Very Mild Laminitis

Suspect laminitis if the soreness occurs at the same time every year.

Very mild laminitis.

Heat in the feet. The actual word laminitis means inflammation itis of the sensitive laminae lamin. This can all occur before any symptoms are apparent and once the process has started it is extremely difficult to stop. For this reason a horse can suffer from laminitis and have a very mild insult to a very small area of the total surface.

Chronic laminitis can be a very difficult disease to treat however by using natural treatments the success rate increases significantly. Lameness especially when a horse is turning in circles. The priority in the initial treatment of laminitis is to support the pedal bone to prevent rotation. Treating these horses involves a combination of many alternative and complementary modalities including acupuncture herbs homeopathy and the most important of all nutrition.

Symptoms of chronic laminitis rotation sinking radiographic changes rotation distal descent abnormal hoof growth heels grow quicker hoof rings wider at the heel change in hoof wall angle flared hoof wall wall cracks bruising blood in white line or wall stretched white line deep black. Increased digital pulse in the feet most easily palpable over either sesamoid bone at the level of the fetlock. Laminitis occurs when the laminae become inflamed and the complex attachments within the hoof begin to fail. Signs of acute laminitis include the following.

When they get inflamed your horse feels as if its standing on a very badly bruised fingernail. Laminitis is quite unlike any other equine disease. Laminitis is a painful condition of the feet. The laminae are the membranes that hold the bone of the foot the pedal bone in place inside the foot.

Laminitis is a humbling disease and anyone who claims universal success simply hasn t treated enough horses. Unfortunately at this time there is simply no single optimum approach to rehabilitation for each horse. Shifting lameness when standing. Another laminitic horse might have a very severe insult that wipes out the majority of the laminae within hours leading to a catastrophic situation in which the hoof wall separates from the foot.

Horses with laminitis can be difficult to take treat and rehabilitate even under the best of circumstances. Laminitis is known in the usa as founder the inside of the hoof is arranged in layers called laminae which interdigitate and suspend the pedal bone in a stable position within the hoof wall. Painkillers such as phenylbutazone bute are prescribed to make the horse more comfortable. The horse is lame on hard ground but appears sound when on soft sandy footing.

The main reason slow onset laminitis so often progresses without notice is the similarity of its signs to other more common problems.