Causes Of Laminitis In Winter

The causes vary and may include the following.

Causes of laminitis in winter. Many horses seem to struggle with laminitis in winter. Suddenly plummeting temperatures cause the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol. Seasonal variation of the disease is seen. Every winter some owners and caretakers are faced with the onset of obvious foot pain in their horses for no apparent reason.

Although laminitis occurs in the feet the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse s body. Traumatic laminitis is caused by repeated physical trauma to the feet during e g. 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. Something like winter related hoof pain syndrome would be a better name.

Here s how to spot the warning signs and act fast to manage them. Here in the uk our winters are long and wet. Laminitis has become one of the most heavily researched aspects of lameness because it affects so many horses. Many questions need to be answered but significant headway has been made in understanding and controlling this issue.

Common causes of laminitis in horses. Winter laminitis pain is a significant problem for some of these horses. Are some horses more susceptible than others. While the exact mechanisms by which the feet are damaged remain a mystery certain precipitating events can produce laminitis.

Endurance riding driving or jumping on hard ground. With the early growth of pasture in the spring overweight horses especially ponies on pasture are susceptible. Another explanation for the sore feet of your horse during the winter cold is what we call winter laminitis. Severe lameness in one limb will cause a horse or pony to carry excessive weight on his other limbs which may cause laminitis.

Should you protect a laminitic horse when the weather is cold discover how you can help your horse and avoid laminitis due to the cold. Many have a history of laminitis at other times of the year but some do not. It can also be caused by overenthusiastic hoof trimming. Winter laminitis can strike with no change in diet or management.

However this is in fact not a true laminitis.