Laminitis (2024)
Laminitis
- What is laminitis?
- How can I reduce the risk?
- What do I do if my horse or pony has it?
Learn about laminitis. Discover the causes, symptoms, and how to reduce the risk. Find out how to recognize laminitis early and what steps to take if your horse or pony has it.
Get expert advice on treatment, management, and prevention. Don’t miss this valuable information to help keep your equine companion healthy and happy.
What is laminitis?
Laminitis is an extremely painful condition that can affect any horse, pony, donkey or their hybrids (this booklet will concentrate on horses and ponies). It is very serious and you should contact your vet immediately if you suspect your animal may have it.
It occurs when the finger-like projections of the lamellar layer, which support the pedal bone of the foot
within the hoof capsule, become weakened by losing their normal shape. This results in instability of the pedal bone within the foot, potential inflammation and signs of pain and lameness.
In severe cases, the weakened lamellae may no longer be able to keep the pedal bone in its normal position, causing it to separate from the hoof wall and rotate or drop towards the sole of the foot, thus crushing the sensitive layers underneath.
Separation of the hoof wall from the
underlying lamellae – note the pink area around the toe where gaps can be seen