Laminitis Research Project

Unraveling the mysteries.
Disarming the disease.

The crippling effects of laminitis can threaten the life of a once healthy horse. Often, equine veterinarians are limited in their ability to mitigate the devastating effects of this complex disease.

Laminitis remains one of the most frustrating medical mysteries for equine veterinarians. The American Association of Equine

Photo courtesy of Dr. Nat White.

Practitioners Foundation is leading the charge against laminitis through an extended series of research studies (known as The Laminitis Research Project) that with the help of AAEP-member practitioners and horse owners, will reveal new information to help more veterinarians with diagnosis, treatment and prevention of laminitis.

The first study is underway, but help is still needed. The first study, A Case-Control Study of Pasture- and Endocrinopathy-Associated Laminitis in Horses, is supported by the AAEP Foundation and Prascend® (pergolide mesylate), manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.

How You Can Help Solve the Mysteries of Laminitis

By initiating collaboration among horse owners, veterinarians and top researchers, the Laminitis Research Project will provide critical information to create the foundation for future laminitis research. Research studies are currently underway, and you are invited to participate.

Participate in the Study

The first study of The Laminitis Research Project is designed to use data collected from naturally occurring cases of laminitis. You can contribute to furthering research by sharing information from eligible laminitic and control horse with our research team.

Click Here to Participate in the Study

Make a Donation or Join the Campaign

Every gift designated for laminitis research will bring us one step closer to solving the mysteries of this deadly disease. Join the cause to raise $1 million for laminitis research by making a donation or by fundraising at your practice, equine facility, business or event. You can make a difference and help the Foundation reach its goal.

Click Here to Donate Now

For information about ways to support this research or to enroll a horse in a study, visit us online or contact Jodie Bingham, Development Coordinator, at jbingham@aaep.org or (859) 233-0147 or toll free in the U.S. (800) 443-0177.

Project Goals & Objectives

Photo courtesy of Dr. Teresa Burns, The Ohio State University.

The objective of this project is to identify risk factors for laminitis that will provide critical information needed to guide research studies of the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of new cases of laminitis. The goal is to provide new knowledge which will help owners and veterinarians both prevent and manage laminitis.

The unique design of these studies utilizes collaboration of hundreds of AAEP members, horse-owners, and caretakers to collect data using scientifically sound methods. The data will be analyzed to identify risk factors for laminitis. Because these are prospectively designed studies of naturally occurring cases of disease, they have the advantage of not causing any undue suffering in research horses while capturing the true nature of laminitis and predisposing factors. Furthermore, everyone – the backyard horse-owners, professional trainers, farm managers, farriers, solo practitioners, veterinary hospitals, and academic research institutions – can help with these studies, either by participating or by supporting the fundraising campaign. To learn more about the disease, projects, key personnel, and more click here.

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