Have you ever heard of the term laminitis? For those of you who are involved in the world of animal health, especially horses, this term may be familiar. Laminitis is also referred to as a syndrome, which has a multi-factor etiology. In some literature on horse health books, several factors that trigger laminitis are nutritional management, metabolic disorders, and digestive system disorders. You can also get blue green algae supplement for horse hoof quarter cracks repair and treatment on our website. You can also check the supplements for gassy horses in the market.
Hormonal changes are also at risk for the development of laminitis. These hormonal changes are related to labor conditions in female animals. Some infectious diseases such as mastitis, metritis, foot rot, which allow animals to be exposed to endotoxins (Maclean, 1971). Laminitis itself can occur in two stages, namely fast or slow. First, acute laminitis. Laminitis begins with an acute stage. This stage occurs quickly and causes pain in the horse. If treated immediately, it will quickly recover within 10-14 days. However, if not treated immediately, it will continue into a chronic stage. At this stage, there are several signs that can be known, including swelling, inflammatory discharge, and the presence of pus.
In the occurrence of swelling, it is caused by blockage of the blood vessels in the keratogenous apparatus, especially in the lamina corium. The lamina is swollen and dark red in color. At this stage, there are hemorrhages in the blood vessels of the lamina. There is a release of blood infiltration in the connective tissue and in many cases destruction of the hides and horny layer. This change is most evident in the area of the toes, the ospedis as if arising from the caudal, due to the release of fluid between the nail wall and bone. In severe cases, but rarely seen, blood will leak out of the blood vessels and then infiltrate, and separate the tissue. This will look like removing a coronet.
In the occurrence of discharge of inflammatory fluid, it causes the horned lamina to separate and the sensitive laminae, thus forming a cavity. Generally, occurs in the second or third week. Next is the presence of pus. However, this rarely happens unless you have laminitis for a long period of time. Pus causes pain. The second stage is the chronic laminitis. Chronic laminitis is a dangerous stage. This stage is accompanied by incurable changes in the shape of the nails and pathological changes. The characteristics of the horny layer are brittle, the sole becomes convex, is randomly inelastic, and looks dry.
Immediately call the vet. Describe in detail the results of your monitoring to your doctor. Take your horse’s temperature and respiratory rate, as well as his horse’s heart rate. Every horse owner should have a stethoscope and rectal thermometer and know how to use them. Don’t force the horse to walk or move. If your horse shows symptoms of a limp, don’t force it to move. If the house is far from the doctor, it is best to move the horse by the trailer. Place a lot of wood shavings (up to 5-7.5 cm thick) in the cage. These wood shavings will provide cushioning for the horse to relieve some of the pain.
Do a few things to relieve the pain your horse is experiencing while waiting for the vet. Do the following things before the vet arrives to make the work easier and relieve the pain the horse is experiencing. Use cold therapy. Cold therapy for horses is the same as for humans. Ice the horse’s leg like a human injured knee or ankle. You can use a manure tub with ice and water or use an ice boot to cool the horse’s legs. Don’t chill the horse’s legs for more than 30 minutes.
Give pain relievers NSAIDs (non-steroids) These pain relievers will also help relieve inflammation. You can give Equioxx, Danilon, or Phenylbutazone (“Bute”) to horses. These medications should not be given if the horse is on steroids. The combination of drugs and steroids will be harmful to horses. Always consult your doctor before prescribing medication to a horse. Treatment for laminitis varies depending on the severity of the condition, but usually, horses will start treatment with Phenylbutazone, which is a strong anti-inflammatory. Coupled with proper leg support, the horse’s pain can be relieved.
Let the vet diagnose your condition. Your vet will still check for the symptoms listed above even after being trained to recognize the symptoms of the disease. The vet will also take X-rays to examine the interior of the horse’s hooves. Ask how long you should give your horse anti-inflammatory medication. When giving a horse medication, such as Bute, you may need to skip one day after a week.
Ask about acepromazine. This medication can increase blood flow to the lamina, which helps the horse in some cases. This medication can also sedate the horse to a certain degree to help calm and prevent the horse from injuring itself further. Obtain an orthopedic farrier (a person who has the additional qualifications to treat conditions such as laminitis by correcting horse shoaling) to assess the horse’s condition. They can relieve pressure from the horse’s feet by wearing special shoes. They can also judge the suitability of the shoe the horse is wearing. You have to be careful when doing the grooming yourself because if done carelessly, the angle of the hoof of the horse can tilt and even make the pedals poke out of the horse’s feet faster. You can cut the thick foam to the size of the horse’s hoof. The foam should be thick enough to provide cushion for the horse’s legs.
Investigate possible causes of disease to prevent it from recurring. Laminitis is sometimes caused by being overweight in horses and eating fresh grass. However, other factors can also cause laminitis, such as other diseases. Scientists are still researching this disease because the mechanism and the best mode of treatment for this disease are still not fully understood. One important test when looking for the cause of this disease is to test the horse’s blood sugar level because one of the risk factors for this disease is too much sugar in the blood.
