No hoof, no horse: Ending the scourge of laminitis.

No hoof, no horse: Ending the scourge of laminitis. With a little less than three years to go, will equine researchers meet the ambitious goal of Vision 2020—to conquer laminitis? Laminitis—the painful, crippling disease from damage to the hoof’s sensitive laminae—has been a scourge for ages, but it may soon … finally … be overcome. It is estimated that 15 percent of horses in the U.S. are afflicted by laminitis in their lifetime. Up to 75 percent of those affected eventually develop severe or chronic lameness and debilitation. An estimated $13 million annually is associated with the evaluation and treatment of laminitis and the loss of horses after a diagnosis. Now in 2017, there is reason for hope. Veterinarians at major universities worldwide are working on and inching closer to a cure. We’re on the verge of being able to treat the early stages of laminitis and perhaps reverse its devastating course that leads to the demise of so many horses.