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?”

• Body language/stance: 83.44% (660)
  
• Hoof testers: 77.62% (614)
  
• X rays: 76.99% (609)
  
• Growth rings and hoof alterations: 59.80% (473)
  
• Nerve blocks: 32.36% (256)
  
• Other: 15.55% (123)
  
• Ultrasound: 15.17% (120)
  
• Thermography: 8.98% (71)
  
• Venograms: 8.09% (64)
  
• MRI: 5.82% (46)

The comments on this poll reflect a lack of consensus among veterinarians, farriers, and horse owners as to the best way to diagnose and treat this disease.

All comments submitted by poll respondents are listed below.

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• Body language and stance tells us all. We x-ray to determine how seriously the horse is rotated
  
• ‘Rocking horse stance
  
• After confirmation, I used a homeopathic remedy, Rhus Tox and Calc Flor. Today my mare is sound.
  
• Never had a laminitic horse personally
  
• Expert in the field evaluation
  
• Evaluation visual then 3 months later X rays to determine if rotation occurred.
  
• It has been years since I’ve seen a horse w/laminitis; mostly visual diagnosis used then
  
• Did not stop it only cost more
  
• Flares with white line separation and long, extending toes as well as red streaking in the hoof wall.
  
• Lameness
  
• My Mustang had chronic laminitis that was not diagnosed at the onset. Due to a incompetent farrier an
  
• Used nitroglycerin cream on inside thigh skin–works better than anything I’ve ever seen and fast
  
• Acute episode following colitis, tx with ice, packing, bute, banamine, lidocaine, DMSO–no rotation
  
• Just me, and my horse, who developed pasture founder this spring.
  
• Do you shoe right away or wait? How long do you wait?
  
• Gait analysis device
  
• Horse got hives. Dexamethasone used to treat. Founder resulted.
  
• Shoulder pain, bulging and tenderness over coronet band, digital pulse
  
• Gelding got bruised toes, laminitis onset within 24 hours. X-rays showed no rotation, DMSO given.
  
• Just doing limb stress tests can reveal a lot about the soundness of a horse.
  
• Many horses are incorrectly diagnosed navicular when they really have low-grade laminitis.
  
• I’ve used ultrasound therapeutically to enhance blood flow to the hoof.
  
• I have an older mare that has Cushing’s disease, so she is frequently lame.
  
• Used acupuncture with excellent results
  
• You could tell by our mares’ stance that all was not well, the x rays confirmed laminitis
  
• Be on the lookout for a crest y neck, overweight and hypothyroid. Thyro L brought our mare around.
  
• Body language and stance tells us all. We x-ray to determine how seriously the horse is rotated
  
• Digital pulse
  
• I have observed this with other horses, never my own. Knock on wood that they never develop this
  
• The vets I’ve used don’t have a Clue. 11/2 year later and a JOURNAL on my poor horse. Natural tri
  
• Body stance, heat in the hooves, bounding digital pulse, and soreness in multiple feet are key.
  
• Higher PDA pulses
  
• Pulse above hoof
  
• Also bimonthly natural farrier evaluations
  
• Usually heat in hoof and “bounding pulse” with lameness
  
• Have been lucky and never had to test for it!
  
• Blood work
  
• My 20-yr old gelding was “careful” on his feet … initially diagnosed as a hoof boil.
  
• We have had 100% success with boots and pads for treatment!
  
• Heat in hoof, increased pulse in fetlock joint
  
• Rubber soles with hard plastic covers
  
• There was no rotation, so no confirmed diagnosis, but considered grade 1
  
• Daily interaction with horse & conversing with farrier and/or vet as needed
  
• Nuclear Scintigraphy, use of nitro glycerin patches, adequen injections, acupuncture, etc.
  
• Hoof heat, soundness, and change in performance
  
• Nuclear medicine bone scan
  
• My mare came up lame and all the vet exams came back normal. My farrier used a rubber pad to fix it.
  
• Heat in the hooves and digital pulse. Been there done all these with my Cushing’s mare.
  
