Dr. Andrew van Eps discussed the three types of laminitis and how far research on the condition has come with dvm360.

Web-exclusive content for this issue includes:

• Read about Matty Spinelli's use of a "hammer hand" when shoeing.
• View more photos from the 2017 IHCS.
• Read more on the role of cryotherapy in preventing and managing laminitis.
• Listen to two humorous stories from HOF inductee Gunner Gatski's career.
• Gain insight from Shayne Carter on shoeing the forefeet.
• Read AFJ's coverage of soring.

Are you finding that you're not getting the results you hoped for when using cryotherapy? Perhaps the affected leg isn't getting enough coverage.

Laminitis, a serious hoof condition that cripples many horses, can be caused by a number of different things. Ingestion of moldy feed, retained placentas in mares, and colitis or other gastrointestinal tract infections are only a few of the scenarios that can result in inflammation that affects the sensitive tissues within the hooves. The result is pain, swelling, and disrupted circulation, often leading to untreatable tissue damage that eventually causes the horse to be humanely destroyed.

Can you recognize "acute" (sudden onset) laminitis symptoms? How can you help your horse during this medical emergency? Dr. Walsh encourages horse owners to employ the only scientifically-proven method to prevent laminitis: "icing the feet," or "cryotherapy."