Laminitis In Ponies

Laminitis is a disease that causes lameness in horses.

Laminitis in ponies. The very mildest sub clinical nutritionally triggered cases can often be nipped in the bud by changes in management notably feeding. Horse owners should not be tempted to stand horses or ponies suffering from laminitis in a stream or to cold hose their hooves. Animals predisposed to laminitis should be denied have restricted access to grass pastures particularly during the spring and autumn. The following points summarize current advice regarding strategies for avoiding high nsc intakes by horses and ponies at risk for pasture laminitis.

It was once associated primarily with overweight ponies but it can affect any age or size of horse. Treatment of laminitis in horses. Laminitis inflammation of the lamina of the hoof is a common and potentially devastating foot problem that affects all members of the equine family. Digestive upsets due to grain overload such as excess grain fruit or snacks or abrupt changes in diet.

Horse with chronic laminitis move with the two phase placement of the feet heel toe heel toe best observed when the horse is trotting. Laminitis the separation or failure of laminae which connect the hoof wall to the coffin bone within can cause permanent structural changes in a horse s foot leading to repeated bouts of. Although laminitis occurs in the feet the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse s body. Horses ponies donkeys mules and wild equids the disease process involves a breakdown of the bond between the hoof wall and the distal phalanx commonly called the coffin bone pedal bone or third phalanx p3.

At other times of the year limit the amount of turnout time. Laminitis can affect any horse pony donkey or their hybrid at any time of the year and not just in spring there is no safe season. Laminitis can leave the foot structurally weak and it takes time for the horse s body to repair the weakness. Most horses and ponies can recover from laminitis but the extent of their recovery depends on many factors including how severe the problem was when it was first spotted and how soon treatment commences.

Laminitis is an extremely painful condition affecting 1 in 10 horses ponies every year 1 and can cause permanent damage to the hooves. Laminitis can cause some permanent changes inside your horse s hoof and for a horse to completely recover some significant growth and healing has to occur. Understand what laminitis is.