What Causes Laminitis In Ponies

Laminitis in horses ponies causes symptoms treatment.

What causes laminitis in ponies.

Equine laminitis is a painful disease of a horse of pony s foot. Two of the most common complications veterinarians face are injuries to the subsolar. Although laminitis occurs in the feet the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse s body. The causes vary and may include the following.

There are several causes of laminitis but the primary cause is a sudden increase in carbohydrates in the horse s diet. This is often seen when a horse breaks into a sweet feed bin and gorges himself or a pony is given free reign on a young spring pasture. It has been estimated that 28 of the native ponies in australia are. Laminitis is also known as founder and causes severe lameness.

Common causes of laminitis in horses. Laminitis the separation or failure of laminae which connect the hoof wall to the coffin bone within can cause permanent structural changes in a horse s foot leading to repeated bouts of. Laminitis itself is a precarious condition but complications can make cases even more challenging to manage. The horses pedal bone detaches from the inside of the hoof.

Understand what laminitis is. Laminitis is caused by circulatory changes in the hoof causing inflammation in the sensitive laminae of the feet. Equine metabolic syndrome is basically a collection of clinical signs such as. With this disease the laminae weaken which attach the pedal bone to the inside of the hoof.

It was once associated primarily with overweight ponies but it can affect any age or size of horse. The incidence of laminitis in horses is highest in ponies lower in geldings and lest in stallions and mares. Obesity is a risk factor for laminitis because internal fat particularly in the abdominal region omental fat is. Increased neck and tail head fat deposits laminitis acute and chronic obesity insulin resistance high insulin levels with normal blood glucose concentration infertility.

While the exact mechanisms by which the feet are damaged remain a mystery certain precipitating events can produce laminitis. Laminitis is an extremely painful condition affecting 1 in 10 horses ponies every year 1 and can cause permanent damage to the hooves. Recognised risk factors for laminitis include. With the early growth of pasture in the spring overweight horses especially ponies on pasture are susceptible.

Seasonal variation of the disease is seen.