Managing Acute Laminitis

The terms laminitis and founder are used interchangeably.

Managing acute laminitis.

Tips for managing acute laminitis. Managing acute and chronic laminitis. Best practices for managing laminitis diagnosis isn t difficult but laminitis is a frustrating condition to treat. The management of equine acute laminitis colin f mitchell lee ann fugler susan c eades veterinary clinical sciences school of veterinary medicine louisiana state university baton rouge la usa abstract.

Of course you should also call your vet for medical therapy and advice and testing for possible causes. A horse with acute laminitis is generally exceedingly painful and it s up to the veterinarian and. Rocked back laminitic horse stance and unable to move. Laminitis is an extremely painful condition resulting in damage to the soft tissues anchoring the third phalanx to the hoof which can result in life threatening debilitation.

Appropriate diet and or pasture management is essential in at risk horses. Decreasing the risk of laminitis. In serious cases of laminitis acute or chronic where the prognosis is poor euthanasia is often recommended to prevent further suffering. Laminitis can affect one or all feet but it is most often seen in the front feet simultaneously.

However for the horse with endocrine related laminitis diet becomes an important part of managing the disease. Every horse is different and will show different symptoms and different degrees of pain recognise and investigate any of these signs too many horses go undiagnosed because the early signs of laminitis are not picked up the earlier you recognise the symptoms remove the. Options for pain management and alternative treatment options may be suggested by your vet. However founder usually refers to a chronic long term condition associated with rotation of the coffin bone whereas acute laminitis refers to symptoms associated with a sudden initial attack including pain and inflammation of the laminae.

During an acute episode of laminitis if you notice your horse has laminitis the main aims are going to be managing and reducing your horse s pain as soon as possible. If the weight of the horse overcomes the cohesion between the two sets of interdigitating laminae in the front dorsal part of the hoof the case turns from laminitis to acute founder. Symptoms will change as laminitis progresses from acute to chronic.