Clinical management of chronic laminitis - a clinical study of 12 equines

Chronic laminitis is extremely painful condition resulting in damage to soft tissues anchoring the third phalanx to hoof resulting in life-threatening debilitation, if untreated. Chronic laminitis equines (n=12) were treated and managed, where most horses (n=8) were having bilateral laminitis in fore limb and rest four horses suffered unilateral laminitis of fore limb. All affected horses showed symptoms of pain on palpation, while two horses showed frequent lay down tendency. Radiological examination showed marked rotation of pedal bone in affected hoofs. Corrective hoof trimming and therapeutic heart-bar shoe were applied along with medical management in ten horses (Group B), while two horses were treated by medical management only (Group A). Therapeutic shoeing showed immediate improvement in weight bearing in all horses along with medical treatment till recovery, while one horse of Group B was euthanized due to poor condition. Nine horses recovered from laminitis out of which two equines showed re-occurrence of laminitis after one year due to removal of therapeutic shoe before pedal bone rotation become normal, while both horses failed to recover in group A.