Vet advice

Steroids and laminitis ● Itchy sheath

QCan steroids bring on laminitis? Dotty Collins, Somerset

AThis refers to the development of laminitis during or after the use of glucocorticoids (a class of corticosteroids) as anti-inflammatory drugs to treat a variety of different medical and orthopaedic problems. The short answer is ‘yes’ and it might have something to do with the fact that these drugs can temporarily cause higher insulin levels in the body. High insulin levels interfere with the blood supply and laminar strength of the hoof, which eventually sets the horse up for laminitis. Bearing this in mind, the laminitis risk is most likely a problem due to either: High doses and too frequent use of long-acting injectable glucocorticoids The drugs being used in horses that suffer from equine metabolic syndrome or Cushing’s disease because horses with these conditions already have a pre-existing insulin dysregulation. Following a normal glucocorticoid course of treatment and addressing horses who are obese or have Cushing’s, can minimise the laminitis risk, while still having the benefits of using these drugs.

Your vet might advise you to keep your horse off the grass after a steroid injection

KEESJAN CORNELISSE is an XL Equine vet and works at Calweton Vets in Cornwall. He’s practiced both in the UK and abroad and has published studies