Founder or Laminitis is when there is an inflammation in the blood vessels and tissues that surround and help adhere the coffin bone to the hoof. Laminitis is when those tissues start to break down and the coffin bone pulls away from the hoof, starts to rotate, and then sink down through the bottom of the hoof. Founder is very painful and if not addressed properly and immediately, it will lead to laminitis which typically has a very guarded prognosis.
The x-ray will show if the coffin bone is rotating as in laminitis. A horse with chronic founder and laminitis problems may show a displaced coffin bone (sunken) caused by past problems. Founder is usually detected by severe pain in the hoof, increased digital pulses, and heat from the hoof.
Horses can founder from various causes, too much fresh grass, too much grain, hard concussion from running on hard ground, foaling and retaining the placentia, too long riding in a trailer and not being able to move around, just to name a few.
Its also known as laminitis. It is an an acutely painful inflammation of the hoof. It occurs more in the front feet, but can occur in both. It can cause the attachment of the coffin bone to the hoof wall breaks down. The whole weight of the horse bears down on the coffin bone, and without the attachment to the hoof wall, the bone rotates down and can actually be pushed right through the sole to the ground.
Grazing on lush pastures. overloading on grain, eating lawn grass clippings, or drinking large amounts of water when overheated can all cause a horse to founder. Other causes include a mare retaining the afterbirth, hard or fast work on a hard surface or standing too long on a hard surface, and stressful situations such as colic.
Hoof specimen, sagittal section. Severe hoof capsule rotation and P3 penetration into the soleRotation and sinking of the coffin bone (in horses) are two possible consequences of a single severe laminitic episode or of repeated episodes and refer to varying degrees of separation of dermal and epidermal laminae, with resulting anatomical changes in the position of the coffin bone. This result is also commonly called founder, from the nautical term "to sink". Informally, particularly in the United States, "founder" has come to mean any chronic changes in the structure of the foot that can be linked to laminitis. In some texts, the term "founder" is even used synonymously with laminitis, though such usage is technically incorrect. Put simply, not all horses that experience laminitis will founder but all horses that founder will first experience laminitis.
Rotation occurs when the damage to the laminae is less severe and it will show up mainly in the toe area of the foot. One possible reason for this is the pull of the tendon attached to the coffin bone, the deep digital flexor tendon, literally pulling the dorsal face of the coffin bone away from the inside of the hoofwall. There are also ligaments attaching the collateral cartilages to the digit, primarily in the palmar portion of the foot, possibly contributing to a difference in support from front to back. It is also theorized that the body weight of the animal contributes to rotation of the coffin bone. Rotation results in an obvious misalignment between PII (the short pastern bone) and PIII (the coffin bone). In some cases, the rotation may also result in the tip of PIII penetrating the sole and becoming exposed externally. Coffin bones pierce the bottom of the hoof (near the frog).
Sinking is less common and much more severe. It results when there is a significant failure of the interdigitation between the sensitive and insensitive laminae around the entire perimeter of the hoof. In extreme cases this event allows the entire bony column, often described by its most distal bone, the third phalanx (a.k.a. PIII, P3, coffin bone, pedal bone, distal phalanx) to sink within the bottom of the hoof capsule.[citation needed]
Depending upon the severity at the onset of the pathology, there may be no movement of the coffin bone, rotation only, sinking only or a combination of both rotation and sinking, to varying extents. It is generally agreed that a severe "sinker" warrants the gravest prognosis and may, depending upon many factors, including the quality of after care, age of the horse, diet and nutrition, skill, knowledge and ability of the attending veterinarian and farrier(s), lead to euthanasia of the patient.
[edit] Separation of the hoof wall
The destruction of the sensitive laminae results in the hoof wall becoming separated from the rest of the hoof. Pus may leak out at the white line or at the coronary band.
[edit] Rotation of the third phalanx
The third phalanx, also known as the coffin bone, rotates downward. Normally, the front of the third phalanx should be parallel to the hoof wall and its lower surface should be roughly parallel to the ground surface but, in laminitis, a combination of forces (e.g., the tension of the deep digital flexor tendon and the weight of the horse) allows the coffin bone to rotate. The degree of rotation may be determined by severity of the initial attack or by how soon laminitis is detected and how soon actions are taken to treat the horse.
[edit] Penetration of the third phalanx through the sole
If rotation of the third phalanx continues, its tip can eventually penetrate the sole of the foot. Penetration of the sole is not fatal; many horses have been returned to service by aggressive treatment by a veterinarian and farrier, but the treatment is time-consuming, difficult and expensive.
[edit] Causes
Laminitis has multiple causes, some of which commonly co-occur. These causes can be grouped into broad categories.
[edit] Endotoxins
[edit] Carbohydrate overload
One of the more common causes. Current theory states that if a horse is given grain in excess or eats grass that is under stress and has accumulated excess non-structural carbohydrates (NSC, i.e. sugars, starch or fructan), it may be unable to digest all of the carbohydrate in the foregut. The excess then moves on to the hindgut and ferments in the cecum. The presence of this fermenting carbohydrate in the cecum causes proliferation of lactic acid bacteria and an increase in acidity. This process kills beneficial bacteria, which ferment fiber. The endotoxins and exotoxins may then be absorbed into the bloodstream, due to increased gut permeability, caused by irritation of the gut lining by increased acidity. The endotoxaemia results in impaired circulation, particularly in the feet. This results in laminitis.
founder is the inflammation of the laminated tissue that attaches the hoof to the foot of a horse
Grazing on very lush pastures or eating grass cuttings. excess feeding of grain, or drinking lots of water when overheated, standing or hard or fast work on a hard surface.
