Page 274 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

several times a day or relieved by dorsal wall drilling or resection. Drainage through the sole

is avoided as the sensitive tissue often swells and protrudes through the hole, taking a long
VetBooks.ir time to heal. When they occur at the back of the foot it should be tubbed frequently and the
coronary band should be kept soft and supple by applying udder cream.

Prognosis

The prognosis depends on a number of factors including:

• the cause of the condition
• whether the horse is mildly laminitic, acutely foundered, a sinker or chronically

foundered

• the change in position of the pedal bone within the hoof on X-ray
• the appearance of the tip of the pedal bone on X-ray; if remodelling has occurred, the

animal is unlikely to become pain-free

• how promptly the correct treatment is given
• subsequent management and monitoring.

If there are no radiographic changes and affected animals are treated promptly with medical
therapy, appropriate management and support of the feet, they should make a full recovery.

Those with mild to moderate rotation have an 80% chance of recovery. If the animal is a
sinker or has severe rotation, the chance of recovery is reduced to 20%. More than 15 degrees

of rotation is a poor prognostic sign. When the pedal bone prolapses through the sole of the
foot or there is remodelling of the tip of the pedal bone, the prognosis is very poor.

The treatment of severe cases involves many months of corrective trimming and
specialist shoeing. The management of these animals is expensive and time-consuming so the

commitment of the owner must be 100%. Horses and ponies vary in their ability to withstand
the pain. In some cases, the suffering of the animal is so intense that euthanasia is the only
reasonable course of action.

Prevention

Most cases of laminitis could be prevented by improved management. The following steps

should be taken to reduce the incidence of the disease.

DIETARY CONTROL

• Obesity should be avoided. You should be able to feel your horse’s ribs easily when you