Main Causes 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.

Main causes of laminitis in horses.

Endurance riding driving or jumping on hard ground. Laminitis tends to be a secondary condition arising from a variety of sources so we ll guide you through the most common. We ve all heard the saying no hoof no horse and laminitis in horses is one of the most worrying concerns that many horse owners have. The main cause of laminitis in horses in australia and in most parts of the developed world is obesity dependent laminitis odl.

What causes laminitis in horses. Naturally there are many possible causes of laminitis in horses but as mentioned above properly identifying the source is the first step to recovery. Several factors can also predispose a horse to developing laminitis such as being overweight or especially those horses that have had laminitis previously. Although laminitis occurs in the feet the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse s body.

Traumatic laminitis is caused by repeated physical trauma to the feet during e g. Overload inflammatory and metabolic. In this post we ll go over what laminitis is what causes it and how to prevent it. While the exact mechanisms by which the feet are damaged remain a mystery certain precipitating events can produce laminitis.

In this article i will discuss the main causes of laminitis in horses and how you as an owner can be vigilant to prevent laminitis in your horse. 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. There are many causes of equine stress and due to some stress laminitis in horses may be developed. After a long journey due to the transportation of horses introduction to the new environment staying a long time in hard standing riding horses in the unknown trail and unfamiliar stablemates may also lead to laminitis.

Severe lameness in one limb will cause a horse or pony to carry excessive weight on his other limbs which may cause laminitis. Relatively less commonly horses can get laminitis from overload typically associated with non weight bearing conditions in one limb thereby overloading the opposite limb. It can often cause lameness in two or all four feet at one time but it is preventable. The media has made a significant push on the unfortunately high rate of human obesity but companion animals such as horses dogs and cats are also suffering from alarming rates of obesity.

What causes laminitis in horses. Laminitis commonly known as founder is a painful disease that causes severe lameness in horses. Causes of laminitis in horses. The causes vary and may include the following.