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Skip Navigation LinksAll Horse Topics > Lameness (Hoof) and Shoeing > Laminitis


Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
AAEP Members Rank Equine Research Needs   *
Laminitis and colic were the top two equine conditions in need of more research, according to nearly 600 members of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) who recently responded to a survey conducted by the AAEP Foundation. The Foundation coordinates equine research and supports student scholarships. This is the second member survey ... Read full story
 10/21/2009
Prevent Weight Gain to Minimize Metabolic Changes in Horses   *
Weight gain and obesity in horses should be avoided to prevent insulin resistance, increased insulin and leptin blood levels, and laminitis, and to maintain a healthy metabolic state. To date, "it is unknown whether obesity is the primary cause of or contributes to metabolic abnormalities or whether these abnormalities are inherent characteristics ... Read full story
 10/16/2009
TheHorse.com en Español: El Otoño Trae Desafío Para el Diagnóstico y Manejo de la Enfermedad de Cushing  *
This is one of a series of articles translated as part of our partnership with A Caballo, an equine publication based in Mexico, and Jorge Murga, DVM. Keep an eye on TheHorse.com for more Spanish-language resources coming soon. Read a longer version of this article in English. Preguntas o comentarios en español puede ser enviado a News@TheHorse.com. ... Read full story
 10/13/2009
TheHorse.com en Español: AAEP 2008 Causas de Laminitis  *
This is one of a series of articles translated as part of our partnership with A Caballo, an equine publication based in Mexico, and Jorge Murga, DVM. Keep an eye on TheHorse.com for more Spanish-language resources coming soon. Read this article in English. Preguntas o comentarios en español puede ser enviado a News@TheHorse.com. En la convención ... Read full story
 10/7/2009
Goulash, Dam of Champion Thoroughbred Ashado, Euthanized  *
Goulash, dam of two-time champion Ashado and two other graded stakes winners, was euthanized Sept. 30 because of founder. The 16-year-old daughter of Mari's Book was owned by Aaron and Marie Jones and boarded at the Taylor family's Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky. It earlier was reported that chronic arthritis caused Goulash's left front ankle ... Read full story
 10/3/2009
Heparin Might Prevent Laminitis after Colic Surgery  *
Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is proving highly effective in preventing laminitis and reducing the severity of laminitis following colic surgery, according to Belgian researchers. Prior to the study period, more than 10% of colic surgery patients at the Equine Clinic of the University of Liège developed laminitic pain and lameness following ... Read full story
 9/27/2009
Dam of Top Keeneland Opener Yearling Battling Laminitis   *
When Goulash’s Unbridled's Song colt brought $925,000 to top the opening session of the Keeneland September yearling auction Sept. 14, the prognosis for the Mari’s Book mare looked grim. She is battling laminitis, and there were concerns she would need to be euthanized just days after her son had been sold. But Frank Taylor of Taylor Made Sales Agency, ... Read full story
 9/18/2009
Broodmare's Laminitis Battle Aided by Volunteer Vet  *
"She is just a nice, plain mare; nothing special." That is the way Don Blowe describes 16-year-old Halo Silver, a bay mare he purchased in 2001 to add to his small band of broodmares at Ascot Thoroughbreds, a farm he and his wife, Beth, own in Canada. Blowe never guessed that a few years later, Halo Silver, who quickly proved she was a valuable ... Read full story
 7/1/2009
Laminitis Risk Increased by Pasture Grass Sugars  *
Pasture-induced laminitis (sometimes referred to as founder) can be triggered when susceptible horses ingest high amounts of sugar or fructans that are naturally found in some pasture grasses. Susceptible horses include, but are not limited to, overweight or easy keeping horses, ponies, horses with metabolic syndrome, and horses that have foundered ... Read full story
 6/29/2009
Secretariat Foundation Benefits Laminitis, Thoroughbred Programs   *
On the eve of the 141st running of the Belmont Stakes June 6, the legacy of one of the race's most illustrious winners continues to shine throughout the equine community. Helen "Penny" Chenery, owner of 1973 Triple Crown champion Secretariat and president of the Secretariat Foundation, has announced the Foundation's recipients of charitable grants ... Read full story
 6/4/2009
Managing the Overgrown Hooves of a Laminitic Pony   *
Laminitis is the result of systemic disease with local consequences in the feet--including mismatch in growth between toes and heels. Ponies on rich pasture seem especially vulnerable to laminitis. The end result is often a discrepancy in hoof growth, in which the heels grow faster than the toe due to compromised blood supply to the inflamed laminae ... Read full story
 6/3/2009
Managing Acute and Chronic Laminitis, AAEP 2008   *
With a packed room of veterinarians at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., facilitators Jim Belknap, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, and Rob Boswell, DVM, of Palm Beach Equine Clinic in ... Read full story
 5/14/2009
AAEP 2008: How to Take Foot Radiographs   *
Taking radiographs (X rays) of horses' feet is "arguably the most common form of imaging performed by veterinarians--for lameness, prepurchase, laminitis, and podiatry examinations," notes Keith Merritt, DVM, owner of Merritt & Associates Equine Hospital in Wauconda, Ill. He presented a discussion of how to properly take foot radiographs at the ... Read full story
 4/6/2009
Form and Function: Managing Chronic Laminitis   *
The visible signs of chronic laminitis are enough to break any horse owner's heart--the dished, ridged hoof walls, the uncomfortable gait. But what's at the heart of the visible clinical signs, and, once a horse has progressed to this stage, can we do anything to significantly improve his quality of life? Chris Pollitt, BVSc, PhD, head of the Australian ... Read full story
 4/3/2009
FAEP 2008 Symposium  *
Laminitis, corneal ulcers, and R. equi were among the topics veterinarians and researchers discussed at a conference in the Caribbean. Thirteen presenters took to the podium, covering lameness, reproduction, and medicine topics at the fourth annual Promoting Excellence Symposium of the Florida Association of Equine Practitioners (FAEP), held Sept. ... Read full story
 4/1/2009
AAEP 2008: Foot Casts for Acute Laminitis   *
There are many ways to support a laminitic horse's foot; one common European method is to use plaster of paris foot casts. Hans Castelijns, DVM, CF, of Cortona, Italy, showed attendees how to apply these foot casts at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif. "(These casts) are quick (taking ... Read full story
 4/1/2009
AAEP 2008: Causes of Laminitis   *
At the 2008 AAEP Convention, which was held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine, presented a thorough review of precipitating causes of laminitis. Obesity is a primary predisposing ... Read full story
 4/1/2009
AAEP 2008: Supporting Limb Laminitis Review   *
The publicity given to supporting limb laminitis by horses such as Barbaro showed that success with these tough cases often remains elusive. At the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., Gary Baxter, VMD, MS, professor of equine clinical sciences at Colorado State University, presented a review ... Read full story
 3/30/2009
Laminitis: Cryotherapy Treatment in the Real World  *
From a layman's perspective, cryotherapy (use of cold for treatment) for horses at risk of or just beginning the acute phase of laminitis just makes sense. The laminae are inflamed, the hooves are hot to the touch, so let's cool them down and keep them cold. Researchers get that, too. But there are still some questions on how this method works, and ... Read full story
 3/27/2009
AAEP 2008: Are Drugs Effective for Acute Laminitis?   *
At the 2008 AAEP Convention, which was held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., Bill Moyer, DVM, professor of sports medicine and head of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, presented a variety of considerations on the state of medical treatment for laminitis. He ... Read full story
 3/18/2009
Penn Vet Adds Pollitt as Research Director for Laminitis Institute   *
In recent months progress has been made in building the foundation for the fight against laminitis, with the addition of Professor Christopher Pollitt, BVSc, PhD, a world-renowned laminitis researcher, as research director for the Laminitis Institute at Penn Vet (at the University of Pennsylvania) in Kennett Square. He joins James Orsini, DVM, Dipl. ... Read full story
 2/20/2009
Australian Brumby Research Could Apply to Laminitis   *
The Australian Brumby Research Unit at the University of Queensland's School of Veterinary Sciences is conducting an array of research projects involving horses in a free-roaming environment. Australia has more than 500,000 feral horses, most of which roam freely over one million acres. The habitats range from inland sandy desert to coastal salt ... Read full story
 1/6/2009
Ohio State Laminitis Researcher Receives $82,000 Grant   *
James Belknap, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of equine surgery in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, has received an $82,000 grant to continue studying the painful and often fatal disease of the hoof, laminitis. The new study, "Effect of Digital Hypothermia on Inflammatory Injury in Laminitis," is a two-year project funded ... Read full story
 1/5/2009
Teff Hay for Foundered Horses: A Good Fit?   *
In California, teff is being called the "perfect grass for foundered horses." But is teff hay always safe for horses that are intolerant of high-sugar forage? Teff grass (Eragrostis teff) is a new type of grass being introduced around the world for hay production. Originally from the highlands of Ethiopia, there are different varieties grown for grain ... Read full story
 12/22/2008
Laminitis Research Donors Honored at AAEP  *
Philanthropists John K. and Marianne Castle have been named the 2008 recipients of the American Association of Equine Practitioners' George Stubbs Award, an honor that recognizes contributions made to equine veterinary medicine by individuals other than veterinarians. The award was presented Dec. 9 during the AAEP's 54th Annual Convention in San Diego, ... Read full story
 12/11/2008
Barbaro Fund Supports Reseach Projects  *
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced Dec. 5 that its subsidiary, NTRA Charities, has disbursed $90,801 in support of one new and two continuing equine medical research projects. The disbursements were made from the NTRA Charities - Barbaro Memorial Fund, established in memory of the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, who succumbed ... Read full story
 12/8/2008
Forage Options for Special Needs Horses   *
At the recent Purina Equine Veterinary Conference, Katie Young, PhD, consulting equine nutritionist for Purina Mills, presented information on forage options for horses with commonly encountered special needs, including recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) or chronic laminitis. Horses with RAO (also known as heaves) have a hypersensitivity to airborne ... Read full story
