LAMINITIS: “No Foot No Horse” Part 1 | ||
This article has been published previously by Equestrian Life. To see what's in our latest magazine, click here. Laminitis is a common issue. © Andrew Bowe
by: David T.Wood BVSc.MRCVS. Part 1. Laminitis is like one of those terrible anti personnel mines which aim to cripple rather than kill their victims, though many afflicted horses will eventually be euthanized because of it, even though they may recover somewhat from the acute phase. Like a land mine it can strike suddenly without warning and with disastrous results. Unlike a land mine however, Laminitis has a nasty habit of recurring in the survivors which may need months or years of rehabilitative care to become sound again, and many never do. As the name suggests Laminitis is an inflammation of the sensitive laminae which attach to the horny insensitive laminae inside the hoof, like interlocking leaves holding the hoof wall and sole onto the underlying structures of the foot. The inflammation is merely a symptom of varied underlying disease processes with a range of associated risk factors. One of the many problems with this disease is that by the time the usual signs of inflammation, swelling, pain, and increased blood flow show themselves, the damage to the delicate laminar membranes may already be severe, limiting the possibility of effective treatment. RecognitionEarly recognition of the signs is of paramount importance in determining the eventual outcome, though we now know that the disease may have been progressing without obvious signs for hours or even days before showing itself. The laminitic horse shows some or all of the following signs:
By the time these signs have developed structural damage to the foot may have already happened. If in doubt then veterinary help should be sought immediately and urgently – far better a false alarm than a crippled horse. EvaluationVeterinarians may use the “Obel” system to grade the severity of the laminitis related pain and help determine treatment options. The system uses the four categories reproduced below:
In addition to this assessment a history is taken and a clinical examination is made to try to determine any underlying causes for the attack with a view to eliminating them if possible. The main diagnostic tool used is radiography. This enables the vet to determine whether or not the coffin bone inside the hoof has separated from the hoof wall and rotated, and if so the degree of rotation which is an important predictor of the likely prognosis. In mild cases there may be little or none. In the severest cases the coffin bone may sink right into the sole of the foot and penetrate it with dire consequences for the horse. Typically the front feet are more affected than the hind due to the uneven weight distribution of the horse’s body with around 65% of its weight being borne in front. All feet may be affected however. Join us tomorrow as we look at Part 2 - Underlying Causes David T.Wood BVSc.MRCVS. David is a veterinary surgeon with 35 years equine experience gained in several countries. For the past 20 years he has pursued a special interest in equine nutrition and currently acts as veterinary and technical advisor to Horsepower.
This article has been published previously by Equestrian Life. To see what's in our latest magazine, click here.
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© copyright. Equestrian Life. Friday, 19 April 2024 https://www.equestrianlife.com.au/pages/LAMINITIS-No-Foot-No-Horse-Part-1 |
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