2017 Miniature Horse World SPRING Issue | Page 38

Laminitis Treatment from a Natural Medicine Perspective

By Joyce C . Harman DVM , MRCVS
Laminitis or founder is very common with Miniatures . Unfortunately , it is also one of the more frustrating conditions to treat in equine practice . It takes time and energy to make a lasting difference . Management is made much easier when natural medicine , specific nutrition , and supplementation are included .

Your vet can help you decide if your Mini has Insulin Resistance ( IR ) or Cushing ’ s ( properly called PPID — Posterior Pituitary Par Intermedia Dysfunction ). The terms laminitis and founder are interchangeable . Both technically mean an inflammation of the lamina in the feet from any cause . We will be discussing the more common reasons associated with chronic laminitis .

When it comes to treating laminitis , each horse should be treated as an individual . What works well for one horse may not be appropriate or may not work in another . This is one reason there are so many treatments available .
36 Miniature Horse World SPRING 2017
Clinical signs The classic clinical sign is extreme pain in the feet , especially the front feet . The horse may or may not be willing to move , may seem stiff or might be moving slowly . But your horse might also exhibit any or all of these characteristics :
n long hair , might be curly or wavy
that won ’ t shed out in the summer n winter laminitis n weight problems ( over-or
underweight ). n sluggish thyroid glands n thyroid dysfunction n muscle soreness n diabetes , occasionally n excess drinking , urination n collagen breakdown n poor hair coat . n frequent infections of the skin or
other organs n colic n poor teeth or multiple dental
abnormalities n lowered immunity to intestinal
parasites n decreased intestinal wall integrity n infertility n muscle wasting
In chronic cases , there may be slowly progressing signs . For example , a horse might have either a mild to moderate bought of laminitis each year or a mild mysterious lameness that appears each year . In some cases , there is no warning . Though if you go back into the history , there usually are previous signs of poor health . Sometimes the evidence shows in laminitic rings on the feet , even though the other signs of laminitis are subtle . It is very important to look at the whole animal , not just the feet , to help decide how to treat .
Laminitis in the winter with no apparent over-eating can be an indication of a more advanced Cushing ’ s ( PPID ) type of case . In Chinese medicine , PPID is seen as an imbalance called Kidney yang deficiency , with the winter being the time of the Kidney . So , we can support the body with acupuncture and herbs more successfully than with conventional treatments .
Minis diagnosed with Insulin Resistance or PPID are usually overweight and are very easy keepers , sometimes unable to eat more than a small amount of hay each day because they gain weight so rapidly . Overweight Minis can have cresty necks and fat pads in a few key places like behind the shoulder blades , on each side of the tail , and along the lumbar area . In addition , the fat on their body is often visibly lumpy . The lumpy , hard fat pads are the most dangerous , indicating that laminitis could occur at any time . Some who are beginning to lose weight also maintain their fat pads , despite the obvious weight loss . These are in more danger of foundering than a heavy Mini with smooth , soft fat .
The very best tool in your box is a weight tape from the feed store ( usually free , though you may have to look for one small enough ). Weight charts are