 11/8/2008
Laminitis Seminar Offered on West Coast   *
The first Laminitis West Seminar--an expansion of the International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot held in West Palm Beach, Fla., every other year--will be held Nov. 1 at the Monterey Convention Center in Monterey, Calif. Presenters for the one-day seminar are James A. Orsini, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, of the University of Pennsylvania; ... Read full story
 10/17/2008
Penn State University Teams Up with Farriers for Laminitis Event   *
Penn State University and the Pennsylvania Professional Farriers Association hosted an educational event Sept. 13 for farriers, veterinarians, and horse owners alike. More than 50 peoples from four states attended the event. Esco Buff, PhD, CF, of Webster, N.Y., was the featured clinician. Buff discussed radiograph interpretation and the mechanical ... Read full story
 10/2/2008
ACVIM Conference Highlights  *
Among the hot topics this year were nutritional supplements, infectious disease, and metabolism problems. What do nutritional supplements, infectious diseases, and snake bites have in common? All were considered "hot topics" in equine health at the 2008 American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention ... Read full story
 10/1/2008
Autumn Brings Challenges to Cushing's Diagnosis, Management   *
Autumn's chill does not just mean your horse will grow a longer coat. It can also mean he'll have higher natural levels of the hormone plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), which, in conjunction with other factors, can lead to flare-ups of laminitis. Veterinarians recommend that owners test, monitor, and manage horses with metabolic problems carefully ... Read full story
 9/27/2008
Ohio State Vet Honored for Laminitis Research  *
James Belknap, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of equine surgery in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, has been awarded the annual Equine Veterinary Journal Open Award for 2007 for his work as senior author of a paper published in the Equine Veterinary Journal. The Open Award is funded by the ... Read full story
 9/23/2008
Big-Boned Beastie
Q: My 9-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter gelding has steadily put on weight throughout his life, even though he is exercised two to three times a week on the trail at working gaits. He is free-fed Bermuda grass hay (not coastal) and no supplements, but he has developed a crest and fatty deposits on his body. My veterinarian tested his thyroid levels, ... Read full story
 8/1/2008
TheHorse.com Announces Four New Electronic Newsletters  *
TheHorse.com announces the addition of four new monthly electronic newsletters. These e-newsletters will contain articles, news, video links, tips, and links to downloadable information specific to the topics of nutrition, lameness/laminitis, preventive care, and breeding. Currently TheHorse.com publishes two weekly e-newsletters. The Horse Health ... Read full story
 7/29/2008
The Science of Seasons Behind Laminitis, PPID   *
Are horses susceptible to meterological manipulation? Not exactly, but two research groups reported their findings of the impact of seasonal variations on horses: one on laminitic ponies and the other on diagnostic test results for pituitary gland dysfunction in adult horses. They presented these reports at the American College of Veterinary Internal ... Read full story
 7/20/2008
Inside the Laminitic Foot   *
Learn how equine podiatrists assess, treat, and monitor laminitis. Laminitis is a terrifying mystery to many horse owners, in part because in the early stages a horse with tremendous damage can look and act much like a mild case. A great deal of damage can occur even when the horse appears to have a favorable response to treatment. What's going ... Read full story
 7/1/2008
Managing Acute and Chronic Laminitis   *
To a packed room of veterinarians at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention in Orlando, Fla., Jim Belknap, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, an associate professor of veterinary clinical sciences from The Ohio State University's Galbreath Equine Center, and Rob Boswell, DVM, a practitioner with Palm Beach Equine Clinic in Wellington, ... Read full story
 6/1/2008
Wooden Shoes for Chronic Laminitis  *
The chronically laminitic horse is often a very tough case to manage because displacement of the coffin bone within the foot leads to a lot of pain and damage, in addition to the damage that allowed the displacement in the first place. At the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla., Stephen O'Grady, ... Read full story
 4/23/2008
Preliminary Study Performed on New Laminitis Treatment Technique  *
Gene therapy is a rapidly growing field of medicine that involves delivering a specific gene into the body to treat a specific disease. New study results generated from a research company based in Texas add to the body of evidence supporting the use of this technique to treat chronic conditions--such as laminitis--in horses and other large mammals. ... Read full story
 4/4/2008
Control Spring Pasture Access   *
Horses might be as eager to get out in the sunshine as we are to break out the shorts and T-shirts, but after a winter cooped up in a stall eating hay, don't give them free rein to that scrumptious spring pasture just yet. According to Thomas Goetz, DVM, chief of equine medicine and surgery at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine ... Read full story
 3/31/2008
Lessons from Barbaro  *
Barbaro first captured America's imagination, then its heart. "People thought a superstar was on the horizon" after Barbaro's easy win in the Kentucky Derby, said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, the veterinary surgeon who headed the team that attempted to save Barbaro's life after a catastrophic injury in the Preakness Stakes. The presentation, ... Read full story
 3/23/2008
Reducing Hindgut Acidosis  *
Acidosis (abnormally high acidity) in the hindgut (the large intestine and colon) can cause a number of problems in horses, including anorexia, colic, laminitis, and stereotypic (continuous, repetitive, and serving no purpose) behaviors such as wood chewing and weaving. Unfortunately, this is often a risk when feeding today's rich concentrate feeds, ... Read full story
 3/17/2008
Nerve Block Technique Reduces Limb Pain in Horses  *
Acute pain in horses can lead to intense physical and psychological suffering, and even require euthanasia. To find ways to better manage pain in horses, researchers have been studying a technique that involves inserting continuous peripheral nerve block (CPNB) catheters along nerves in the horse's front limb to relieve pain. Bernd Driessen, DVM, ... Read full story
 3/4/2008
TheHorse.com Videos: How-To
Taking a horse's pulse: Four ways to do it (4:38 min) 1/1/08 Read article Evaluating the digital pulse (1:22 min) 1/1/08 Read article ... Read full story
 2/4/2008
TheHorse.com Videos: News/Interviews
Interview with Dr. Duncan Peters on event horse safety (3:51 min) 4/24/08 Interview with Dr. Scott Morrison on identifying and treating thrush (4:19 min) 1/24/08 Read article French butcher's perspective on horsemeat (1:07 min) 1/14/08 Read article Interview on dentistry with Dr. Jack Easley (2:43 min) 1/10/08 Interview on the ... Read full story
 2/4/2008
Dangerous Liaisons: Cytokines, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance  *
Systemically or critically ill horses, such as those with sepsis (a whole-body inflammatory state caused by infection), might have a better chance of survival if their insulin is controlled, researchers from the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center reported earlier this month. Insulin resistance, the body's inability to control blood ... Read full story
 1/31/2008
Barbaro Legacy Strong a Year Later  *
The white wooden fence once tacked with homemade signs expressing prayers and appeals to "Grow, Hoof, Grow" are bare. Only students pass through the lobby that overflowed with floral arrangements, get-well cards, and baskets stuffed with carrots and apples.The sole visual evidence at the New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa., that the large animal ... Read full story
 1/27/2008
Laminitis Conference an Important Step  *
A devastating disease made a household word by a famous horse, laminitis is an inflammatory and extremely painful condition affecting the soft tissues between the hoof and coffin bone (laminae). This condition, which eventually claimed the life of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, is a complex and poorly understood pathogenesis. The Ohio State University ... Read full story
 12/24/2007
Staving off Laminitis with a Buffer Solution   *
Once a horse has received an overdose of carbohydrate (starch), whether from getting in the feed room, pigging out on rich pasture he isn't used to, or receiving an intentional overdose in the laboratory, laminitis is almost inevitable. Ice water baths have been shown to be effective, but keeping a horse standing in a tub for two to three days is challenging, ... Read full story
 12/23/2007
Readers Respond: Diagnosing Laminitis   *
Nearly 800 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "What have you seen used to diagnose and evaluate laminitis at the onset and throughout the treatment period?" Results were as follows: Body language/stance: 83.44% (660) Hoof testers: 77.62% (614) X rays: 76.99% (609) Growth rings and hoof alterations: 59.80% (473) ... Read full story
 12/14/2007
2007 Morris Animal Foundation Equine Research Wrap-Up  *
The results of equine research funded by the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) in 2007 added to scientists' understanding of foal pneumonia, hereditary muscle disorders, laminitis, and pharmacology. Summaries of MAF-funded equine studies completed in 2007 are listed below. The Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) will fund about 120 animal health ... Read full story
 12/14/2007
Illinois Vet School Reporting Cases of Black Walnut Laminitis  *
A few weeks ago, a stable in the Urbana, Ill., area received a shipment of wood shavings to bed its stalls. Little did anyone know that within this batch of shavings from a furniture manufacturer was black walnut--which contains a toxin that causes horses to become lame within 24 to 48 hours. According to Elysia Schaefer, DVM, an equine surgery resident ... Read full story
 12/11/2007
Richardson Describes the Fight to Save Barbaro to Vets at AAEP  *
Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, opened the American Association Equine Practitioners Convention in Orlando, Fla., Saturday with an emotional, touching, and sometimes humorous talk about the more than eight month fight to save Barbaro's life following the colt's breakdown in the 2006 Preakness Stakes. "I really think he did have a reasonable quality ... Read full story
 12/2/2007
Horse Health News Video: Ryder Report for Nov. 28   *
Watch the Nov. 28 edition of the Ryder Report. This week's stories include a report on a surge in the number of cases of Lawsonia intracellularis, and new information on managing and preventing laminitis. The Ryder Report is a weekly video broadcast presented by News Editor Erin Ryder, reviewing the top headlines in equine health care, management, ... Read full story