• 2 horses same time in all four feet, used supplements as well as bute
  
• Hand testing for elevated pulses to feet
  
• Vet felt for strong digital pulse by hoof
  
• Comparative Radiographs using wire for line/angle to check for rotation
  
• Open laminae in the hoof
  
• Reddens ultimates gave my mare immediate relief-no rotation/movement either
  
• My vet has everything to help & we succeeded in correcting her feet w/ my farrier’s expertise.
  
• Never had a horse that had laminitis
  
• My 17-year-old mixed breed first foundered quite badly about ten years ago. Aggressive treatment
  
• Strong digital pulse. Heat in hooves
  
• I am amazed as a trimmer how many laminitis cases are misdiagnosed/overlooked by vets.
  
• Palpation of the pulse, actitud of the horse to move, typical walking, anamnesis
  
• Massage (equissage)
  
• My vet had very good results treating laminitis in my TB with nitroglycerin patches.
  
• I have had radiographs done incorrectly according to the instructions and shod incorrectly.
  
• Cresty neck
  
• Digital pulse
  
• I have an IR horse who is laminitic prone
  
• Tender Footed & limping, leaning on back legs to relieve pain. Thick wooly that wont shed. Laying do
  
• Heat hooves, swelling inside fetlock/cannon bone area, digital pulse, worried eye, tight muzzle,
  
• Digital pulse and hoof heat
  
• Flexion testing
  
• Obvious lameness that gets better when booted. A proper barefoot trim and exercise fixes it quickly
  
• The educated eye can diagnose laminitis and even the approximate location of the coffin bone.
  
• Acupuncture and Chinese herbs have been a very useful addition to my treatment of laminitic horses.
  
• Vet declined to do glucose and insulin levels which are essential to correct dx
  
• Never seen laminitis
  
• Tap on the front of the foot and look for muscle twitches
  
• Natural balance shoes and Gene Ovnicek’s techniques saved my horse when her coffin bone rotated
  
• Heat of the hooves
  
• Digital Pulse
  
• Has a characteristic stance. That + heat in affected feet should be diagnostic.
  
• Checking pulses in legs
  
• He recovered after 6 weeks in the stall
  
• Digital pulse rate and heat off the hoof wall
  
• Presence of strong digital pulses
  
• My Shetland has chronic laminitis has to wear grazing muzzle whenever in paddock stabled at night.
  
• Vet had farrier open front of hoof where gas pockets were, put wedge pads and backwards shoes rotate
  
• Horse’s gaits/lameness
  
• The obvious pain that is so excruciating the animal can’t move.
  
• These are the best tools besides knowing your horses and feeling for a pounding digital pulse.
  
• In my horse’s cases of laminitis, it was always body language first followed by x-rays.
  
• Hoof temperature
  
• I have this vet who can read my horses…
  
• Cushing’s testing
  
• Pulse, heat
  
• Characteristic stance, bounding pulse, can go from bad to worse very quickly.
  
• Bounding digital pulse
  
• Heat in feet
  
• While I have seen just about everything above used, I have found venograms and thermography helpful.
  
• Not only clinical signs but immediate digital x-ray taken on our place.
  
• Most horses will show the tell tale signs immediately.
  
• Digital pulse
  
• Blood insulin levels
  
• I lost a horse to laminitis 2 years ago. Any new treatments on the horizon are welcomed.
  
• Any barefoot trimmer knows the physical landmarks that predict impending problems…. why don’t vets!
  
• Keep a daily note on heat in the feet & how strong the pulses are
  
• Digital Pulse on fetlock
  
• Seemed to be caused by Lyme’s Disease. Hooves are coming along fine with proper trimming and shoes
  
• I check for a digital pulse before doing anything else
  
• After my experiences with laminitis and founder, the best advice about diagnosis is KNOW YOUR HORSE!
  
• Pulse, heat
  
• Growth rings and bruised hoof wall are the signs of laminitis.
  
• I follow advisement from my vet and farrier
  
• Heat in hooves
  
• HOOF RINGS, HARDENED NECK & STANCE-TOO MUCH GRASS, GRAIN AND NOT ENOUGH EXERCISE.
  
• The wisdom of the vet
  
• HAVE SEEN IT MANY TIMES
  
• 35 years in horse management, and I have never dealt with a horse with laminitis. Hmm Prevention!
  
• My Farrier Discovered it, We put Bar shoes on him and he is back in work

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