08/05/2024
⚠️ Be aware of the risks of laminitis. ⚠️
🌱The warmer weather, followed by the rain, has made the grass grow quickly over the last few days and we are getting lots of calls about laminitis.
ℹ️ Laminitis does not just affect overweight ponies, so all horse owners should be aware and understand the signs and take preventative measures.
❗️ Take your horse’s digital pulses daily, you will then know what is normal and quickly be able to spot when there is inflammation in the foot.
⚠️ Owners of horses suffering from EMS and Cushings should be extra vigilant.
➡️Clinical signs of laminitis:
• Shortened stride length especially on hard, rough ground
• Reluctance to turn
• Stiff gait – walking on heels
• Increased hoof heat
• Bounding digital pulses
• Reluctance or refusal to move
• Lying down unable to get up
• Pain on solar pressure
• Abnormal stance
• Signs of Pain: increased heart and respiratory rate, sweating, nostril flaring
🌱 It is worth noting that short, distressed grass (i.e. grass that is well grazed) that is trying to grow often contains more sugar and so the best preventative measure is restricted grazing, balanced with other controlled fibre in the diet, exercise (where physically possible) and the use of grazing muzzles (where appropriate).
🌱Grass doesn’t cause laminitis. 95% of laminitis cases have an underlying endocrine disease - EMS or PPID (Cushings).
📖 Read our download or listen to our Podcast on laminitis – both available in the Learning Hub: https://rebrand.ly/LLEP_Learning_Hub