 11/28/2007
Laminitis Pain Might Originate from Different Source  *
Scottish researchers have discovered that neuropathic pain--damage to the sensory neurons innervating the foot--might play an import role in the chronic pain experienced by laminitic horses. This finding could explain why horses with laminitis often do not respond to conventional analgesics, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ... Read full story
 11/27/2007
Insulin Levels Might Help Measure Likelihood of Laminitis   *
Researchers have found that administering fructan carbohydrates or dexamethasone might be a useful method to identify ponies at risk of developing laminitis. Their report was recently published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "Being able to identify which ponies are at risk for laminitis will enable us to initiate preventative ... Read full story
 11/26/2007
The Timeline of Laminitis   *
What happens within the foot of a laminitic horse? We know that the coffin bone can sink or rotate within the foot of a horse with severe laminitis, but that's fairly late in the game. Researchers are very interested in what happens earlier than that--in what microscopic changes take place before there is enough damage to destabilize the coffin bone. ... Read full story
 11/23/2007
Laminitis Conference Ramps Up the Fight Against Foot Problems in Horses   *
Many of the top minds in laminitis research gathered Nov. 2-4 in West Palm Beach, Fla., to disseminate their findings on this devastating disease and other problems. About 370 veterinarians, farriers, and horse owners attended the Fourth International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot. "Due to the tragic demise of the great ... Read full story
 11/20/2007
Couple Donates $1 Million to UPenn Laminitis Research Fund   *
The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine has announced a gift of $1 million from philanthropists Marianne and John K. Castle to support its laminitis research. "We are enormously grateful for the Castles' generosity. Their thoughtful philanthropy leverages two of the University's strengths--research and the translation of research ... Read full story
 11/15/2007
Laminitis Studies Financed by Barbaro Fund to Commence   *
Two projects focusing on the equine disease laminitis will be launched soon utilizing funds raised by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association in memory of the late 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. The projects, at more than $100,000, will be conducted by researchers at the University of Georgia and Louisiana State University, according to ... Read full story
 11/8/2007
Laminitis Research, Management Covered at Veterinary Seminar   *
A crowd of equine veterinarians and researchers filled a conference room to capacity to hear the latest on laminitis research and management, presented by Jim Belknap, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of The Ohio State University (OSU), and Jorge Gomez, MVZ, MS, Dipl. ACVS, of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., on Aug. 30 at the University ... Read full story
 10/2/2007
Chronicling Laminitis: Horse Owner Records Every Step Toward Recovery  *
VIDEO | For Jan Drinkwater of Sydney, Australia, nursing a horse through laminitis is all about taking things step by step. And also about sharing those steps with the international horse community. "I didn't know how I'd do it," Drinkwater said of her treatment of Lucy, a 6-year-old Arab-Appaloosa mare. "But I knew that I was resourceful and tenacious." ... Read full story
 9/20/2007
Horse Gut Reveals New Bacteria  *
Two new species of bacteria have been discovered in the gut of horses, according to a University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, press release. Streptococcus henryi and Streptococcus caballi were found by accident by UQ veterinary science PhD student Gabriel Milinovich while researching the hoof-deteriorating disease laminitis. Milinovich made the ... Read full story
 8/26/2007
Laminitis: New Study on Sugar and Starch as a Cause  *
A breakthrough in laminitis research by a team of scientists at University of Queensland, Australia, and colleagues, was published in August 2007 The Veterinary Journal. The study explains an important link in sugar and starches as causes for laminitis. Laminitis was induced in healthy, lean, young ponies by prolonged (up to 72 hours) administration ... Read full story
 8/25/2007
Understanding Laminitis On-Demand Webinar
In May 2007, TheHorse.com brought you the industry's first Web-based live seminar: "Understanding Laminitis," featuring two practitioners and researchers who have spent their lives trying to solve the mystery of laminitis and help horses and their owners. Rustin Moore, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, and Jim Belknap, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of The Ohio ... Read full story
 8/11/2007
Barbaro, Secretariat Art to Support Laminitis Research  *
A new set of prints and a poster featuring Triple Crown winner Secretariat and 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Barbaro will benefit the fight against laminitis, the painful hoof disease that ended both their lives. The works, entitled "Memories of Greatness, were created by equine artist Jaime Corum. They will be unveiled ... Read full story
 7/28/2007
A Look Inside: Veterinary Internists Meet in Seattle  *
Veterinary internists met June 6-9 in Seattle, Wash., for the 25th Forum of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) to discuss the latest research on the internal workings of horses and other animals. Summarized below are some of the highlights for horse owners: Pain Management in Horses Debra Sellon, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, ... Read full story
 7/23/2007
UPenn Names Laminitis Senior Research Investigator  *
Hannah Galantino-Homer, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACT, has been appointed the senior research investigator of the new laminitis research initiative at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She will serve as a leading investigator in Penn Vet's laminitis research efforts. The appointment was effective July 1, 2007. "With this appointment ... Read full story
 7/18/2007
Obesity and Laminitis   *
"Compelling experimental data have been published to suggest that glucose is essential for the health and strength of the equine hoof-lamellar interface," noted Philip Johnson, BVSc(Hons), MS, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ECEIM, MRCVS, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri, at the 2006 AAEP Convention. "Hemidesmosomes (HD) ... Read full story
 7/9/2007
Foot X Rays: A Crystal Ball?   *
When you look at a radiograph (X ray) of a horse's foot, do you visualize soft tissues, or do you only see bones? If there's one thing Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky., consistently teaches, it's that there is always more to learn about a horse's foot if you only know how to look. He recently offered ... Read full story
 6/17/2007
Understanding Laminitis Webinar Audience Deems it a Success  *
From the number of registrants, attendees, and comments from those who attended TheHorse.com's first Webinar, "Understanding Laminitis," on May 23, the Web-based educational event was a rousing success. The Webinar was sponsored by Vettec, AIRshod Inc., Delta Hoof Care Products, and Equi Life. The registration for the "Understanding Laminitis" Webinar ... Read full story
 5/25/2007
Laminitis Explained in Webinar Hosted by The Horse  *
Equine veterinarians Rustin Moore, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, and Jim Belknap, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of The Ohio State University were the featured speakers during the inaugural web-based seminar--or "webinar"--presented May 23, 2007, by The Horse. In a live presentation lasting more than an hour, Moore and Belknap covered various topics related ... Read full story
 5/23/2007
Finding and Testing Low-Sugar Forage
Did the brown, stemmy, overmature hay you thought was perfect for your easy keepers make them even fatter? Are increased sugar concentrations in your pasture causing your pony's recent bouts of laminitis, or increased muscle soreness in your equine polysaccharide storage myopathy (EPSM)-afflicted horse? Could high fructan levels caused by recent ... Read full story
 5/14/2007
The Quest to Conquer Laminitis  *
"Owners and trainers worldwide have the feeling that every veterinarian and every farrier have years of experience and vast knowledge about laminitis and podiatry (foot care). Unfortunately, this is not the case," said Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky., and host of the Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium, ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium: Venograms: The Difference Between Success and Failure with Laminitis  *
What's one big difference between a successful surgery and an unsuccessful one? Accurate knowledge of the problem, and a plan for treatment based on that knowledge, before the patient ever hits the surgical table. The same can be said of treating a horse with laminitis--success depends on several factors, but an accurate knowledge of the extent of ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium: What we Know About Laminitis  *
When it comes to laminitis, everyone's got a pet theory--their favorite explanation of why it occurs, how to prevent it, and/or how to treat it. The reason we have these theories is because research hasn't yet been able to give us solid, unassailable explanations for much of the disease's processes and treatment. But there are some concepts that ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium: What is a Healthy Hoof?  *
Ask ten people what a healthy hoof should look like, and you'll likely get ten variations of an answer. And those answers will likely consist of general statements like "proper toe angle," "enough heel," or "plenty of foot mass." But what exactly does that mean? Richard Mansmann VMD, PhD, clinical professor and director of the North Carolina State ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium: Self-Adjusting Palmar Angles for Healing Hooves  *
Massage is a wonderfully relaxing, healing experience. As you stretch out comfortably on the table and the massage therapist's hands alternate pressure and release over your sore muscles, they begin to relax, blood flow improves, and you begin feeling better. Why else would you get one? The same principles apply to your horse's feet. When they are ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Feeding Laminitic Horses  *
We've all heard that pithy little diet saying: "A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips." But while we can lose that weight (really, we can...), a laminitic horse's feet might not heal if he eats the wrong things or in the wrong amounts. So for a laminitic horse, that saying would accurately become, "A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the feet." ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Pain Management for the Laminitic Horse  *
Laminitis is an incredibly painful hoof disease in the horse. We should all be very aware of this since despite top-notch care, 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was humanely euthanatized due to unresolvable pain from laminitis. Laminitis strikes with varying severity, causing disparate levels of pain in individual horses; pain management is an ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Chronic Laminitis  *
