COMMON RISK FACTORS FOR LAMINITIS
Any horse can develop laminitis if he binges on grain, but even small or “normal” portions of starches and sugars can trigger the disease in horses whose health status and/or history make them susceptible to the disorder. Several factors put horses at greater risk for laminitis:
• Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is the term used for a collection of signs that usually includes obesity, insulin resistance and infertility. Horses with EMS tend to gain weight easily, and they are likely to have noticeable fat deposits on the crest of the neck, over the tailhead and behind the shoulder. EMS is managed primarily through diet and exercise.
• Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, also called Cushing’s disease) is most commonly characterized by a long hair coat that is slow to shed out in spring, but other signs include excessive sweating, lethargy, increased thirst and urination, and an increased susceptibility to infections. PPID can be controlled with the drug pergolide (brand name Prascend), along with management of diet and exercise.
• Severe injury or systemic illness, such as pleuropneumonia or Potomac horse fever, puts horses at risk of laminitis as a complication.
• Stresses on the hooves or a single limb can damage the sensitive laminae leading to mechanical laminitis, even if a horse is not otherwise at risk for the condition. For example, the concussion produced by fast work over extremely hard ground can cause laminitis, as can the stresses placed on the hoof by persistent imbalances. Likewise, a serious orthopedic injury that forces a
Ponies, certain breeds and certain bloodlines are more likely to develop conditions such as PPID and EMS that make them more susceptible to laminitis.
horse to bear more weight than usual on a particular limb increases the risk of laminitis---this is known as opposite-limb laminitis.
• Ponies, certain breeds and certain bloodlines are more likely to develop conditions such as PPID and EMS that make them more susceptible to laminitis.