So Here we are - a month down the line from my last post, and we leave all the snow of february behind us, and move into spring. And with the move forward, comes the beatifull weather, the longer, brighter evenings, and the spring grass.
We all know the dangers that spring grass brings along with it, and one of them is laminitis.
Equine Laminitis is a painful condition of the feet. The actual word means ‘inflammation of the sensitive laminae’. These laminae are the membranes that hold the bone of the foot (pedal bone) in place inside the foot. So when they get inflamed it is as if your horse has to stand on a very badly bruised fingernail. The pain must be similar to when we shut our fingers in the car door but it is worse for the horse because he or she has to stand with all his or her weight on those bruised areas.
The cause of almost all equine laminitis is poor digestion. When food is not broken down properly in the hindgut of a horse, acids and toxins are produced which leak into the body and damage blood vessels throughout the body. When blood vessels that supply the feet are affected in this way the amount of blood flowing down to the sensitive laminae is reduced and they become swollen.
This swelling or inflammation means that they cannot do their job of holding the pedal bone in place properly and this results in a lot of pain. As the situation gets worse and if the flow of toxins is not reduced then the laminae can be so damaged that the foot bone sinks right through the sole of the foot and the horse will have to be euthanased. When the foot bone sinks a little the pedal bone is said to have ‘rotated’.
The sort of food that causes equine aminitis is rich young spring grass with high levels of fructans. However rich grass can cause the problem at any time of year and even frosty grass in the winter can damage the digestion in the gut so much that the wrong sort of bacteria start to multiply and release toxins. Another cause of equine laminitis is the sudden ingestion of large amounts of cereal or concentrate feed. Large amounts of such rich food in the gut cause a lot of acid production and again encourage the growth of the wrong sort of bacteria.
Food is not the only cause of equine laminitis however. An increasingly common cause of the disease is a hormonal imbalance called Cushings Disease.In addition any infection in the body might produce enough toxins to damage the blood vessels and thus cause equine laminitis. Womb infections after foaling are a particularly well-known example of this cause of equine laminitis. In addition pounding of the feet can cause sufficient damage to the laminae to cause equine laminitis. This form of the problem is called concussion laminitis. Stress can also make horses more likely to get equine laminitis (and any other disease).
Medical treatment of digestive equine laminitis by your vet most commonly involves the use of painkillers or anti-inflammatories and diet adjustment. There are also antibiotic preparations on the market which although not absorbed into the rest of the body act on the bacteria in the guts, reducing the number of harmful ones that cause the acid build up. If you are using control on the intake of food to manage equine laminitis remember that reducing food intake means that your horse may not be getting all the best nutrients he or she needs for proper recovery of the sensitive laminae. This is why equine laminitis supplements are very important not only for ensuring that your horse recovers but also to make sure that he or she does not become nutritionally deficient.
Because Equine Laminitis is really a nutritional problem it is also possible to help horses a lot by using nutritional approaches.
Aloe vera, probiotics and antioxidants can help a lot if used skillfully with the correct advice.
In the coming years laminitis really could be the single biggest risk to your horses health.
Until next time look after yourselves......and your four legged friends!
xxx
We all know the dangers that spring grass brings along with it, and one of them is laminitis.
Equine Laminitis is a painful condition of the feet. The actual word means ‘inflammation of the sensitive laminae’. These laminae are the membranes that hold the bone of the foot (pedal bone) in place inside the foot. So when they get inflamed it is as if your horse has to stand on a very badly bruised fingernail. The pain must be similar to when we shut our fingers in the car door but it is worse for the horse because he or she has to stand with all his or her weight on those bruised areas.
The cause of almost all equine laminitis is poor digestion. When food is not broken down properly in the hindgut of a horse, acids and toxins are produced which leak into the body and damage blood vessels throughout the body. When blood vessels that supply the feet are affected in this way the amount of blood flowing down to the sensitive laminae is reduced and they become swollen.
This swelling or inflammation means that they cannot do their job of holding the pedal bone in place properly and this results in a lot of pain. As the situation gets worse and if the flow of toxins is not reduced then the laminae can be so damaged that the foot bone sinks right through the sole of the foot and the horse will have to be euthanased. When the foot bone sinks a little the pedal bone is said to have ‘rotated’.The sort of food that causes equine aminitis is rich young spring grass with high levels of fructans. However rich grass can cause the problem at any time of year and even frosty grass in the winter can damage the digestion in the gut so much that the wrong sort of bacteria start to multiply and release toxins. Another cause of equine laminitis is the sudden ingestion of large amounts of cereal or concentrate feed. Large amounts of such rich food in the gut cause a lot of acid production and again encourage the growth of the wrong sort of bacteria.
Food is not the only cause of equine laminitis however. An increasingly common cause of the disease is a hormonal imbalance called Cushings Disease.In addition any infection in the body might produce enough toxins to damage the blood vessels and thus cause equine laminitis. Womb infections after foaling are a particularly well-known example of this cause of equine laminitis. In addition pounding of the feet can cause sufficient damage to the laminae to cause equine laminitis. This form of the problem is called concussion laminitis. Stress can also make horses more likely to get equine laminitis (and any other disease).
Medical treatment of digestive equine laminitis by your vet most commonly involves the use of painkillers or anti-inflammatories and diet adjustment. There are also antibiotic preparations on the market which although not absorbed into the rest of the body act on the bacteria in the guts, reducing the number of harmful ones that cause the acid build up. If you are using control on the intake of food to manage equine laminitis remember that reducing food intake means that your horse may not be getting all the best nutrients he or she needs for proper recovery of the sensitive laminae. This is why equine laminitis supplements are very important not only for ensuring that your horse recovers but also to make sure that he or she does not become nutritionally deficient.
Because Equine Laminitis is really a nutritional problem it is also possible to help horses a lot by using nutritional approaches.
Aloe vera, probiotics and antioxidants can help a lot if used skillfully with the correct advice.
Some myths refuted.
- Drinking cold water after exercise may cause colic but not laminitis.
- Allergies; there is little evidence that hypersensitivities are causally related to the development of laminitis.
- Pregnancy; pregnant animals can develop laminitis just as easily as barren animals.
- Oestrus; there may be a relationship between oestrus and laminitis in some animals, however these cases are rare and changes in diet and management may prevent such cases.
- Heat in the feet; a very unreliable diagnostic indicator. Foot temperature normally varies throughout the day.
- Standing in streams or cold hosing; although the numbing effect of cold water may appear to make the animal more comfortable initially, prolonged cold will exacerbate vasoconstriction and further reduce dermal perfusion. It is doubtful whether hot or cold applications makes a significant difference to the outcome of a case. If the owner must do something, it is preferable to use warm fomentations.
- Hereditary predisposition to laminitis; in this country is unproven. However families of animals often have the same owner whose predisposition to recurring poor management is certainly proven.
- Laminitis does not just affect the front feet. Just the hind feet may be involved, or one foot or all the feet.
In the coming years laminitis really could be the single biggest risk to your horses health.
Until next time look after yourselves......and your four legged friends!
xxx
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