How to Treat Founder in a Horse

Laminitis, often simply referred to as founder, is an inflammation of the sensitive laminae in the horse hoof. Laminitis is a painful condition, recognizable by severe heat, a strong digital pulse and the rocking-horse stance an equine will take with all his weight rocked back on his heels. Caused by a metabolic imbalance, founder most often occurs in the front-weight bearing hooves, but it can occur in all four.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your horse is foundering. It is very important to act quickly.
2. Remove all grain and hay from your horse. Founder is triggered by a metabolic imbalance, often overeating. This causes toxins to build up and constricts the blood flow to the sensitive laminae. This is why founder is more prevalent in overweight horses, especially ponies, and in spring when grass is lush and rich. It is important not just to treat the symptoms, but to remove the initial cause.
3. Hose the affected hoof with cold water for 20 minutes while you wait for the veterinarian to arrive. You may also try applying a mud poultice or standing the horse in a muddy puddle. The hoof is solid and when the sensitive laminae are inflamed they expand. But unlike swelling in other areas of the horse's body the hoof can't expand. The swelling just presses against the bones and solid structures in the hoof, which is one of the reasons laminitis is so painful. Cold hosing will help relieve the pain and make your horse more comfortable.
4. Place your horse in a soft, deeply bedded stall and encourage her to lie down. This will help relieve pressure on the affected hoof or hooves.
5. Administer a painkiller and anti-inflammatory drug, such as phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine or ketoprofen, all of which are non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Speak with your veterinarian before administering any drugs. When your vet arrives he/she may also administer intravenous Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). DMSO will help increase the soft tissue's absorption rate for drugs and other subtances. Acepromazine, a sedative and isoxsurpine, a vasodilator to increase blood flow, may also be prescribed.
6. Talk with your farrier about corrective shoeing. While laminitis is referred to as inflammation of the sensitive laminae, the inflammation is actually caused by cell death in the sensitive laminae. The sensitive laminae are the bond between the hoof wall and the petal bone. When the cells die, this bond breaks down and the petal bone can rotate and sink down into the hoof wall. A shoe with frog support, a heart bar or tongue bar shoe, will help relieve pressure on the sole and may prevent large shifts of the petal bone. A wedge shoe can also raise the heel several increases and prevent the tendons from pulling the petal bone down. However, if a rotation of the petal bone has already occurred a wedge show can make the condition worse.
7. Restrict your horse's exercise. After the symptoms have ceased your horse will still require a long period of stall rest. Usually at least 30 days. When he is ready for some turn-out, a small sand pen is best to limit his movement and provide his hooves with some cushioning. You may also want to administer a sedative before turning your horse loose to prevent him from getting overexcited and re-injuring himself.
8. Speak with your veterinarian about other treatment options and alternative therapies. Your veterinarian will have up-to-date information about what new drugs and procedures are available. They may also recommend a change in diet or an additional feed supplement. There is no universal treatment for laminitis, further treatment will depend largely on the degree of damage, the horse's individual history and how stable or unstable the laminitis.

Tips & Warnings

• Generally speaking founder can be grouped into two categories: acute and chronic. In acute laminitis the symptoms appear quickly and include sweating, fever and a strong digital pulse. Chronic laminitis appears slowly and develops over an extended period of time due to persistent changes in the hoof. It can be far more difficult to manage chronic laminitis; if the cause of chronic laminitis is not discovered and treated the founder can reoccur.
• When it comes to horses and health, prevention is always best. We can actually kill our horses with kindness. The most common causes of laminitis are obesity and overeating grains high in carbohydrate-rich grass. Other triggers include shock, colic, severe dehydration, excessive exercise, extreme concussion to the hooves, and hormonal imbalances. Many of theses can be controlled with good barn and horse management.
• Don't cold hose or poltice too often as it will also constrict the blood vessels.