Can Hay Cause Laminitis

Watch horses that are suffering from fever diarrhoea colic particularly after surgery pneumonia pleurisy and retained placenta.

Can hay cause laminitis.

This can all occur before any symptoms are apparent and once the process has started it is extremely difficult to stop. Although laminitis occurs in the feet the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse s body. If a horse has a history of chronic laminitis my first concern would be addressing the metabolic issues contributing to the problem usually obesity and or pituitary dysfunction both of which. Bacterial viral plant chemical and fungal toxins have all been implicated in causing laminitis.

The laminitic horse should feed only grass hay during the acute phase and if the horse is overweight it should be placed on a reduced diet thereafter. A variety of medications to treat the acute and refractory forms have been. Laminitis is a complex cascade of events that causes the soft tissues laminae within the hoof to swell weaken and die. A case of acute laminitis in horses may take several days to weeks to respond.

Your horse is in good body condition. Laminitis is quite unlike any other equine disease. Old hay is however likely to have lower levels of the fat soluble vitamins a d and e and horses on a hay only diet no grass will usually need to have vitamin e supplemented. While the exact mechanisms by which the feet are damaged remain a mystery certain precipitating events can produce laminitis.

This is what struck down the 2006 kentucky derby winner barbaro in early 2007. She is getting no grain and she has never developed laminitis inflammation of the soft connective tissues within the foot that can result from a variety of causes including a diet too rich in nscs. She is doing well on the grass alfalfa mix hay you are currently feeding. If the horse is overweight but developed laminitis from a cause other than insulin resistance you can still use the insulin resistance diet guidelines below or implement the tips in our lean cuisine article.

Treatment of the initiating cause must be accomplished before improvement in laminitis can be expected. Black walnut shavings in contact with the horse or sweet alyssum in the hay can cause laminitis mechanism unknown. Common causes of laminitis in horses.