Laminitis is a painful condition in horses and ponies that inflames and damages the tissues between the hoof wall and the coffin bone. In some cases, the condition is preventable with proper management. Our Rustebakke Veterinary Service team explains what you should know about laminitis and provides management tips to help lower your equine friend’s risk. 

Equine laminitis basics

The coffin bone is secured to the hoof wall by sensitive and insensitive tissues called laminae. Constant, intermittent, or short-term blood flow disruption to these tissues inflames them, causing laminitis. This condition can permanently weaken the laminae and break down the attachment between the hoof wall and the coffin bone. In severe cases, the bone and hoof wall can separate, resulting in rotation and sinking of the coffin bone inside the hoof wall. Laminitis can affect one or all four of a horse’s feet, but the most common presentation is in both front feet. 

Equine laminitis causes

Numerous circumstances can trigger laminitis. Horses at the highest risk for laminitis include heavy breeds such as draft horses, ponies, Morgans, miniature horses and donkeys, and overweight horses. The condition has three main causes:

  • Metabolic laminitis — Metabolic conditions, such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (i.e., Cushing’s disease) and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), often cause laminitis. Horses with these metabolic issues can’t metabolize carbohydrates normally, resulting in high insulin levels, which seems to play a role in triggering laminitis, although the exact mechanism is unclear. 
  • Inflammatory laminitis — Conditions that result in inflammation throughout the body result in lamellar inflammation. Inflammatory laminitis-triggering events include grain overload, eating lush grass before acclimatization, severe colic, diarrhea, retained placenta, and high fever.
  • Overload laminitis — Horses who are non-weight bearing for an extended period in one limb can overload the opposite limb, resulting in laminitis. Excessive concussive forces to the feet can also result in laminitis (i.e., road founder).

Equine laminitis diagnosis

Laminitic horses typically favor the affected foot or feet, which may cause them to lean back on their hind limbs in a sawhorse stance if both front feet are affected. Other signs may include shifting from one foot to another when standing and being reluctant to walk forward. Diagnostics commonly used when laminitis is suspected include:

  • Feeling for heat — Laminitis causes the hoof to feel warm. 
  • Evaluating the digital pulse — The digital pulse, which is palpable over the sesamoid bones at the fetlock, is strong and bounding in a laminitic foot. 
  • Applying hoof testers — Laminitic horses usually have pain in the toe region when hoof testers are applied.
  • X-raying the feet — X-raying the feet is often necessary to check for coffin bone rotation or sinking and to determine how best to therapeutically trim or shoe the foot.

Equine laminitis treatment

Once diagnosed, laminitis treatment should be started as soon as possible to improve your horse’s prognosis for recovery. Potential treatments include:

  • Treating the underlying problem — If your horse has Cushing’s disease or EMS, the condition must be diagnosed and treated. 
  • Dietary restrictions — During the acute phase, affected horses are fed only grass hay.
  • Icing the feet — In some cases, icing the feet can help reduce inflammation.
  • Stabling in soft bedding — Deeply bedding the stall with shavings can relieve concussive forces on the feet. 
  • Pain medication — Pain medication, such as bute and banamine, is usually necessary to decrease inflammation and reduce pain.
  • Corrective trimming — Corrective trimming and potentially therapeutic shoes or pads may also be necessary.

Equine laminitis prevention

Laminitis is not always preventable. However, you can decrease your horse’s disease risk by following these tips:

  • Avoid feeding excess carbohydrates — Avoid feeding excess carbohydrates, especially from grain.
  • Gradually acclimate to pasture — Gradually acclimate your horse to pasture in the spring.
  • Prevent weight gain — Keep your horse at a healthy weight.
  • Schedule regular veterinary visits — Schedule regular veterinary visits so our team can detect conditions, such as Cushing’s disease and EMS, in the early stages before they cause laminitis.
  • Maintain hoof health — Provide routine hoof care.

Contact our Rustebakke Veterinary Service team if your horse is favoring a limb so we can determine if laminitis is causing the problem.