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Over the centuries that man has been using the horse,
laminitis has been a constant and un-welcome cause of
lameness problem in horses (Hood, 1999). |
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The Disease was classified
into developmental asymptomatic phase (20 - 60 hours),
acute clinical and/or physical evidence of digital collapse without radiological evidence (24 - 72 hours);
sub-acute (up to 8 weeks) and chronic laminitis(Hood et al, 1993, Hood, Pollitt, et al, 1998 and Cripps and
Eustace, 1999a and 1999b). |
CLINICAL TRIALS FOR TREATMENT OF ACUTE AND SUB-ACUTE LAMINITIS IN HORSES
by SHAMAA, A.A.
Dept. of Surgery, Anaesthesiology and Radiology
Faculty of Vet. Med. Cairo Univ. Giza, Egypt
SUMMARY
Casses of acute (17) and sub-acute laminitis (25 cases) were diagnosed in native Arabian breed horses. The acute cases were admitted for treatment during the first 12 hours after the onset of the clinical signs while the sub-acute cases came 3 to 5 days later. All cases were given a treatment regimen including anti-thrombosis, anti inflammatory, ancti-bacterial, anti-histaminic, electrolytes and vasodilators.Tha course and doses were determined according to the form and the severity of the disease.
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The diseased cases were kept on soft well-bedded stall withs special hoof care along with oral administration of paraffin oil and charcoal.Regarding the responce to the treatment, rapid improvement was achived in acute cases within 2 hours and complete recovery within 3 days. Sub-acute cases responded well for longer course of the same regimen with duplication of Flunixin meglumine and Ringer's lactate.
Instead of the high prevalence of the disease and its potential devastating consequences in horses in form of hypo-perfusion of the digit leading to ischemia, necrosis and edema of the laminae and severe pain, veterinarians, farries and horse-men are still struggling with its case and treatment (Hood, at al 1993). Many different medical, surgical
and shoeing techniques have been employed and discussed in attempts to treat this disease.However, there were no clinical trial evaluating the efficacy
of such methods for treatment of horses with acute lamitis (Hawkins et al, 1993, Andrews, 1994, Cripps
and Eustance 1999b, Hood, 1999, Katwa et al, 1999 and Wagner and Heymering 1999). Therefore, treatment regiments for acute laminitis remain empirical and based on the experience of attending clinician and result and results of retrospective studies (Baxter,
1996, a,b).
The goals of treatment in horses with laminitis was directed to counteract or minimize the predisposing factors, reduce the severity of pain and laminar damage, to ipprove digital and laminar haemo-dynamics and to prevent further rotation and sinking of the pedal bone within the hoof(Mostafa, 1986;Baxter,1996 a&b; O-Grady, 1997; Pollit et al, 1998 and Cripps and Eustace 1999a).
The present work was undertaken to evaluate clinically some suggested regiments used for treatment of horses suffering acute and sub-acute laminitis.During achieving that objective the severity of the disease and the time elapsed in between its onset and starting of treatment was considered.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
The material used in present work comprised forty-two native Arabians breed horses (17 mares and
25 stallions) suffering different degrees of laminitis. They included 18 acute cases (16 affecting the fore feet and 2 affecting all the feet
with recumbence) and 24 sub-acute cases.
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The rate of lameness progress depends on severity Of the condition, etiology, frequency of attacks and time
elapsed until veterinary intervention (Swanson, 1999).
Refractory animal are those of acute laminitis that do not show improvement within seven to ten days and rotation or distal displacement of the distal phalanx
is more likely to occur (Baxter, 1996a).
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The treatment should be given as soon as possible after after the development of the clinical signs where acute laminitis is considered te be a madical
emergency. Hours elapsed until veterinary intervention can make the difference in total success or disaster
(Mostafa, 1986; Goetz, 1989; Linford, 1996; Redden, 1997; Sumans et al, 1998 and Katwa et al, 1999).
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Animals with acute laminitis were reived initial treatment regimen that included:
1- Anti-thrombosis; (Heparin at a dose rate of 25 - 100 IU/kg b.w. intravenously in a half litre of Ringer's solution or Cal-heparine at the same dose subcutaneous)(Goetz, 1989 and Philpot et al, 1994)
2- Anti-inflammatory
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