1. What laminitis is?
Laminitis is an illness of the whole organism, which manifests itself through changes in the hooves' area. It is an acute inflammation of the hoof material, which covers the hoof bone. The inflammation quickly changes the hooves' structure in the long run - so it is crucial to react as soon as possible.
Why is it said that laminitis has an impact on the whole organism, not just the hooves? Because it disrupts the proper function of your horse's internal organs, which causes serious changes in muscles, digestive system, urinary tract (kidneys), and cardiovascular system. It might ultimately lead to underoxidation and ischemia of the hoof material, finally even necrosis of the hoof tissue.
During laminitis, excessive fluids gather on the inside of the hoof wall, which increases the pressure in the wall causing severe pain.
2. Causes of laminitis
There are at least a few causes of laminitis, just as its types. Laminitis can be:
- acute,
- chronic,
- of toxic background,
- caused by a mechanical overload, which the pet experiences while working on hard ground (e.g. while trotting on asphalt) or when the horse relieved one leg at the cost of others (e.g. with a broken bone).
In most cases, laminitis is an illness caused by negligence or lack of knowledge, caused by a wrong diet unfit to the horse's needs and too little or wrong physical activity of the pet.
What is interesting is that it does not apply to all kinds of laminitis. Laminitis caused by mechanical trauma and some cases of laminitis of a toxic background have nothing to do with dietary mistakes or the way the horse works. For example, the latter kind of laminitis might be caused by bacterial diseases that your horse has undergone. Sometimes it happens that difficult labor and a stuck placenta might later cause laminitis at a mare.
3. Main causes of laminitis:
- giving too much fodder for horses - with insufficient activity,
- a diet too rich in protein,
- beginning of the pasture season when your pet has unlimited access to fresh grass after winter,
- when you want your horse to gain muscle mass and give him more fodder (e.g. oats), which causes excess protein consumption (excess protein intake) of the organism,
- moving too intensely on hard ground - especially right after a blacksmith visit (after cleaning the hooves),
- while unburdening one leg (e.g. after breaking a bone) at a cost of another healthy leg,
- wrong shoeing,
- poisoning of various origin,
- bacterial diseases,
- allergies.
4. Symptoms of laminitis
Laminitis usually affects the horse's front hooves, although it does sometimes happen that all four hooves become ill.
The most common symptoms of laminitis include:
- sore, hot, sensitive to touch hooves - especially their front side,
- a characteristic pose with front legs stuck out and standing on the so-called heels, which allows the pet to unburden the front hoof walls, at the same time shifting the weight onto the hind legs, which the horse hides under the barrel (the horse looks as if he is "sitting" on the croup),
- difficulties moving around, especially on hard ground,
- high body temperature,
- usually comes with coronet swelling.
5. Is laminitis dangerous for horses?
Yes. Treating laminitis too late or simply wrong causes deep changes (also shape) into the hoof wall area. The irreversible changes happen even 12 hours after the first symptoms appear.
In extreme cases, the coronet separates from the hoof wall, the horse dies, or the laminitis becomes chronic.
With chronic laminitis, you will usually see the deformation of the hoof walls, which is caused by bone rotation and the characteristic way in which the horse moves (putting hooves down from back to front - first he puts down heels, then the rest of the hooves). On the hooves, you can see something called laminitis rings. The chronic form of laminitis might lead not only to limping but also to the horse being completely unable to move.
Remember that with quick and proper reaction at the moment you see the first symptoms of laminitis, your horse has a great chance of full recovery.
6. First aid with laminitis
Knowing what laminitis might cause when it's diagnosed late, or untreated altogether, it's good to remember a few things you should do to help your pet as soon as possible:
- call a vet - immediately,
- Odciąć dostęp zwierzęciu do paszy treściwej (m.in. zabrać konia z pastwiska) cut the horse from fodder (e.g. take your horse off a pasture),
- cool down your horse's hooves - long and evenly - preferably from the fetlock down until the vet comes, which will ease the pet's pain and slow down the increase of pressure in the hooves.
When it comes to cooling down: unfortunately, you cannot cool down more than 1 horse's leg at a time with a garden hose.
A much better way to cool down your horse's hooves is to put a washer or a free stall with a thick foil (the kind of foil used to line pools) and filling it with cold water so that your horse can stand in it until the veterinarian comes. This will allow you to make sure you're cooling all four legs at the same time.
7. Treating laminitis
Sensible nutrition and early veterinary treatment will give your horse a chance to recover fully.
It is important to:
- treat the horse professionally, intensely, and on many levels - you cannot do that on your own,
- take into consideration that even proper treatment might not bring back the horse's full condition and physical abilities,
- make sure that you cooperate and consult not only a vet but also a horse dietitian.
8. Prophylaxis – namely, what to do to prevent laminitis
As with any other illness, prophylaxis is crucial - namely, proper care of your horse:
- adjusting portions of feed - especially of the fodder to the horse's age, race, size, and type of activities,
- proper hooves' correction and shoeing,
- gradually letting the horses out on pastures after winter - slowly elongating the time the herd can spend out from 30 minutes to a dozen hours over a couple of weeks, preferably starting on a mowed meadow to prevent horses porking on the fresh grass.
9. Summary
Laminitis is a common and dangerous illness that is a serious threat to the horse's life when diagnosed too late. In extreme cases, untreated laminitis becomes not only a chronic disease but also a cause of the horse's death. A key to prevent laminitis is proper nutrition and the necessary daily dose of movement. Thus, make sure you're taking care of your horse's shape and diet. Remember that "you are what you eat" so if your horse eats healthy, he'll stay healthy.
Your horse's health is crucial, which is why you should take care of his proper diet and care. Check our rich offer of products for horses: vitamins for horses, horse care, electrolytes for horses.
Any questions? Call us or leave a message.
Latest news from the equestrian store Equishop:
Product successfully added to your shopping cart
