Farriery for chronic laminitis.

This research focuses on the treatment of chronic laminitis, a condition affecting the hooves of horses, primarily through the use of therapeutic farriery. The methods of evaluation, appropriate hoof care, and potential surgical treatments are explored in detail.

Understanding the Chronic Laminitis Condition

• Laminitis is a severe condition that affects the feet of horses and it’s usually considered chronic once the distal phalanx (a bone in the horse’s hoof) has displaced within the hoof’s capsule.
• Usually, chronic laminitis occurs as an outcome of acute laminitis, a severe inflammatory condition of the soft tissues (the lamina) that connect the pedal bone to the hoof wall in horses.

Evaluation of Chronic Laminitis

• The researchers point out that chronic laminitis is best diagnosed using a thorough clinical examination coupled with radiography, an imaging technique that uses X-rays to view the interior of the body. This combination allows for an accurate understanding of the severity of the condition and the specific areas that are affected.

Therapeutic Farriery as Primary Treatment

• Once chronic laminitis is identified, the primary mode of treatment proposed by the researchers is therapeutic farriery. Farriery refers to the art or practice of shoeing horses, involving a variety of techniques to maintain horse health and alleviate pain associated with hoof and leg disorders.
• The main goals of this hoof care are to relieve pain, stabilize the distal phalanx, restore hoof mechanics and promote healthy hoof growth.
• Various kinds of trims and shoes have been discussed in detail as part of therapeutic farriery. Choosing the appropriate trim and shoe type will largely depend on the specific circumstances of each case, such as the horse’s lifestyle, the severity of the laminitis, and the physical structure of the hoof.

Surgical Treatments

• In certain severe or complex cases of chronic laminitis that cannot be sufficiently managed with therapeutic farriery alone, the researchers also discuss potential surgical treatments.
• In these cases, surgical treatments may potentially provide a more effective solution, although they come with their own risks and considerations.