What is laminitis?

Understanding the effects of laminitis on the foot

X-ray of horse's hoof showing pedal bone

Radiograph of horse's hoof showing pedal bone

Laminitis is a common, painful and potentially devastating condition affecting the feet and hooves of horses and ponies.

In the foot of the normal horse or pony, the hoof wall and the pedal bone (the lowest bone in the foot) are joined together by velcro-like structures called the laminae. When a horse or pony has laminitis these laminae become inflamed and pull apart - this is extremely painful, and results in the pedal bone dropping away from the hoof wall. This can be seen in the x-ray above.

If an episode of laminitis goes on for some time, or if there are repeated occurrences, the damage can become irreversible leading to rotation of the pedal bone and permanent foot pain, and in extremely severe cases euthanasia.

The simplest and most common test for Equine Cushing’s disease is the basal ACTH test.

To perform this test your vet will take a blood sample from your horse and send it to a laboratory that will measure the levels of a hormone called ACTH. The results of the test will then be compared to reference ranges (which change with the seasons) to confirm the presence or absence of Equine Cushing’s disease.

The measurement of serum insulin and glucose is often recommended alongside the basal ACTH test: These tests help to differentiate Equine Cushing’s disease from Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) (another common hormonal cause of laminitis), and also act as an indicator of laminitis risk.

We are providing complimentary ACTH tests to horse owners who suspect their horse may have Equine Cushing’s disease. Simply generate a voucher code by clicking on the Free Test button on this page, and book a visit from your vet to find out whether your vet agrees that this test is appropriate for your horse.