Laminitis or Founder in Horses

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Laminitis or Founder in Horses

By: Dr. Philip Johnson

Pages 1 2 3

Section: Diagnosis

See Larger Image

Laminitis is usually diagnosed based on the symptoms. The physical examination may show marked prominence of the digital arterial pulses and further evidence of pain, such as elevated heart rate and elevated respiratory rate. If the disease has been present for a considerable period of time, your veterinarian may notice abnormal growth of the hoof capsule, dropped sole, and a widened white line zone.

The diagnosis of laminitis is usually established by the following criteria:

Typical clinical signs (symptoms)

Appropriate clinical setting (one might expect laminitis to arise during treatment of some diseases – such as diarrhea)

Painful reaction to hoof testers at toe. Application of pressure using "hoof testers" at the toe of the laminitic hoof will often (but not always) elicit a painful reaction. In some cases, an abscess develops in the affected lamellae and might drain out through the sole or drain through the coronary band.

Increased prominence of digital arterial pulses

Radiography, although laminitis may be present without ANY radiographic abnormalities. It is strongly recommended that a radiographic examination of the affected feet should be undertaken as soon as possible when laminitis is suspected. In some cases during the early stages of laminitis, there are no abnormalities evident on radiography.

However, radiography is advocated because it is typically important to:

Determine whether this new pain represents a new event or reactivation of a preceding laminitic attack (chronic laminitis)

Establish a baseline upon which the effects of treatment can be judged (is it getting better or worse or staying the same)

Help assess the prognosis – the more severe changes (based on radiography) tend to be associated with a poorer prognosis.

Assist in the direction of treatment strategies that include special trimming, farriery, and removal of the hoof wall at specific locations

It is not usually necessary to anesthetize the affected hoof in order to make the diagnosis. Obviation of pain may result in severe damage (new or further separation of the coffin bone from the lining of the hoof wall) and exacerbation of lameness if the horse is exercised excessively. Although it is severe, the pain actually "helps" to prevent the affected horse from causing further damage to compromised lamellae.

Pages 1 2 3

Printable Version

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Share this Article with a Friend Email To:

Have a Pet Question?

Review the Most Frequent Questions
Answered by Dr. Jon and His Staff of Veterinarians

Dr. Jon's Newsletter

Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...

Search Over 15,000 articles

1 Foot Abscess
Foot abscesses are usually the result of a deep bruise or an injury that penetrates the sole of the foot. For example, a misdirected nail can cause enough injury to start an abscess.
Read More
2 Colic
Signs of colic vary among horses, but an observant and knowledgeable owner usually suspects the onset of colic before overt symptoms appear, especially if the owner is familiar with the normal behavior...
Read More
3 Fescue Agalactia
Fescue agalactia is a problem for brood mares and occurs when mares ingest tall fescue during pregnancy. The disease is named for the fact that the udder does not develop and cannot secrete milk, causing...
Read More
4 Suspensory Ligament Injuries
Suspensory ligament injuries commonly occur in performance horses as a result of sudden overextension of the limb during weight bearing. Ligamentous injuries can be career and occasionally life threatening....
Read More
5 Tendon Injuries
Tendons are comprised of collagen fibers that are arranged in such a manner to allow the tendons to be elastic in nature. When strains occur, the collagen fibers break, which resaults in inflammation,...
Read More

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

Dogs & Puppies

Dog Breeds

labrador retriever, golden retriever, yorkshire terriers, german shepherds, beagle, boxers

Dog Medication

dog allergy medication, dog pain medication, dog anxiety medication, dog flea medication

Dog Products

dog bowls, dog crates, dog toys, dog beds, dog ramps, dog food storage, dog tags

Dog Symptoms

dog vomiting, dog limping, dog diarrhea, dog bad breath, dog coughing, dog seizures

Dog Health

dog cancer, dog diabetes, dog epilepsy, dog hip dysplasia, dog health, sick dog

Dog Care

dog vaccination, dog microchipping, dog grooming, dog neutering, dog spaying, dogs mating

Dog Training

dog aggression, dog barking, dog chewing, dog behavior, dog jumping, dog whisperer

Dog Pictures

puppy pictures, funny dogs, cute dogs, dog breeds, sleeping dogs, silly dogs, small dogs

Cats

Cat Breeds

persian, siamese cats, devon rex, ragdoll cats, sphynx, maine coon cat

Cat Medication

cat flea medication, cat heartworm control, cat tick medications

Cat Products

cat litter box, cat food, cat bed, cat flea collar, cat carrier, cat urine odor

Cat Symptoms

cat vomiting, cat limping, cat diarrhea, cat bad breath, cat coughing

Cat Health

cat health, cat liver cancer, cat diabetes, cat scratch fever, cat aids, sick cat

Cat Care

cat vaccination, cat grooming, cat microchipping, cat neutering, cat spaying

Cat Behavior

cat urine marking, cat furniture scratching, cat litterbox training, cat toilet training, cat fears

Cat Pictures

cute cats, funny cats, playful cats, fat cats, jumping cats, lazy cats, sleeping cats, cute kittens

1Foot Abscess
Foot abscesses are usually the result of a deep bruise or an injury that penetrates the sole of the foot. For example, a misdirected nail can cause enough injury to start an abscess.
Read More
2Suspensory Ligament Injuries
Suspensory ligament injuries commonly occur in performance horses as a result of sudden overextension of the limb during weight bearing. Ligamentous injuries can be career and occasionally life threatening....
Read More
3Tendon Injuries
Tendons are comprised of collagen fibers that are arranged in such a manner to allow the tendons to be elastic in nature. When strains occur, the collagen fibers break, which resaults in inflammation,...
Read More
4Colic
Signs of colic vary among horses, but an observant and knowledgeable owner usually suspects the onset of colic before overt symptoms appear, especially if the owner is familiar with the normal behavior...
Read More
5Fescue Agalactia
Fescue agalactia is a problem for brood mares and occurs when mares ingest tall fescue during pregnancy. The disease is named for the fact that the udder does not develop and cannot secrete milk, causing...
Read More

Laminitis or Founder in Horses

Laminitis or Founder in Horses

Related Articles

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

"Laminitis or Founder in Horses"

To view the requested article, please register below.

Success! - You Are Now Part of the Petplace Family!