Laminitis occurs as a consequence of different primary problems in the horse and can be divided into 3 main categories based on cause:
1. Endocrinopathic (hyperinsulinemia-associated) laminitis
- Excess insulin in the blood directly affects the lamellae of the horse foot, disturbing lamellar epidermal cell cytoskeletal structure, adhesion dynamics and death/proliferation rates in this normally quiescent tissue.
- Our research in this area focuses on:
- The pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of insulin dysregulation in horses
- The mechanisms of action of insulin on the lamellae
2. Sepsis-related laminitis
- Diseases such as colitis, pneumonia, metritis can lead to acute laminitis, particularly when there is a component of endotoxemia.
- Our research in this area focuses on:
- The pathophysiology, which has many similarities to end organ dysfunction in human sepsis including acute lung injury
- Prevention and early treatment using therapeutic regional hypothermia (cryotherapy)
3. Supporting-limb laminitis
- Laminitis is a common and devastating complication of painful limb conditions like fractures that alter weight bearing patterns. In these cases it primarily affects the opposite (supporting) limb rather than the primarily injured limb.
- Our research in this area focuses on:
- Establishing the pathophysiology through in vivo and archived tissue studies
- Early identification of risk using sensor based limb motion analysis
- Developing means of prevention through augmented limb load cycling and perfusion in horses with painful limb injuries