When a horse founders and the damaged laminae that hold the coffin bone to the hoof wall release their grip, the coffin bone is no longer held in place. It rotates (tips down at the front) or slips downward in the hoof. The goal when shoeing these damaged feet is to try to correct the angle of the coffin bone and remove the forces on the compromised ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium: Laminitis: Coming Out of the Dark  *
Some people make it their life's work to study and shed light on some poorly understood aspect of equine veterinary medicine. Their trailblazing work changes the way we evaluate and understand that problem, and it provides the information we need to improve how we care for horses in today's world. Italian equine podiatry veterinarian Lorenzo D'Arpe, ... Read full story
 4/27/2007
Acute and Chronic Laminitis: An Equine Podiatrist's Perspective  *
Acute and chronic laminitis is a frustrating and often disheartening condition to manage. Having had the opportunity to observe, treat and shoe laminitic horses for over 30 years, I have a unique prospective into this disease. The biggest challenge to the veterinarian and the farrier is improving function in a foot that might have potential, substantial, ... Read full story
 4/21/2007
A Life With Meaning  *
The heartbreaking end to Barbaro's saga was all too familiar to those who love horses, but the true meaning behind the story is uplifting and, as Roy Jackson (who owned Barbaro with his wife, Gretchen) says, full of positives and inspiration. On behalf of those closest to Barbaro, I would like to take this opportunity generously extended by The Horse ... Read full story
 4/1/2007
Feet First: Farriery Topics from the 2006 AAEP Convention  *
The annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, held in San Antonio, Texas, in early December 2006, had three sessions devoted to foot care that were open to farriers. Following are synopses of some of those presentations. Complete coverage and full-length articles from the AAEP convention can be found online at www.TheHorse.com/AAEP2006. ... Read full story
 4/1/2007
Laminitis to be Discussed at Nation's Largest Veterinary Internal Medicine Conference  *
Months after the equine community lost the Kentucky Derby Champion Barbaro to laminitis, veterinarians will gather in Seattle, Wash., at the 2007 ACVIM Forum on June 6-9 to discuss new ways to prevent and manage the disease that eventually led to his euthanasia. Laminitis, commonly called founder, is a painful inflammation of the foot occurring when ... Read full story
 3/24/2007
Supporting Limb Laminitis: Learning How to Save Horses Such As Barbaro   *
While flags might not have flown at half-mast on Monday to lament Barbaro's death, news of his death hit people around the world with an emotional gut punch. We've been pulling for the courageous colt's recovery since May 20, 2006, when he shattered his right hind leg running in the Preakness Stakes. We've cheered his progress and prayed during his ... Read full story
 2/3/2007
Breeding a Laminitic Mare?
Q: Is it safe to breed a mare that is prone to laminitis? Linda, via e-mail A: There are several considerations that go into the decision to breed a mare that is prone to laminitis. Is the laminitis an occurrence that can usually be prevented by good dietary (pasture and supplemental feed) management? If so, then continue to practice these ... Read full story
 2/1/2007
Barbaro Memorial Fund to Benefit Laminitis Research  *
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association announced today (Feb. 1) that it will lead a national fundraising program, the NTRA Charities Barbaro Memorial Fund, to raise awareness and money for equine health and safety research in the name of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, whose gallant struggle to overcome a catastrophic injury captivated horse ... Read full story
 2/1/2007
Readers Vote: Top Hoof Issues  *
A poll of readers showed laminitis, navicular disease, and barefoot vs. shod were their top issues involving horse feet. When horse owners were asked in a poll on TheHorse.com, “What do you think are the top problems relating to the health of a horse’s foot,” we received answers that might surprise you. Of nearly 1,500 respondents, more than ... Read full story
 1/28/2007
Barbaro "A Horse That Wants to Live"  *
Every time the outlook was grim for Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner pulled through like a champ. Time will tell if he can do it again. After months of upbeat progress reports, the horse suffered a significant setback Wednesday because of laminitis--a painful, often fatal disease--in his left hind foot. Chief surgeon Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ... Read full story
 1/11/2007
Another Piece of the Laminitis Puzzle  *
People have worked at understanding laminitis for centuries; it's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle while still hunting for all the pieces. Recently, a human physiologist and an equine clinician at the University of Georgia provided another puzzle piece by describing the properties of the hoof's blood vessels. The combination of expertise in ... Read full story
 11/26/2006
Another Good Week for Barbaro  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro had another good week, and continues to please veterinarians with his progress. "He is doing very, very well," said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, chief of surgery. "His appetite and vital signs continue to be excellent." Veterinarians plan to change the colt's right hind leg cast within the next week, if needed. ... Read full story
 10/3/2006
Buying a Problem?
I have been leasing a 12-year-old pony for my daughter for two years. We now have to decide if we want to purchase this pony. She has foundered the past two years on the spring grass. The farrier said her feet have "separated." The vet says she is sound. Is foundering chronic once started? Will she be able to competitively jump? Am I buying a problem? ... Read full story
 10/1/2006
Barbaro's Surgeon Answers Questions From the Public  *
Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, the head of surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, has been in the public eye since May 20 when he began treating Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro for a catastrophic right hind leg injury sustained during the Preakness Stakes. He developed laminitis ... Read full story
 10/1/2006
Barbaro Remains an Inspiration On and Off the Track  *
Led to the gate for the first race of his career, Barbaro shied away, reluctant to get started. A mile later, after an eye-catching 81/2-length victory on Oct. 4 at Delaware Park, trainer Michael Matz and owners Gretchen and Roy Jackson realized they might have a special thoroughbred. "He broke sharp after that, and it was just a run for fun, pretty ... Read full story
 10/1/2006
Barbaro's Cast Could be Replaced by Splint  *
He's looking good, feeling good and eating well these days, yet Barbaro is still a long way from leaving the hospital. The Kentucky Derby winner went for his daily walk outside the intensive care unit at the New Bolton Center on Tuesday, with Dr. Dean Richardson leading the way and carefully watching every step as the injured colt grazed for about ... Read full story
 9/27/2006
Barbaro's Laminitic Hoof Growing, Cast Change on the Horizon  *
Veterinarians at Penn's George D. Widener Hospital continue to be pleased with the medical progress of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, who remains in stable condition at the hospital. "The left hind hoof on Barbaro has grown about 18 millimeters in the heel area," said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, chief of surgery. "It has to grow at least three ... Read full story
 9/26/2006
Countermeasures for Pasture-Associated Laminitis   *
Researchers with the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research in Aberystwyth, Wales, suggested some possible preventative measures for pasture-associated laminitis in the July issue of the Journal of Nutrition. "It is obviously important to be able to recognize and treat the condition in its early stages so that pain and suffering are kept ... Read full story
 9/24/2006
Boot on Barbaro's Laminitic Hoof Replaced With Bandage  *
According to veterinarians at Penn's George D. Widener Hospital, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues to gradually improve. "He had an excellent week," said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, chief of surgery. "We replaced the boot on his left hind foot with a bandage because the hoof is doing well." In addition, Barbaro continues to be comfortable ... Read full story
 9/19/2006
Richardson Pleased with Patient's Progress   *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is improving slowly and steadily according to veterinarians at Penn's George D. Widener Hospital. "We are pleased with his progress," said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, chief of surgery. "He is wearing the cast on his right hind limb well; we continue to monitor it closely, and we expect to change the cast and radiograph ... Read full story
 9/12/2006
Barbaro Continues to Do Well  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues to please veterinarians with his progress after his most recent right hind leg cast change last week. "Barbaro is wearing the new cast satisfactorily," said Dean W. Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, Chief of Surgery. "We continue to monitor him closely, and depending on how he progresses, we may change it again within ... Read full story
 9/5/2006
Hay for the Laminitic Horse
Q: Is there a particular type of grass hay that is better than others as a long-term part of the maintenance diet for a horse prone to laminitis? Sue, via e-mail A: If a horse has a history of chronic laminitis, my first concern would be addressing the metabolic issues contributing to the problem, usually obesity and/or pituitary ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Good Foot Gone Bad  *
It seems like only yesterday your horse soared over that four-foot oxer, slid to that perfect stop in a reining pattern, or ambled smoothly down that shady trail. Now, watching him limp three-legged down the barn aisle, you wonder, "How could this have happened so fast? How could I have not seen this coming?" Most hoof problems don't magically occur ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Barbaro "Stable," Has Laminitis  *
In early- to mid-July, Barbaro developed "acute, severe" laminitis in his uninjured left hind foot, and his prognosis for recovery was pronounced "poor" by Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, chief of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa. In the weeks following this announcement, New Bolton officials have ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Barbaro Might Soon Get Cast Removed Completely  *
Based on the latest examination of Barbaro's injured right hind leg, there is a possibility the classic winner will soon have the cast removed completely. The cast on the leg was changed Sunday (Aug. 27) by veterinarians at the University of Pennsylvania's George D. Widener Hospital because there was a small crack in it. "Based on new radiographs ... Read full story
