Causes Of Laminitis In Winter

Many have a history of laminitis at other times of the year but some do not.

Causes of laminitis in winter.

Seasonal variation of the disease is seen. Here in the uk our winters are long and wet. Cold weather can cause laminitis in horses. Every winter some owners and caretakers are faced with the onset of obvious foot pain in their horses for no apparent reason.

The causes vary and may include the following. With the early growth of pasture in the spring overweight horses especially ponies on pasture are susceptible. Suddenly plummeting temperatures cause the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol. Are some horses more susceptible than others.

Common causes of laminitis in horses. It can also be caused by overenthusiastic hoof trimming. Some horses have a history of winter laminitis that strikes the same time every year and is resistant to all efforts at treatment until one day in early spring it suddenly goes away. Although laminitis occurs in the feet the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse s body.

Something like winter related hoof pain syndrome would be a better name. Endurance riding driving or jumping on hard ground. Many horses seem to struggle with laminitis in winter. However this is in fact not a true laminitis.

Another explanation for the sore feet of your horse during the winter cold is what we call winter laminitis. The pain is often severe but the feet are not hot as they are in classical acute laminitis cases. Traumatic laminitis is caused by repeated physical trauma to the feet during e g. The incidence of laminitis in horses is highest in ponies lower in geldings and lest in stallions and mares.

Winter laminitis can strike with no change in diet or management. Here s how to spot the warning signs and act fast to manage them. Laminitis has become one of the most heavily researched aspects of lameness because it affects so many horses. Severe lameness in one limb will cause a horse or pony to carry excessive weight on his other limbs which may cause laminitis.

While the exact mechanisms by which the feet are damaged remain a mystery certain precipitating events can produce laminitis.