Laminitis Treatment - What your vet can do

Treatment of laminitis by your vet most commonly involves the use of anti-inflammatories (non steroidal anti-inflammatories NSAIDs) which also have some pain relieving effect and diet adjustment. NSAIDs such as ‘bute’ or flunixine are commonly used for around 2 weeks in acute laminitis cases and sometimes indefinitely in chronic laminitis cases. They effectively combat inflammation in the laminitis treatment.

Other Laminitis treatments include

1. Extra pain relief with narcotic analgesics e.g. fentanyl patches in America. Not used much in the UK.
2. Antibiotics like virginiamycin. Laminitis treatment aims to reduce the number of harmful bacteria in the gut causing release of toxins.
3. Drugs to improve circulation e.g. ACP the sedative (also reduces stress). Practically most such drugs have not been shown to help a lot in laminitis treatment. Isoxuprine has also been used.
4. Cold therapy. Can help in initial stages of laminitis treatment but the benefits have not been accurately assessed.
5. Heat therapy. Aims to improve circulation to laminitic feet but there is no evidence that it works.
6. Antihistamines. Once used for the treatment of laminitis but a role for their use has not been found.
7. Nerve Blocks to desensitise the feet in laminitis treatment may seem sensible but it may mean that laminitis cases put too much weight on sensitive feet and do more damage.
8. Uses of drugs to combat Cushings disease.
9. Use of drugs to combat insulin resistance.

In order to expel food that has caused laminitis it may also be useful to use liquid paraffin or even better Psyllium husks. This is particularly important where an animal has eaten too much grain or concentrates.