Managing Chronic Laminitis

Laminitis is a disease of the suspensory apparatus of the distal phalanx which can advance to the chronic stage with varying degrees of structural failure.

Managing chronic laminitis. It s important to note that once a horse has had laminitis it may be likely to recur. In fact a number of cases become chronic because the coffin bone has rotated within the foot and the laminae never regain their original strength. When a horse develops equine metabolic syndrome it is similar to type 2. Treatment regimens for both acute and chronic laminitis generally remain empiric and are based on the past experience of the attending clinician.

The chronic laminitis case. Because the disease may ultimately lead to mechanical failure of the digit a foot management plan is required to effectively and mechanically treat these cases. Modifying your horse s diet is essential to preventing laminitis and you can also do things to make your horse more comfortable during a flareup. There has been some loss of correct alignment between the hoof capsule and the pedal coffin bone.

Chronic laminitis means that laminitis laminopathy has taken place in the feet and the consequent damage has not been fully corrected i e. With the help of a good veterinarian and farrier you can often turn these cases around quickly sometimes in three or four shoeing cycles assuming of course you ve also addressed the underlying issue that brought on the laminitis says fraley. A major part of the management of the chronic laminitis case is remedial farriery and it is important that your vet and farrier are working together as a team figure 6 to provide you with the best care. The nrc notes that specific objective information regarding nutritional management of horses with chronic laminitis is not available 2 however it might be best when feeding such horses to minimize energy intake and prevent excess body weight in order to minimize mechanical stress on the foot.

Management of the pain of laminitis is important from many standpoints. Tips for managing acute laminitis. Is in chronic pain. The guidelines for managing the aftermath of slow onset laminitis are the same as for the acute condition but the outcome is often better.

However for the horse with endocrine related laminitis diet becomes an important part of managing the disease.