 8/28/2006
Barbaro Injury Highlights Need for Laminitis Research Funding   *
By Rustin M. Moore, DVM on behalf of the AAEP Foundation, Inc. As viewers around the world watched Barbaro pull up after the start of the 2006 Preakness Stakes, it was apparent to even the casual racing fan that the Kentucky Derby winner had suffered a serious injury. Veterinary examinations later revealed multiple life-threatening fractures to Barbaro's ... Read full story
 8/25/2006
Laminitis Research Funding Paper Available for Reprint  *
Ten million dollars in equine research funding is needed to unlock the mysteries of the devastating equine disease known as laminitis, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation, Inc., said today (Aug. 25). The life-threatening injury to Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro and the subsequent development of laminitis in the horse's ... Read full story
 8/25/2006
Barbaro Remains Comfortable on Both Hind Limbs   *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro remains comfortable according to veterinarians at Penn's George D. Widener Hospital. "Barbaro is doing well on both hind limbs," said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, Chief of Surgery. "Because of this, we do not plan to change his right hind cast in the next two weeks." The colt's left hind foot has laminitis, but ... Read full story
 8/22/2006
Talkin' Horses Transcript: Dean Richardson   *
Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, the head of surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, has been in the public eye since May 20 when he began treating Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro for a catastrophic injury sustained during the Preakness Stakes. An equine orthopedic surgeon ... Read full story
 8/17/2006
A Very Good Week for Barbaro  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues to do well, and is being hand-grazed for 20-30 minutes a day. "His blood work is completely normal and his vital signs are good," said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, Chief of Surgery. "I can't complain. Barbaro has had a very good week." Richardson also reports that Barbaro is no longer using the sling. "His ... Read full story
 8/17/2006
Breath of Fresh Air for Barbaro, Gaining Weight   *
After almost three months in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the University of Pennsylvania's George D. Widener Hospital, Barbaro has begun brief outings to some grassy areas adjacent to the ICU to hand graze. "We felt he was ready for a change of scenery, so last week we took him outside to pick his own grass," said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, ... Read full story
 8/14/2006
Cast Change Planned for Barbaro Today  *
Doctors at the University of Pennsylvania's George D. Widener Hospital plan to change the right hind leg cast of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro later today (August 8). "Changing the cast gives us the opportunity to take new radiographs and evaluate the progress of the fracture healing and joint fusions," said Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, ... Read full story
 8/8/2006
Barbaro's Laminitic Hoof Showing Evidence of Regrowth  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's left hind hoof is slowly showing evidence of regrowth after surgery last month to treat laminitis. Laminitis occurs when laminae, the strong connecting tissues that attach the pedal bone and the inner hoof wall, are inflamed. "The coronary band (the portion of the hoof that is responsible for continued downward growth ... Read full story
 8/3/2006
Barbaro's Right Hind Leg Healing Well  *
By now, Barbaro should have been close to casting aside any doubts that he could make a full recovery from the devastating right hind leg injuries he suffered at the Preakness Stakes. Instead, the winner of the Kentucky Derby still has a tedious, long recovery ahead because of the often-fatal disease that's stricken his left hind leg. Dean Richardson, ... Read full story
 8/2/2006
Barbaro's Condition Continues to Remain Stable  *
Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, reports that Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's condition continues to be stable. The colt's left hind foot, which has laminitis, is monitored closely for signs of infection. "We change his left hind foot bandage daily, and it looks good," said Richardson. "His right hind leg also looks good, and his ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Barbaro Remains Stable; Radiographs Look Good  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues to be stable after another comfortable night according to Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS. His right hind leg cast was changed late Wednesday. "We took new radiographs, and they look good," said Richardson. "No problems were evident." In addition, the modified foot cast on Barbaro's left ... Read full story
 7/28/2006
Barbaro "Doing as Well as Can Be Expected"  *
According to Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro slept well after his left hind foot bandage was changed yesterday. “I’m happy with the appearance of this foot, which is doing as well as can be expected,” said Richardson. “Over the last several days, his temperature has been normal and his blood work has ... Read full story
 7/26/2006
Through Cast Changes, Barbaro Remains Stable  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro had an uneventful weekend, and continues to be comfortable according to his doctors at the George D. Widener Hospital. "He's maintaining an excellent attitude," said Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS. "We change his left hind foot cast regularly, and we may change his right hind cast some time this week." ... Read full story
 7/24/2006
'We're in a Marathon,' Says Barbaro's Vet  *
Day to day, for six straight days now, the reports on Barbaro have been good.Good vitals, good attitude, stable. Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, Chief of Surgery, is looking way beyond those daily updates, however. "His condition is not likely to change really fast any time soon," said Richardson, the chief surgeon attending the Kentucky Derby ... Read full story
 7/20/2006
Prosthetics for Horse Limbs  *
When a horse has an injury such as happened to Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), the end result has often been euthanasia. Veterinarians are attempting to save Barbaro's life, and limb. However, if the blood supply to the injured limb becomes compromised, or infection or other complications arise, veterinarians may consider ... Read full story
 7/20/2006
Barbaro's Condition Unchanged  *
Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, reports that Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro remains in stable condition with good vital signs today (July 19). "He spends several hours a day in a sling, which he has adapted to very well," said Richardson. Slings, which were originally designed for rescuing horses, are now common in the treatment ... Read full story
 7/19/2006
Both Casts Changed, Barbaro Adapting Well to Sling  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro remains in stable condition with good vital signs after a restful night, according to Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS. "Yesterday afternoon we changed his right hind leg cast to take new radiographs and to examine the incision," said Dr. Richardson. "The radiographs looked good; the plates we placed on ... Read full story
 7/18/2006
Prado Encouraged by Visit to Barbaro  *
Jockey Edgar Prado drove to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa. Friday morning to visit ailing Classic winner Barbaro at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals. At a press briefing on Thursday, Dr. Dean Richardson, the colt's primary veterinarian, described Barbaro's chances of recovering from laminitis ... Read full story
 7/17/2006
Sunday is Another 'Comfortable' Day for Barbaro  *
Classic winner Barbaro spent another "comfortable" day in the intensive care unit at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals, and his veterinarian reports the colt's attitude "remains positive." There was no indication condition of the winner of the Kentucky Derby had improved since 80% of his left rear hoof wall was removed Wednesday to ... Read full story
 7/17/2006
Barbaro's Vital Signs Monday; No Change in Condition  *
Barbaro's vital signs, appetite and heart rate remained normal Monday, though there was no indication the classic winner's condition has improved since a grim prognosis by his veterinarian last week. The colt, who had 80% of his left rear hoof wall removed last week, still faces the same tough odds to survive a severe case of laminitis and a reconstructed ... Read full story
 7/17/2006
Barbaro Stable, Comfortable With Foot Cast   *
Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, reports today that Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's vital signs are good and that he had another quiet, restful night. "He remains in stable condition, and he is eating well," said Richardson. "We continue to manage his pain successfully, and he is alert." Barbaro is tolerating his right hind ... Read full story
 7/17/2006
Barbaro Stable on Sunday  *
On July 16 (Sunday afternoon) it was reported that Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro remained in stable condition after another restful night, according to Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, of the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center. “His vital signs are good and his attitude remains positive,” said Richardson. Barbaro is being ... Read full story
 7/16/2006
Barbaro Remains Stable  *
Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, DVM, reports today (July 15) that Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro had a very good night and remains in stable condition at the University of Pennsylvania's George D. Widener Hospital. “His heart rate and pulse are normal,and his appetite is good,” said Richardson. “He continues to respond well, looks good, and has a ... Read full story
 7/15/2006
Fans Root for Barbaro's Recovery   *
The roses on the lobby table were addressed to "Mr. Barbaro Jackson" and the card said best wishes to a champion horse. One girl and her family drove more than an hour to deliver a homemade get-well note and to let Barbaro know they were praying for him. Another sign tacked to a fence encouraged the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner to "Keep up the Fight!" While ... Read full story
 7/14/2006
Barbaro "Acceptably Comfortable," Vitals Remain Stable  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro remains in stable condition according to his veterinarians at the George D. Widener Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. Barbaro has been spending time in a sling each day to take pressure off his laminitic left hind hoof. "His vital signs, including heart rate and pulse, remain good," said Dean Richardson, ... Read full story
 7/14/2006
Barbaro's Condition "Stable" Friday  *
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro spent a restful night and his condition is stable, according to Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, Chief of Surgery. At a news conference yesterday, Richardson announced that the three-year-old colt has laminitis. Laminitis is a painful condition in horses that can be the result of a number of causes, including excessive ... Read full story
