Equine Founder and Laminitis - Is it the Same Condition? By Michael Fisher

Equine founder and laminitis are very similar forms of the same disease. Founder is basically the end stage of laminitis. Laminitis which is also known as founder, is the inflamation of the hoof and it is very painful to the horse. It can affect all four hoofs, but mainly the front feet are mostly struck by this disease.

Laminitis causes the laminae ( the structure that holds the coffin bone to the hoof ) to deteriorate. This in turn can cause the bone to even poke through the bottom of the hoof and go to the ground. The laminae begins to deteriorate when there is high levels of the enzyme known as Matrix Metalloproteinases in the horses system. This will cause the attachment of the laminar cells to break free from what is known as basement membrane. This causes the decreased flow of normal blood to the laminae and the result can be severe pain and lameness to the horse.

Founder is very painful and is the result of laminitis. It is the end stage of this crippling disease. When the case of laminitis is severe enough the coffin bone become detached and rotates downward towards the ground and can even puncture the hoof and stick outside of it.

There are many causes of this condition - such as a high diet of green pasture, walking on hard surfaces for extended periods of time and even stressful things such as colic can be a cause of laminitis.

The best way in dealing with equine founder and laminitis is prevention. Feeding your horse the proper diet and keeping him from walking on hard surfaces as discussed before will keep him happy and healthy for many years to come.

Preventing equine founder and laminitis is the key to keeping your horse from becoming lame. For more information on how to do this, take a look at: Equine Founder And Laminitis

Treatment of Laminitis in Equines - 5 Helpful Tips By Michael Fisher

The treatment of laminitis in equines can be done, but it depends on how far the disease has already advanced in your horse. There has been many new advances in treating this condition, some good and some bad. In the worst possible case of laminitis, there can be permanent damage to the laminae, and the attachment of the coffin bone to the hoof will eventually collapse. When the weight of the horse rests on the coffin bone and there is a lose of this attachment , the bone will rotate and push right down to the ground. Below I have listed 5 helpful things you can to to help treat laminitis in your horse.

• The first thing you should always do is try to figure out what is the cause of the laminitis. Sometimes it will be easy if there are obvious reasons as to why he has developed this condition. Walking on hard surfaces for long periods of time can be one cause, eating lush green pasture is another. One final thing is if he is allowed to eat large amounts of stored grain and he becomes overloaded, this can lead to laminitis.
• Try to use corrective shoes on your horse. Heart Bar shoes have been known to help ease or solve his condition.
• Don't let your horse have free access to grain
• Trim your horses hoof down close to the heel to correct the angle of the pedal bone if it has rotated
• You may also want to put down soft bedding or shaving in his stall and limit his walking on very hard surfaces

The best line of defense for the treatment of laminitis in equines is prevention. Once your horse has developed this condition, and the more advanced it has become, the harder it will be to deal with its treatment.

I have done quite a bit of research on the treatment of laminitis in horses. If you want to learn how to treat or prevent this condition from happening in the first place take a look at: Treatment Of Laminits In Equines