A collection of the latest research from around the world focusing on the complex equine disease laminitis has been made available for free to veterinarians and horse owners.

Laminitis is the second biggest killer of domestic horses. As knowledge of the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of the deadly condition continues to grow, the Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) has published Understanding and managing equine endocrinopathic laminitis, a special online collection of 27 papers and three accompanying editorials compiled by EVJ Associate Editor Nicola Menzies-Gow and Dr Melody de Laat from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia.

Over the past 10 years researchers have made great strides in understanding the pathophysiology of endocrinopathic laminitis. De Laat summarised the collection’s papers on the links between insulin dysregulation, equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and laminitis.

“We have defined insulin is the key player in endocrinopathic laminitis. We know horses and ponies with EMS and PPID are at an increased risk for developing endocrinopathic laminitis and we have come to understand that it’s insulin dysregulation in these animals which is helping to drive the laminitis,” De Laat said.

Read the full article here.