Equine Cushing's syndrome, a relatively common and complex condition, is difficult to treat with conventional medicine. Cushing's syndrome involves a hyperplasia or adenoma of the anterior pituitary gland. Biochemical alterations include increased endogenous cortisol, insulin resistance, elevated adrenocorticotrophic hormone, and decreased thyroid hormone levels. Symptoms include hirsutism with...

Acute laminitis is an inflammatory disease of the equine foot that often occurs secondarily to sepsis or systemic inflammation associated with gastrointestinal disease. It has been suggested that laminitis is similar to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in humans, although in horses the weight-bearing laminar epithelium of the foot appears to be the tissue most sensitive to insult and the fir...

The pathophysiology of acute laminitis remains poorly understood despite substantial scientific investigation over the last 20 yr. Evidence would suggest that ischemic and inflammatory cascades are involved. Evidence from our laboratory suggests that endothelin-1 is involved in the digital microvascular alterations characteristic of acute laminitis. Although current therapies are varied and inc...

Laminitis often follows lactic acidosis and is accompanied by increased blood and rumen histamine. However, since histamine is poorly absorbed and absorbed histamine is rapidly metabolized, and since high levels of oral histamine have not produced laminitis, it is unlikely that ruminal histamine causes laminitis. Lactic acidosis leads to rumenitis, which, in turn, leads to liver abscesses becau...

A five year-old bull moose (Alces alces) was culled due to chronic hoof overgrowth that required frequent intervention. Radiographic examination revealed changes in phalangeal bone structure usually considered indicative for laminitis in domestic cattle; similar changes were absent in the hooves of a free-ranging moose of similar age. The captive animal had been maintained in exhibits whose flo...

The Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Laminitis is a painful lameness condition that can affect any breed of horse or pony. Although the exact mechanics of...

Between the laminar epidermis and the laminar dermis of laminar region (LR) in equine foot, it can be observed the basement membrane zone (BMZ), which is composed of a basement membrane and its accompaniments like the hemidesmosome and anchoring fibril. Alteration in the BMZ in equine laminitis is possibly related with not only development but also recovery outcome and recurrence of this diseas...

When cereal grain is fed to horses there is a risk of laminitis and it is also common to fmd behavioural changes characterised by chewing wood, eating bedding and grasping (wind sucking). This paper discusses the link between acidity in the gut, as a result of grain feeding, and the risk of laminitis and adverse behaviour. A proportion of the starch consumed as cereal grain passes undigested to...

To confirm ability forming the basement membrane of the regenerated laminar epidermis (rLE) in chronic laminitis, expression of type VII and type XVII collagen mRNAs in the rLE was studied applying sequences of two type of murine collagens. On northern blot analysis, complement DNA (cDNA) probes adjusted from the murine type VII and type XVII collagen could hybridize with the equine mRNAs, and ...

This review paper preSents information on the nutritional and management factors that can predispose dairy animals to laminitis. The suggestions regarding various feeding and management practices that may help in preventing laminitis are also discussed. Lameness in dairy animal is a ~rious problem as it cauSes significant economic loss todairy farmers. The outbreak of laminitis can occur at any...