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Verified answer
Founder or Laminitis is when there is an inflammation in the blood vessels and tissues that surround and help adhere the coffin bone to the hoof. Laminitis is when those tissues start to break down and the coffin bone pulls away from the hoof, starts to rotate, and then sink down through the bottom of the hoof. Founder is very painful and if not addressed properly and immediately, it will lead to laminitis which typically has a very guarded prognosis.
The x-ray will show if the coffin bone is rotating as in laminitis. A horse with chronic founder and laminitis problems may show a displaced coffin bone (sunken) caused by past problems. Founder is usually detected by severe pain in the hoof, increased digital pulses, and heat from the hoof.
Horses can founder from various causes, too much fresh grass, too much grain, hard concussion from running on hard ground, foaling and retaining the placentia, too long riding in a trailer and not being able to move around, just to name a few.
Its also known as laminitis. It is an an acutely painful inflammation of the hoof. It occurs more in the front feet, but can occur in both. It can cause the attachment of the coffin bone to the hoof wall breaks down. The whole weight of the horse bears down on the coffin bone, and without the attachment to the hoof wall, the bone rotates down and can actually be pushed right through the sole to the ground.
Grazing on lush pastures. overloading on grain, eating lawn grass clippings, or drinking large amounts of water when overheated can all cause a horse to founder. Other causes include a mare retaining the afterbirth, hard or fast work on a hard surface or standing too long on a hard surface, and stressful situations such as colic.
[edit] Founder
Hoof specimen, sagittal section. Severe hoof capsule rotation and P3 penetration into the soleRotation and sinking of the coffin bone (in horses) are two possible consequences of a single severe laminitic episode or of repeated episodes and refer to varying degrees of separation of dermal and epidermal laminae, with resulting anatomical changes in the position of the coffin bone. This result is also commonly called founder, from the nautical term "to sink". Informally, particularly in the United States, "founder" has come to mean any chronic changes in the structure of the foot that can be linked to laminitis. In some texts, the term "founder" is even used synonymously with laminitis, though such usage is technically incorrect. Put simply, not all horses that experience laminitis will founder but all horses that founder will first experience laminitis.
Rotation occurs when the damage to the laminae is less severe and it will show up mainly in the toe area of the foot. One possible reason for this is the pull of the tendon attached to the coffin bone, the deep digital flexor tendon, literally pulling the dorsal face of the coffin bone away from the inside of the hoofwall. There are also ligaments attaching the collateral cartilages to the digit, primarily in the palmar portion of the foot, possibly contributing to a difference in support from front to back. It is also theorized that the body weight of the animal contributes to rotation of the coffin bone. Rotation results in an obvious misalignment between PII (the short pastern bone) and PIII (the coffin bone). In some cases, the rotation may also result in the tip of PIII penetrating the sole and becoming exposed externally. Coffin bones pierce the bottom of the hoof (near the frog).
Sinking is less common and much more severe. It results when there is a significant failure of the interdigitation between the sensitive and insensitive laminae around the entire perimeter of the hoof. In extreme cases this event allows the entire bony column, often described by its most distal bone, the third phalanx (a.k.a. PIII, P3, coffin bone, pedal bone, distal phalanx) to sink within the bottom of the hoof capsule.[citation needed]
Depending upon the severity at the onset of the pathology, there may be no movement of the coffin bone, rotation only, sinking only or a combination of both rotation and sinking, to varying extents. It is generally agreed that a severe "sinker" warrants the gravest prognosis and may, depending upon many factors, including the quality of after care, age of the horse, diet and nutrition, skill, knowledge and ability of the attending veterinarian and farrier(s), lead to euthanasia of the patient.
[edit] Separation of the hoof wall
The destruction of the sensitive laminae results in the hoof wall becoming separated from the rest of the hoof. Pus may leak out at the white line or at the coronary band.
[edit] Rotation of the third phalanx
The third phalanx, also known as the coffin bone, rotates downward. Normally, the front of the third phalanx should be parallel to the hoof wall and its lower surface should be roughly parallel to the ground surface but, in laminitis, a combination of forces (e.g., the tension of the deep digital flexor tendon and the weight of the horse) allows the coffin bone to rotate. The degree of rotation may be determined by severity of the initial attack or by how soon laminitis is detected and how soon actions are taken to treat the horse.
[edit] Penetration of the third phalanx through the sole
If rotation of the third phalanx continues, its tip can eventually penetrate the sole of the foot. Penetration of the sole is not fatal; many horses have been returned to service by aggressive treatment by a veterinarian and farrier, but the treatment is time-consuming, difficult and expensive.
[edit] Causes
Laminitis has multiple causes, some of which commonly co-occur. These causes can be grouped into broad categories.
[edit] Endotoxins
[edit] Carbohydrate overload
One of the more common causes. Current theory states that if a horse is given grain in excess or eats grass that is under stress and has accumulated excess non-structural carbohydrates (NSC, i.e. sugars, starch or fructan), it may be unable to digest all of the carbohydrate in the foregut. The excess then moves on to the hindgut and ferments in the cecum. The presence of this fermenting carbohydrate in the cecum causes proliferation of lactic acid bacteria and an increase in acidity. This process kills beneficial bacteria, which ferment fiber. The endotoxins and exotoxins may then be absorbed into the bloodstream, due to increased gut permeability, caused by irritation of the gut lining by increased acidity. The endotoxaemia results in impaired circulation, particularly in the feet. This results in laminitis.
founder is the inflammation of the laminated tissue that attaches the hoof to the foot of a horse
Grazing on very lush pastures or eating grass cuttings. excess feeding of grain, or drinking lots of water when overheated, standing or hard or fast work on a hard surface.
Founder is caused by chronic laminitis. It is the rotation downward of the laminae.
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