| Do you worry every time you see your horse eating | | | | If your horse is doing very well overall, I believe a good |
| green grass? Do you include checking digital pulses in | | | | management plan would include the following elements. |
| your daily routine? Do you have nightmares about the | | | | Diet for Horse Laminitis |
| only farrier who knows how to trim your horse moving | | | | The best diet is simple, low in carbohydrates, and high |
| to another state? The list could go on and on in the life | | | | in fiber Small amounts of equine senior feed is |
| of the owner of a horse affected with chronic laminitis. | | | | acceptable for some laminitic horses, while others do |
| Even with good holistic treatment, relapses can and do | | | | well on a small amount (8 ounces) of oats or barley. |
| happen. In this article I would like to address what | | | | At the same time, some laminitic horses can not |
| conditions may bring a horse from health to chronic | | | | tolerate any grains. A probiotic/enzyme supplement like |
| disease, and what it takes to reverse the process. | | | | FasTrack or Simplexity Spectrabiotic supports the |
| These conditions apply to all horses with chronic | | | | digestive function and limits the production of |
| disease and not just those with laminitis. | | | | endotoxins. Simplexity animal algae provides a source |
| Basic Constitutional Makeup | | | | of food-based vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. |
| Animals are born with a basic constitutional make-up | | | | Small doses of antioxidants such as Q10 may be |
| which determines their overall strength and vitality. This | | | | indicated. You should not need to give more than |
| constitution is inherited from the parents and not easily | | | | 60-120 mg a day of a good quality Q10 product like |
| influenced after birth. The best way to produce horses | | | | those produced by Simplexity, Nutramax Comal, or |
| with strong constitutions is to breed only healthy, | | | | Thorne brands. Generic brands of Q10 may not be |
| strong, emotionally stable individuals. Unfortunately, this | | | | active. |
| is not usually what breeding animals are selected for. | | | | Hoof Care for Horse Laminitis |
| So, from the very beginning, most horses have some | | | | I prefer to keep laminitic horses barefoot as long as |
| level of weakness in their constitutions. Where and | | | | possible. They must be trimmed regularly. If their toes |
| when these weaknesses will surface depends on the | | | | are allowed to grow long or their heels allowed to get |
| way the horse is managed. If a horse grows up under | | | | too high, then the normal mechanism of the hoof is |
| natural conditions with minimal stress, then symptoms | | | | impaired. Overly correcting angles on overdue hooves |
| may not appear until late in life. If, however, the horse is | | | | creates unnecessary discomfort for the horse and |
| brought out of his natural environment and put under | | | | sets back his effort to establish new laminar |
| stress, chronic disease symptoms can appear much | | | | attachments. Don't expect to be back riding too quickly. |
| earlier. Some other triggers of chronic disease, such as | | | | It takes close to a year to grow a new hoof. |
| horse laminitis, include drugs, vaccinations and | | | | Turn-Out Schedules for Horse Laminitis |
| inadequate or inappropriate nutrition. | | | | Turn-out on lush grass should be approached |
| In my experience, homeopathy is the only healing | | | | cautiously. Many horse laminitis cases have hormone |
| modality strong enough to permanently change an | | | | imbalances that affect their sugar metabolism. |
| animal's constitution. Classical homeopathy addresses | | | | Fast-growing, lush grass is high in sugar. As your horse |
| underlying constitutional weaknesses and imbalances. | | | | gets healthier he will be able to tolerate fresh grass. I |
| Other management tools, such as diet, housing, hoof | | | | suggest gradually increasing exposure to grass over |
| care, chiropractic care, and exercise, can support the | | | | several weeks and monitoring digital pulses. It is also |
| healing process for chronic horse laminitis. | | | | best to avoid hay that has been heavily fertilized. |
| Let's assume your horse has just come through an | | | | Drugs and Vaccinations and Horse Laminitis |
| episode of laminitis. He is currently walking well and his | | | | It is best to avoid drugs and vaccinations in horses with |
| hooves are growing out nicely. What you want to be | | | | a history of laminitis. If drugs or vaccines must be |
| watching for are other subtle signs of chronic disease | | | | given, then it is important to watch the horse closely to |
| which could indicate that additional treatment is needed. | | | | determine if any chronic disease has been triggered. |
| These would include symptoms such as poor hair | | | | A Final Note About Horse Laminitis |
| coat, eye discharge, change in temperament, stiffness, | | | | In closing, I want to say that cure is always my desired |
| sensitivity to hot or cold weather or weather changes. | | | | outcome with chronic horse laminitis cases. This would |
| Horse laminitis is often just one symptom of chronic | | | | look like complete return to full function without need |
| disease. | | | | for continued treatments or expensive management |
| If your horse is really free of chronic disease, you | | | | practices. Sometimes it is simply not possible, especially |
| should be able to decrease supplements down to | | | | with advanced pathology such as pituitary tumors or |
| maintenance levels. If you continue to need therapeutic | | | | severe bone damage. With these cases, palliation with |
| levels of supplements or many different supplements, | | | | remedies, special hoof care and high levels of |
| then more work needs to be done on a constitutional | | | | antioxidant nutritional or herbal supplements may be |
| level. A healthy horse showing no sign of chronic | | | | needed. Most cases, however, can be cured with |
| disease can also handle reasonable amounts of fresh | | | | good homeopathic prescribing and proper |
| grass and grains in the diet. | | | | management. The challenge is staying alert to shifting |
| It is not unusual for chronic horse laminitis cases to | | | | symptom patterns and resisting the temptation to |
| maintain a low-level digital pulse. This indicates some | | | | palliate with large doses of herbs or supplements. I |
| continued inflammation associated with a continued | | | | know I have many cases I have brought through |
| healing response. If the pulse becomes strong or is | | | | crises but not totally cured. In my experience, chronic |
| associated with increased lameness, it could indicate a | | | | horse laminitis cases are perhaps the most difficult to |
| problem. | | | | work with and they can be the most rewarding. |
| Managing Chronic Horse Laminitis Cases | | | | |