Protecting Your Horse: Managing Winter Laminitis

While the thermometer tells us we are still enjoying warmer this year, it won’t be long before we once again experience the freezing cold of winter. So it really isn’t too early to think about protecting your horse from winter laminitis. If he has had a bout of laminitis in the past, it is likely he may encounter it again.

Protecting your horse

In addition to severe pain and discomfort, repeated occurrences of laminitis can permanently damage the vascular supply to your horse’s feet. Winter laminitis can strike horses without any prior history of it. This may be due to reduced circulation to the feet in cold weather, and the effects of cold stress. Here are some suggestions to help minimize the risks for your horse:

• Provide adequate shelter that protects your horse in wet and severely cold temperatures.
• Be sure to have blankets, leg wraps and lined boots ready for use when bad weather sets in.
• Remember to use generous amounts of Sturtevant’s Veterinary Antiseptic Powder on your horse’s frogs and soles.

Doctors have used this product for years in supplementing treatment for laminitis. It is believed that the ingredients used in Sturtevant’s large animal formula helps promote the natural production of vascular nitric oxide, which supports blood delivery to the extremities and feet. The F.C. Sturtevant Company produces a related product for use in hospitals to treat and prevent decubital ulcers on the feet and ankles of people with diabetes-related circulatory complications.

Remember, protection against the cold is the first step in combating winter-related hoof pain. Be prepared to provide the proper care for your horse when Old Man Winter returns this year. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.