 7/14/2006
Laminitis Strikes Barbaro; Survival Chances Called 'Poor'  *
Classic winner Barbaro has developed "acute, severe" laminitis in his uninjured left hind foot, and his prognosis for recovery is "poor," according to Dr. Dean Richardson, chief of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa. COURTESY JAMES WALDSMITH A thermograph of a horse in the early stages of the ... Read full story
 7/13/2006
Possible Role of Adipose Tissue in the Development of Laminitis  *
Laminitis is associated with obesity as well as sepsis and post-operative conditions in horses where levels of inflammation are elevated. The precise mechanisms that lead to laminitis are unknown; however, several studies document the involvement of inflammation in the pathogenesis of laminitis. In addition, recent studies utilizing an in vitro approach ... Read full story
 4/14/2006
Critical Care In the Field   *
How does your veterinarian keep up with what is best for your horses? By attending continuing education that covers areas of interest and provides him with lectures and one-on-one time with experts in various fields. Each year, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute holds such a continuing education symposium in Lexington, Ky., and The Horse is taking you ... Read full story
 4/1/2006
AAEP Convention 2005: How To Use Sterile Maggot Debridement Therapy  *
Using fly larvae to debride wounds is an age-old medicinal treatment that is finding new uses in modern medicine. Scott E. Morrison, DVM, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., spoke on using sterile maggot debridement therapy for foot infections at the 2005 American Association of Equine Practitioner's Convention on Dec. 7 in Seattle, ... Read full story
 2/17/2006
AAEP Convention 2005: Horseman's Day Laminitis  *
What causes laminitis? Is it the same as founder? Should I remove shoes from a horse with acute laminitis? Should I soak his feet? Does laminitis always have devastating consequences? "Unfortunately, many of these questions do not have definite answers," said Andrew Parks, VMD, head of the Department of Large Animal Medicine at the University of ... Read full story
 2/17/2006
Correcting Foundered Feet
Can coffin bone (also called the third phalanx, or P3) rotation be improved or corrected in horses that have foundered (suffered laminitis severe enough to displace the coffin bone)? Michelle The cornerstones of founder management are shoeing and diet. Once the disease has occurred, treatment is aimed at decreasing stresses on the foot ... Read full story
 1/31/2006
Book Excerpt: Laminitis  *
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from Understanding Equine Preventive Medicine by Bradford G. Bentz, VMD. This book is available from www.ExclusivelyEquine.com. Maintaining health and comfort of horses that have been diagnosed with laminitis can be a large undertaking, but it is imperative in order to maximize the overall quality of life for these ... Read full story
 11/16/2005
Saratoga County Euthanatized  *
Evelyn Pollard's Saratoga County, winner of the Dubai Golden Shaheen (a Grade 1 race--G1) in the United Arab Emirates in late March, was euthanatized on July 29 after developing laminitis. The Thoroughbred was being treated for colitis at the Saratoga Equine Veterinary Hospital in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., before his condition took a turn for the worse. ... Read full story
 8/2/2005
Horse Owner Wins Laminitis Lawsuit  *
Jane McGarel-Groves was awarded 350,000 GBP (about $608,280 US) in damages after suing two veterinarians that treated her 14-year-old dressage horse Annastasia in 2001 with corticosteroid joint injections. The injections inadvertently caused laminitis, according to a report on the BBC web site, and the horse was euthanatized. French equestrian team ... Read full story
 7/28/2005
Returning From the Brink   *
It was feeding time and Miss Donna, a drafty, old-style Haflinger, galloped across the pasture toward the barn. That might not seem like an impressive activity for most horses, but just two years ago, she was almost slated for euthanasia. Founder. It's one of those images that puts fear into our hearts. Donna's initial onset occurred three years ... Read full story
 6/1/2005
Black Walnut Tree Shavings as Trail Mulch?
Q: This summer we are planning to start making riding trails on our heavily wooded property. As we cut down the branches and trees, we plan to chip the wood to mulch the trails. However, we have a good number of black walnut trees, and I am wondering if the wood chips pose a health risk to our horses. Ann A: Black walnut shavings and wood chips ... Read full story
 4/1/2005
Fall and Winter Bring Forage Risks
Now that we've had our first frost in Central Kentucky (and many areas have had more than that), your pastures might be higher in carbohydrates and thus more dangerous for laminitic and/or metabolically challenged horses (such as Cushingoid ones). And while weather plays a significant role in forage carbohydrate levels, high levels often trace back ... Read full story
 11/10/2004
New Method of Counting Carbs   *
A new carbohydrate analysis method developed for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) might be able to help researchers answer some specific questions about equine forages. Until now, it has been difficult for forage researchers to define exactly how much of several kinds of carbohydrates are present in forages. However, this new ... Read full story
 8/19/2004
Feeding Horses With Laminitis  *
What do you feed a horse with laminitis? Nothing, plus a bit of hay is a common diet. Does it work? Yes, and no. Expert opinions and modern research are showing that, in some cases, nothing might be the wrong answer when it comes to feedstuffs, and that simple flake of hay might not be as harmless as you think. This article isn't going to be about ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
Gaining a Foothold  *
All horses benefit when veterinarians, researchers, and farriers meet to share information and learn from each others' experiences. One of these notable meetings is the annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium, hosted in Louisville, Ky., by Ric Redden, DVM, and his wife Nancy, of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky. The Symposium ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
The Australian Take on Laminitis  *
The second most-common killer of our horses after colic is laminitis. The disease is a crisis, and it is often chronic and life-altering. It can be caused by illness unrelated to the foot, such as a retained placenta or grain overload. It can be caused by trauma to the foot. It can be caused by bearing too much weight when another limb is injured. ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
Future Laminitis Research   *
A survey of American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) members identified laminitis as the number one disease that requires research. Therefore, the Equine Laminitis Research Meeting and Panel will be held in Louisville, Ky., on July 25 in conjunction with the AAEP FOCUS and Practice Management seminars. One of the AAEP's objectives is to ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
Laminitis: Today and Beyond  *
Many of the world’s leading researchers on laminitis were invited to participate in the Equine Laminitis Research Panel and Meeting held in Louisville, Ky., on July 25, regarding where the industry stands on this deadly disease. The gathering was sponsored by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), American Quarter Horse Association, ... Read full story
 7/27/2004
Surgery for Septic Osteitis?
I read "Septic Osteitis--One Laminitis Complication." My horse has this, and I don't think my vet has had much experience in this and feels that surgery would be detrimental. I'd like to talk to someone with more experience, maybe the vet interviewed in the article, for more information. Jeanna If the bone infection is related to laminitis/founder, ... Read full story
 5/1/2004
Understanding Laminitis  *
Chapter 2 — What are the Signs of Laminitis?The most common sign of the onset of laminitis is lameness. If the horse can be persuaded to walk, it moves with a shortened stride, with each foot quickly placed back on the ground. Standing still, the horse appears to have its "feet nailed to the floor" in the parlance of old-time horsemen. The characteristic ... Read full story
 4/15/2004
Laminitis Claims Irish Sire In The Wings  *
Darley lost one of its flagship Irish stallions Saturday with the death of In The Wings, winner of the 1990 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) and a proven European classic sire. The 18 year-old son of Sadler's Wells–High Hawk (by Shirley Heights) had been suffering from laminitis in recent weeks and was withdrawn from service in March. His condition deteriorated ... Read full story
 4/6/2004
Cushing's Disease and Laminitis--Not Just Old Horses  *
Researchers recently revealed that Cushing's disease is a major contributing factor to laminitis among horses in a primary care veterinary practice, and that the median age of laminitic Cushing's horses was 15 1/2 years--disproving that this problem is just an "old-horse" disease. Along with his co-authors, Mark T. Donaldson, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, a field ... Read full story
 4/1/2004
When Horses Need Less Carbs   *
Have you ever wondered why some horses are tractable part of the time, but hard to control or "hot" other times? Or why some foals have skeletal problems when everything possible was done to provide nothing but the best feed and care? Or why some performance horses tie up (azoturia) periodically? While still controversial in the world of equine nutrition, ... Read full story
 4/1/2004
In the Wings Relieved of Stallion Duty Because of Laminitis  *
Darley stallion In the Wings, who won the 1990 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. I) and was a champion in France, was diagnosed with laminitis the past weekend and has been relieved temporarily from stallion duty. The 18-year-old son of Sadler's Wells covered 15 mares at Kildangan Stud in County Kildare, Ireland, prior to the diagnosis. "In the Wings is a terrific ... Read full story
 3/5/2004
AAEP 2003: Preventing Supporting Limb Laminitis  *
“Laminitis in the contralateral (same end--fore or hind--opposite leg) limb is a well-recognized and potentially devastating sequela (result) in horses with complete fractures, sepsis involving a synovial structure, catastrophic breakdown injuries, and other conditions that cause unilateral non-weight-bearing lameness,” said Ric Redden, DVM, founder ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
Preventing Supporting Limb Laminitis   *
"Laminitis in the contralateral (opposite fore or hind) limb is a well-recognized and potentially devastating sequela (result) in conditions that cause unilateral non-weight-bearing lameness," said Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky., in his presentation on the topic. "The mechanism of contralateral ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
AAEP Wrap-Up: Lameness  *
