Bovine laminitis: clinical aspects, pathology and pathogenesis with reference to acute equine laminitis.

This research review discusses the clinical and subclinical characteristics of laminitis in cows, a painful disease affecting their hooves. The study also proposes that poor digital circulation, triggered by factors such as thrombosis, abnormal corium blood flow, and endotoxins, play a key role in the disease’s development.

Overview of Laminitis in Cows

• The article begins by providing a description of laminitis, a condition in cows that affects their hooves and results in manifestations like a tender walk and an arched back for acute cases. Physical signs like red and yellow discolourations in the sole horn appear within five days.
• In the case of subacute and chronic laminitis, the symptoms become less severe, but the shape of the claws changes. These chronic cases often lead to other complications like sole ulceration and white zone lesions.

Pathological Findings

• Blood tests conducted on the animals did not show significant changes for those suffering from laminitis. However, arteriographic studies indicated that the blood vessels in the affected claws had narrowed. This implies that there could be a vascular component to the disease.
• The pathology of the disease showed that the corium, a part of the claw, was congested, and the distal phalanx, the bone within the claw, had rotated.
• Moreover, changes in the vasculature or the arrangement of the blood vessels were also associated with this disease. These findings provide insights into how laminitis is more than just a superficial disease but one that affects the entire hoof structure complex including its blood vessels.

Triggers and Causes of Laminitis

• The paper hypothesises that laminitis is instigated by disrupted circulation in the digit (toe of the hoof). Factors related to the cows’ management around the time of giving birth and their nutrition are also considered significant contributors to laminitis.
• Three factors are particularly implicated in the development of acute laminitis: thrombosis or blood clots, abnormalities in the haemodynamic aspects or blood flow of the corium, and the role of endotoxins in triggering these pathological events.