VET TALK  
by Amy Ortez, DVM
Dr. Amy Ortez, DVM
Dr. Amy  Ortez grew up spending most of her time in and around barns outside of Philadelphia, PA.  After spending many years working in various aspects of the horse industry, Amy made the decision to attend veterinary school at the Atlantic Veterinary College on Prince Edward Island, Canada.  Since graduating, Amy has made her home near Rochester, NY where she is a mixed animal practitioner.  There is no aspect of equine medicine that does not interest her.  Amy is also the proud owner of several horses that she enjoys riding.

SPRING GRASSES and Their Invisible Danger

Aaahh, Spring! The days are getting longer, the birds are singing, and thanks to spring grasses, the horses and ponies are poised to get laminitis. A vet school professor used to say that every horse is a case of laminitis waiting to happen. No one wants the weather to be more conducive to riding only to be sidelined by a lame horse.  Laminitis not only interferes with your riding plans, it threatens your horse's life. 
 
The problem with spring grasses, and sometimes with grasses or feed in general, is the change in sugar content. Horses can tolerate a fair amount of sugar when they are accustomed to consuming it. The problem arises when the sugar content in their food increases dramatically. The population of microflora in the large intestines switches to those that can handle the extra starch production. They create more volatile fatty acids, gas and lactic acid. This kills some of the microbes and leads to toxin production which can lead to laminitis.   
 
General rules to consider:
 
  • Sugar in grass accumulates by photosynthesis throughout the day.  The more sunlight, the higher the sugar content in the grass.   
 
  • Grass that grows in the shade has less sugar than grass that receives more sunlight.
 
  • If a horse only wears a grazing muzzle for a portion of the day, they will eat in excess during the time they are not wearing the muzzle, essentially making the time wearing the muzzle obsolete. 
 
  • Horses that have experienced laminitis in the past are more likely to suffer from it again. 
 
  • Abrupt changes in sugar content are detrimental to a horse's wellbeing, increasing the chances of laminitis and colic. 
 
  • Sugar content in grass changes with different environmental conditions. If there is a long drought that is followed by substantial rain, the sugar content in the grass may increase quickly. If it is early in the drought, the grass will be holding on to sugar as a defense mechanism. 
 
  • Changes to an animal's food should be made slowly. Most people know this to be true for grain but it also holds true to forages, both grass and hay. 
 
Laminitis is terrifying. Many horses have lost their lives because of the unrelenting pain it causes. Being conscientious about the changes in sugar content in both the forages and grain fed to your horses is extremely important when trying to prevent laminitis from occurring.  
Diagram of a healthy hoof compared to a laminitic hoof
In this diagram notice with severe laminitis the pedal (coffin) 
​bone has rotated and is facing downwards to protrude through the sole of the foot.


Hint: Click on the diagrams to take a closer look at them.
DISCLAIMER
The information contained on this website is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  Information found on this website
is meant for educational and informational purposes only.
When in doubt, consult your veterinarian.