P3 Alignment In Laminitic Horses "Chronic laminitis is a frustrating and, at times, disheartening condition to manage," said Stephen O'Grady, BVSc, MRCVS. "Treating chronic laminitis is always a challenge; here we move a bit away from veterinary medicine into the mechanics of farriery." With chronic laminitis, O'Grady said that toe-downward ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
AAEP 2003: Restoring P3 Alignment for Chronically Laminitic Horses  *
"Chronic laminitis is a frustrating and, at times, disheartening condition to manage," said Stephen O'Grady, BVSc, MRCVS, during the 2003 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention. "Treating chronic laminitis is always a challenge; here we move a bit away from veterinary medicine into the mechanics of farriery. We're putting the skills ... Read full story
 2/17/2004
New Developments in Understanding Laminitis  *
For those who follow laminitis research to any degree, the name of Chris Pollitt, BVSc, PhD, is synonymous with advanced research on the subject. At the Second International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, he reinforced that reputation with a discussion of the latest work at the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit, the ... Read full story
 2/11/2004
Linking Chronic Laminitis to Immunologic Hyperreactivity   *
The pathogenesis of chronic laminitis remains unclear. There is growing evidence, however, of a link between this condition and the development of certain systemic diseases, such as kidney disease, that involve small blood vessel damage. There might also be a link between routine vaccination and acute episodes of chronic laminitis. This has led to ... Read full story
 2/1/2004
Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot   *
Laminitis was the primary focus of the Second International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, held Nov. 10-11 in West Palm Beach, Fla. This conference is held every other year and sponsored in large part by John K. and Marianne Castle, whose Appaloosa Spot had chronic laminitis secondary to Cushing's disease and died from colic ... Read full story
 2/1/2004
Ethical Considerations in Founder Care  *
Ethics is defined as the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. While you probably wouldn't think of treating a foundered horse as a situation in which tough ethical decisions could crop up, the Second International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of ... Read full story
 1/5/2004
Cutting Down on Carbohydrates   *
In an attempt to avoid the rich diets that can worsen obesity and laminitis in insulin-resistant horses (those said to be suffering from peripheral Cushing's disease), many owners feed hay instead of lush pasture or grain. However, Kathryn Watts, BS, director of research for Rocky Mountain Research and Consulting, has found that some hay isn't safe ... Read full story
 1/1/2004
Laminitis Terminology  *
At the Second International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, held Nov. 10-11 in West Palm Beach, Fla., a guide to laminitis terminology was presented by course director James A. Orsini, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center. Universally understood terminology helps ... Read full story
 12/18/2003
Experts Speak Out At Laminitis/Foot Conference  *
Laminitis--a disease that strikes fear into the hearts of horse people everywhere--was the primary focus of the Second International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, held Nov. 10-11 in West Palm Beach, Fla. This conference is held every other year and sponsored in large part by John K. and Marianne Castle, whose Appaloosa Spot ... Read full story
 12/18/2003
Where Does Laminitis Start?   *
New research will help determine where laminitis begins and how it affects internal structures of the foot. Hoof researcher David Hood, DVM, PhD, and his staff at the Hoof Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Clinic at Texas A&M University, joined forces with histologist Sherry Morgan, DVM, PhD, of Abbott Laboratories in Abbott Park, Ill., to create an ... Read full story
 12/1/2003
Cutting Down on Carbs (For Your Horse)  *
In an attempt to avoid the rich diets that can worsen obesity and laminitis in insulin-resistant horses (those said to be suffering from peripheral Cushing's disease), many owners feed hay instead of lush pasture or grain. However, Kathryn Watts, BS, director of research for Rocky Mountain Research and Consulting, has found that some hay isn't a safe ... Read full story
 11/17/2003
20 Years of Laminitis Research Funding  *
In November, the Missouri-based Animal Health Foundation (AHF) will celebrate 20 years of fundraising efforts to help support laminitis research. Established in 1984 by Donald Walsh, DVM, and his wife, Diana, AHF raises funds that go directly to research programs. AHF has no employees, no office, and very few administrative costs, but it does have ... Read full story
 10/9/2003
Can Laminitis be Inherited?
Q: I just read your excellent article "The Latest on Laminitis" by Karen Briggs. Is laminitis an inheritable disease? What about founder? William A: The terms "founder" and "laminitis" have become somewhat confusing and are often used interchangeably. I suspect that the more accepted definition and distinction is that when the word "founder" ... Read full story
 10/1/2003
Shoeing for Chronic Laminitis   *
There are limited options for effective treatment of horses with lameness due to chronic laminitis. A common practice involves therapeutic shoeing, which is intended to reduce pain, aid in healing, and help return the horse to activity. Recently, researchers from Texas A&M University examined four types of therapeutic shoes to determine their effectiveness ... Read full story
 10/1/2003
Intestinal Aspects of Laminitis   *
How laminitis starts and proceeds through the horse's body is being charted by Jonathan Elliott, MRCVS, PhD, and other researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in the United Kingdom. Elliott spoke at a conference organized by the Veterinary Advisory Committee of the Horserace Betting Levy Board in England this spring, where he outlined the ... Read full story
 8/1/2003
Expanding Laminitis Vocabulary   *
"Equine Metabolic Syndrome" (EMS) is the latest addition to the horse health lexicon. Speaking at the University of Wisconsin's School of Veterinary Medicine's 2003 Equine Symposium on Laminitis on Jan. 31, Philip J. Johnson BVSc (Hons), MS, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVIM, of the University of Missouri's School of Veterinary Medicine, used updated terminology ... Read full story
 5/1/2003
Cutting-Edge Hoof Education  *
Described by host Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky., as "probably the most harmonious learning event in the world," the Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium held annually in Louisville, Ky., is a mecca for farriers and veterinarians interested in expanding their knowledge of the pathological equine foot. ... Read full story
 5/1/2003
Case Study: Misplaced Nail on Thoroughbred Mare  *
"Who here has never stuck a horse (driven a nail into sensitive areas when shoeing)?" asked host Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Kentucky, during the 16th annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium. Only a very few out of the 550-plus attendees (mostly farriers) raised their hands, showing that the following ... Read full story
 4/14/2003
Using Self-Adjusting Palmar Angles to Treat Heel Pain   *
"How do we use the palmar angle (the angle the wings of the coffin bone make with the ground) to influence the mechanics (of the foot)?" asked Ric Redden, DVM, host of the 16th annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium and founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky. First, you have to define which palmar angle you are discussing--the ... Read full story
 4/14/2003
Wall Ablation for High-Scale (Severe) Laminitis   *
“Laminitis remains one of the deadliest syndromes facing your athlete, companion, or brood stock,” saids Ric Redden, DVM, host of the 16th annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium and founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky. “When not fatal it can be a crippling disease; fortunately, progress in the field of podiatry is changing ... Read full story
 4/14/2003
One Step at a Time  *
How hard are you really working to understand what makes a foot healthy, and what's happening that could cause problems? Training yourself to observe--not just see--the horse's foot is the first step. Each person involved with a horse, whether it's the groom, owner, farrier, or veterinarian, needs to be able to recognize subtle differences today that ... Read full story
 1/1/2003
AAEP 2002 Laminitis Sunrise Session  *
“Never use only clinical assessment to estimate the progress of a laminitic horse,” began Ric Redden, DVM, moderator of the laminitis Sunrise Session on Dec. 7 and founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky. “X rays and venograms (images of blood flow in the foot) are essential.” He went on to discuss cases where horses had ... Read full story
 12/11/2002
Australian Unit Receives Grant for Laminitis Studies  *
The Animal Health Foundation recently announced that it has made a $50,000 research grant to Christopher C. Pollitt, BVSc, PhD, associate professor in equine medicine and director of The Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit at the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland, for ongoing research into the pathological mechanism ... Read full story
 12/11/2002
Derby Winner, Top Japanese Sire Sunday Silence Dies  *
The long vigil is over. After 14 weeks of battle, Sunday Silence died of heart failure Sunday, Aug. 19, brought on by infection in his leg and the debilitating effects of laminitis. At Shadai Stallion Station in Japan's Hokkaido, where staff and veterinarians have watched over the stallion since early May, there was great sadness, but it was mixed ... Read full story
 8/19/2002
On-the-Scene Account of Sunday Silence's Battle with Laminitis   *
HAYAKITA, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN (August 13) -- It's the ninth anniversary of the death of Zenya Yoshida, the founder of Shadai Farm. Rain has fallen for most of the day, growing stronger toward evening and the mood is grim at Shadai Stallion Station. In a barn set back from the others, a barn that was especially built to accommodate the aging Northern Taste, ... Read full story
 8/15/2002
Help Limit Laminitis  *
In this issue, you'll find (if you haven't already) a feature article on managing the chronically laminitic horse to regain maximum soundness and comfort (see page 79). Laminitis is a devastating problem that crosses the lines between breeds and disciplines, striking wherever we are unwary. Wait--am I saying that we can prevent laminitis if we just ... Read full story
 8/1/2002
Forever Foundered?   *
When I rode past a nearby racing Quarter Horse trainer's farm, my gelding Pokey would always nicker at the trainer's permanent lawn ornament--an ancient black pony mare who slowly cropped the front yard, unfettered by fences or even a halter. "Oh, she's foundered bad," her owner said. "She's not going anywhere very fast. We just leave her to her own ... Read full story
 8/1/2002
Feeding Laminitic Broodmares
