Cold Feet: The Science of Cooling Equine Hooves

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Cooling treatments for equine laminitis have long been standard practice, but groundbreaking research now reveals that not all cooling methods deliver equal results. Drs. Andrew Van Eps and Sarah Ciamillo join us to discuss their study which found that distal limb immersion in ice and water dramatically outperforms other cooling techniques for equine hoof lamellae under real-world conditions.

Their research addresses a critical clinical challenge: while ice water immersion has been the gold standard in experimental settings, its practical application in everyday equine practice presents significant hurdles. The weight of water columns makes movement difficult, leading many practitioners to seek alternatives like ice packs or sleeves. This study definitively demonstrates that these alternatives simply don't match the cooling effectiveness of traditional ice water immersion.

What sets this research apart is its methodological approach. By measuring temperatures directly within lamellar tissue while horses moved freely in stalls, the team created truly clinically relevant conditions. The results were striking – even to researchers who anticipated ice water's superiority. "I just didn't expect there to be such a drastic difference between all the different methods," notes Dr. Sarah Ciamillo.

Beyond cooling techniques, our conversation explores the frontier of laminitis research, including exciting applications of artificial intelligence for predicting which horses might develop supporting limb laminitis. The team discusses ongoing collaborations with equipment manufacturers to develop more practical cooling solutions that maintain therapeutic effectiveness.

For horse owners and practitioners alike, the message is clear: when dealing with horses at high risk of laminitis or showing early clinical signs, ice water immersion should be the treatment of choice – even if that means referring to a hospital facility equipped to provide this therapy properly. This episode delivers critical insights that could change how we approach one of the most devastating conditions in equine medicine.

Have you dealt with laminitis in your equine patients? Share your experiences with cooling techniques and join the conversation about this research that's transforming our approach to equine foot care.

Open access AJVR article: https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.24.10.0291

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