God calls all of his followers to have empathy for the many creatures in his dominion. Yes, we control the domain of nature, but we need to exert this power in a generous way so as to support the health and dignity of all of God’s creations. One of the best ways to show this with our equine friends is to do all we can to help mitigate the pain felt by these animals as they advance in age.
Deer Creek Structures is saddened to think about the horses that have been lost because of laminitis, a condition in horses that causes incredibly painful inflammation and pressure on the hooves. Many horse owners just want to be merciful and remove any chance of the horse feeling any future pain. Thankfully, however, there are a number of new analgesic pain relieving medications and procedures that can lengthen a horse’s life and give them a better enjoyment of their livelihood.
There are many ways to determine the level of pain being exhibited by a horse suffering from laminitis, according to this article published by equine health care publication The Horse. Taking note of the horse’s posture during normal daily activities is a good indication of whether something is wrong in how the horse is feeling. If a horse is grinding his teeth excessively or shifts his weight more than usual, it’s a sign that even standing in place is causing the horse some pain.
Currently, many horse doctors are suggesting a multimodal approach in treating laminitis and related inflammatory diseases in horses. Strong anti-inflammatory agents have been developed which can mitigate the pressure felt in the horse’s hooves caused by laminitis. Other strong sedatives have been developed which can provide immediate, although short, relief from painful symptoms. Therapeutic hypothermia, which involves the use of extreme cold to reduce inflammation, can also be applied to a horse’s hooves to reduce swelling.
Deer Creek Structures is encouraged to know about the progress of scientists and veterinarians around the world who are helping to make the lives of horses even healthier and better. We hope to see even more good news regarding laminitis and other horse-related illnesses in the coming years.