My best friend's broodmare has unilateral laminitis (laminitis in one front hoof); she is a 19-year-old Quarter Horse and is currently five months pregnant. The concern is what to feed her to keep the foal healthy, and to keep her from suffering further damage. We cannot find any resources that cover both the pregnancy and laminitis issues. ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
Fructan Possible Key to Laminitis  *
Common "grass founder," the bane of fat ponies and aged broodmares, might be the key to understanding the bigger picture of systemic laminitis according to a recent study completed by Christopher C. Pollitt, BVSc, PhD, of the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit at the University of Queensland. Pollitt presented 10 seminars on the role of fructan ... Read full story
 4/10/2002
Hoofcare Education at Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium  *
One of the most common comments at the 15th annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium in Louisville, Ky., Jan. 21-23, 2002, was that if farriers or veterinarians don't have a passion for working on laminitic horses, they shouldn't take the cases. Horse owners know that a laminitic horse is a high-maintenance case in terms of treatment and convalescent care, ... Read full story
 4/1/2002
Laminitis in Central Kentucky  *
At the 15th annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium January 21-23, Manu Sebastian, DVM, MS, of the University of Kentucky's Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center, presented a study of laminitis cases submitted to the center for necropsy from 1995-1999. Two hundred eighty-one horses were part of this study, with 87 diagnosed with only laminitis and 194 with ... Read full story
 2/1/2002
AAEP Convention 2001: Horseman's Day  *
More than 350 horse owners turned out to hear six speakers at the second annual Horseman's Day, held in conjunction with the annual AAEP convention. In almost every case, those in attendance were still raising their hands with questions when moderator Eleanor Green, DVM, Dean of the vet school at the University of Florida, was forced to halt the discussion ... Read full story
 2/1/2002
Value of Digital Venograms  *
A recent 10-horse study by Bruce Lyle, DVM, a primary care equine practitioner in Aubrey, Texas, looked at using digital venography (injecting radio-opaque dye into a blood vessel to measure blood flow in the foot) to enhance a practitioner's ability to reasonably predict the course of laminitis early on, stimulate thought for new treatments, and to ... Read full story
 1/24/2002
Septic Osteitis--One Laminitis Complication  *
Septic osteitis (SO, inflammation of bone beginning in the periosteum, or membrane surrounding bone) of the third phalanx or coffin bone can be a problematic complication of laminitis. SO has historically been regarded as a problem that called for an extremely guarded prognosis or even euthanasia, but Bruce Lyle, DVM, a primary care equine veterinarian ... Read full story
 1/23/2002
Laminitis Researchers Meet  *
Current research suggests that laminitis has either metabolic or vascular causes. The First International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot made no apologies for presenting laminitis research in its current state of incompletion. The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine hosted the conference at Florida's Palm ... Read full story
 11/2/2001
Learning About Laminitis  *
The 14th annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium, hosted Jan. 25-27 by R.F. (Ric) Redden, DVM, and his wife, Nancy, of the International Equine Podiatry Center, unveiled many recent advances in the mechanisms of laminitis, navicular disease, and various shoeing and trimming methods. This year, symposium attendees were treated to seminars on wild horse ... Read full story
 11/2/2001
Conference For Laminitis Research  *
Treating laminitis is a frustrating assignment for a veterinarian, who must juggle the welfare of the horse, the emotions of the owner, and the skills of collaborating farriers and therapists, and keep up with the latest information on drug therapy and research. In December 2000, the Rochester Equine Clinic (REC) in Rochester, N.H., hosted New England's ... Read full story
 11/2/2001
LSU Laminitis Research  *
Two equine researchers at the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine recently received a USDA National Research Initiative Mech-anisms of Disease Grant to study the cause of laminitis. This disease causes chronic lameness or death in countless horses every year. Despite the high number of patients veterinarians examine and treat ... Read full story
 11/2/2001
Progress in Lameness Therapy: Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium 1997  *
Imagine a large ballroom in a downtown hotel. Fill it with long rows of tables and chairs. Now open the doors. Have about 800 or so farriers and veterinarians from all over the world--some not even speaking English--rush in and take their seats. Then within minutes, it's so quiet you can hear a pin drop. The business of continuing education is a ... Read full story
 10/11/2001
The Natural Hoof: A Sign of the Times  *
The popular image of the American "wild" horse has gone through a lot of changes in recent years. Once the epitome of the wild and free animal in a Marlboro cigarette commercial, the wild horse soon was denigrated to the enemy of the Western rancher, a competitor for forage with valuable cattle during years of drought. Then came the Bureau of Land ... Read full story
 10/10/2001
Longevity, Legality, And Laminitis  *
My guess is that each of us has had a mentor; one who in his or her age, wisdom, and patience let us make our youthful mistakes, let us find our own way within the boundaries of common sense, and tested us a few times to see just what we had learned. Max was mine. Oh, there were others before him, and maybe I got a late start in life, but in college, ... Read full story
 10/5/2001
Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium 1999  *
The name of the conference might be misleading, because the 10th Annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium in Louisville, Ky., covered topics from how nutrition affects hooves to what stimulates hooves to grow. The theme of this year's symposium was Long Toe Low Heel. Organized by Ric Redden, DVM, owner of the International Equine Podiatry Center near Versailles, ... Read full story
 10/2/2001
Shoeing The Laminitic Horse  *
Of all the medical crises that can afflict a horse, laminitis surely is one of the most alarming. Horribly painful, and potentially devastating to his long-term soundness, the strange syndrome whereby the coffin bone inside the hoof begins to tear away from the laminae (the accordion-like soft tissues between the bone and the hoof wall) quite rightly ... Read full story
 9/13/2001
The Latest on Laminitis  *
Of all the ailments a horse can suffer, laminitis is the one that unfailingly strikes fear into the heart of an owner. Nothing else has as devastating an effect because while laminitis is not always fatal, it promises weeks or months of agony for the horse, endless nursing care for the owner, and multiple veterinary and farrier bills, all with no guarantee ... Read full story
 8/1/2001
Stepping Ahead: Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium 2001  *
Laminitis is one of the most serious and difficult-to-treat diseases horses can get, and only by learning everything about this problem can we prevent and treat it successfully. Enter the 14th annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium held Jan. 25-27 in Louisville, Ky. This symposium has long been a mecca for farriers, researchers, and hoof-specialty veterinarians, ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Beware The Bacteria: Salmonella  *
We tend to hear about Salmonella, a bacteria, in relation to lectures on kitchen hygiene; it's one of the main reasons why we're warned to wash our hands vigorously after handling raw chicken. But you might recall being forbidden to have a pet turtle as a kid because of the risk of it carrying Salmonella. Truth is, not only might that turtle or chicken ... Read full story
 11/1/2000
100 Years of Horse Health Care  *
Standing on the fresh field of a brand new century, we look eagerly-if sometimes cautiously-toward the horizon and the unknown future awaiting us. We hope that, in the months and years to come, we will solve problems long puzzled over and finish battles long fought. We look, in short, at all that is left to do, all that we have yet to accomplish. But ... Read full story
 1/1/2000
Deep Digital Flexor Tenotomy As a Treatment for Chronic Laminitis  *
The coffin bone is the primary bone within the horse's foot. The hoof capsule encases this bone like a body in a coffin (hence the name coffin bone). The laminae within the foot are the soft tissue structures that firmly attach the coffin bone to the hoof wall. Laminitis, in its simplest terms, is inflammation of the laminae that attach the coffin ... Read full story
 3/1/1999
Post-Foaling Problems In Mares  *
Birth of a foal in the spring is a wondrous event for many reasons. Foremost, the foal is usually the embodiment of hopes and dreams, whether it is born as one of many at a large commercial stable or if it is the only arrival for the year at a private farm. Second, it is a wondrous event from a medical point of view because it represents fruition of ... Read full story
 3/1/1999
Pasture Paranoia: Laminitis Prevention  *
Ah, springtime. Can't you just see those rolling green pastures of Kentucky's Bluegrass, dotted with grazing bloodstock? Their fetlocks are buried, the grass is lush, the dew's shining on each strand of grass and...Why are you shuddering? Do you, like so many horse owners who have endured the helpless misery of a foundered pony or horse, equate lush ... Read full story
 2/1/1999
Where Did All The Farriers Go? The AFA Convention  *
The same message echoed from a thousand telephone answering machines across the country in February, and if you happened to have a horse throw a shoe that week, you were in trouble. "Hi, I'll be away until March first attending the American Farrier's Association Convention in Rochester, New York..." HOOFCARE & LAMENESS/DAVE FARLEY New ... Read full story
 7/1/1998
The Art of Therapeutic Shoeing  *
Michael J. Wildenstein, resident farrier at Cornell University's large animal clinic, has approximately 400 different types of therapeutic shoes hanging on the wall of his clinic. Each one, he says, was made for a particular lameness or disease problem to fit an individual horse: aluminum shoes for a fatiguing jumper, plastic shoes for an endurance ... Read full story
 11/1/1997
Nitroglycerine  *
Walk down the aisle of any vet clinic, and you're sure to see a foundered horse. Whether an acute case in treatment or a chronic case having some remedial shoeing therapy, every clinic has its pet cases...or should we call them survivors? For every "old chronic case" which revisits a veterinary clinic periodically, how many have been destroyed? This ... Read full story
 10/1/1997
Basement Membranes: Decoding the Laminitis Mystery  *
Laminitis and founder are two words in the lexicon of the horse that are guaranteed to elicit a definite response, whether it is a painful memory for a horse owner, a recurring anxiety for a breeder, a shoeing dilemma for a farrier, a complex prognosis for a veterinarian, or an enigma for a researcher. Laminitis and founder have dashed horses' athletic ... Read full story
 6/1/1996




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