Diet is a common cause of laminitis in horses, however, there are a number of lesser known factors that can cause equine laminitis.
Laminitis in Horses as a Result of Illness
Laminitis in horses may be the end product, or a derivative, of a range of illnesses. The severity of occurrence can also change with circumstances.
Viral reaction factors can arise due to unusually high body temperatures, which then lead to the onset of laminitis in horses. In such cases, symptoms of laminitis seem to manifest themselves about 2 or 3 weeks after the viral condition prevailed. This sort of situation leaves ridges, also known as ‘fever rings’, on the walls of the hoof. Fever rings are a form of easily legible tale that may give the observer a reasonable notion of the history of basic health of the pony.
Horses that have received cortisone in high amounts, or in small amounts, but over extended periods, are really susceptible to laminitis.
Laminitis in Mares
When a mare foals, make very certain that the placenta is fully removed post birth. An incompletely ejected placenta can stimulate internal acid reactions, and the activation of endotoxins that could start bouts of laminitis.
Hormonal effects are also major causes of laminitis in horses, though the exact working of these factors has not been absolutely accepted yet. What is known is that ‘broodmares’ seem to have a strong tendency towards retarding symptoms that accompany the initial onset of laminitis, while mares in regular cycle show symptoms in a more pronounced manner.
Equine Laminitis Due to Work Strain
Laminitis can be the result of putting a horse or pony through sustained strenuous work on terrain that’s too harsh, particularly if the horse is unused to such terrain.
Diet Related Laminitis in Horses
Laminitis in horses can also be caused by incorrect diet. Feeding horses beet pulp, or sugar beet, has been proven to prevent laminitis in horses and ponies — some commercial beet products for horses, such as speedi-beet, have been endorsed by the Laminitis Trust.
Horses are Heather Toms passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge of horses and horse tack with other horse lovers through her 100’s of articles.
Featured Image By Dr. Christoph von Horst, via Wikimedia Commons
