal for your horse. The prognosis for recovery and possibly survival depends on early recognition and early veterinary intervention.
Laminitis: A Real Pain in the Hooves!
By Dr. Tania Woerner
Click here to see the article as published in the Middleburg Eccentric Newspaper
What is laminitis?Laminitis, commonly called founder, is an acutely painful inflammation of the laminae in the hoof. It occurs most often in the front feet but one or all four feet may be involved. It can affect horses, ponies, donkeys, cattle and other hooved animals.
There are two types of laminae in the horse's foot. The sensitive laminae are attached to the coffin bone and the insensitive laminae are attached to the inner hoof wall. The sensitive and insensitive laminae bind to each other and keep the coffin bone suspended within the hoof capsule. Inflammation of the laminae is a painful event and if the inflammation is severe enough, the laminae separate allowing the coffin bone to rotate and sink away from the hoof wall. If the rotation is severe enough, the coffin bone can penetrate the sole. This is a life-threatening situation.
How to recognize the signs of laminitis:
Laminitis is a painful disease, thus it is important to understand how a horse shows pain. Pain can be mild to severe depending on the extent of damage to the laminae.
A horse exhibiting mild foot pain due to laminitis may just appear depressed and less active because it hurts to move. The horse may be reluctant to pick up one foot and stand on the opposite foot and/or may shift its weight from one foot to another. If both front feet are affected he may stand with the front feet out in front of the body and rock back on the hind legs to attempt to unload the front feet. Horses with more severe laminitis may be reluctant to walk and often turn by leaning back and pivoting around on the hind legs. With severe pain, the horse may lie down and refuse to get up. If all four feet are involved, the horse may stand with his hind feet and front feet in toward each other under the center of his body. If the hind feet are affected, the horse may lift a hind leg high in the air, hold it momentarily and then repeat the same action with the other hind leg.
There are also more objective signs of pain such as an elevated heart rate (>40 beats/minute), elevated respiratory rate (>20 breaths/minute) and elevated temperature (>100 degrees Fahrenheit). There may be a strong or bounding digital pulse and the hooves may feel warm, indicating increased blood flow. Sensitivity to hoof testers around the wall and sole varies, but sensitivity over the toe is often present. Trembling, sweating and anxiety are sometimes observed. If the horse is systemically ill, the coffin bone is more likely to rotate or sink and a depression along the coronary band may be palpated.
