AAEP Foundation's Equine Laminitis Research Workshop Sets Goal to Conquer Laminitis by Year 2020

3 April 2010 | Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog at Hoofcare.com

On November 8-10, 2009, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation hosted the Second AAEP Foundation Equine Laminitis Research Workshop in West Palm Beach, Florida. Nearly fifty researchers and laminitis experts from around the world met to prioritize future laminitis research needs. The group also explored specific questions about the direction and cost of future laminitis projects.

In the two-day workshop, presentations and discussions of varied topics ranged from inflammation, vascular, endothelial dysfunction, and insulin resistance to biomechanics and chronic pain management. The group learned there is much information being generated on the topic of laminitis and they will seek answers to the many questions that loom surrounding this disease. A “World Café” session posed a special opportunity for attendees to delve into ten important questions that will guide a plan for future research efforts and the corresponding funding needs and establish timetable to accomplish the vision “to conquer laminitis by 2020.”

“During the Second Equine Laminitis Research Workshop we learned that we must continually develop and refine our vision for the future,” said Dr. Rustin Moore, chair of the 2009 workshop. “By continually engaging veterinarians, researchers, farriers, caretakers and the greater equine community in a collaborative effort to advance, expand and disseminate knowledge through research and collective experiences to effectively prevent and treat equine laminitis, it is hopeful that together we will move closer to our 20/20 vision of conquering this devastating disease by (the year) 2020.”

The Second AAEP Foundation Equine Laminitis Research Workshop was designed to build upon the foundation established by the 2004 AAEP Foundation Laminitis Research Meeting, as well as other meetings that have been hosted by the Havemeyer Foundation and the International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, over the past decade. The purpose of these meetings is to move the industry closer to unraveling the elusive mysteries of laminitis and help to develop effective strategies that will eventually lead to eradicating the disease.

Participants in the November meeting were challenged to develop plans for collaboration between investigators and to identify specific priorities in laminitis research for the next ten years.

This research workshop would not have been possible without the support of the following agency and corporate sponsors: AAEP Foundation, American Quarter Horse Foundation, Barbaro Memorial Fund (NTRA Charities), Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and Morris Animal Foundation. The AAEP also recognizes supporters of this meeting including Marianne and John K. Castle, Margaret Hamilton Duprey, Gretchen and Roy Jackson, Elizabeth Moran, Denise and Michael Rotko, and Carol and Mark Zebrowski. This cooperative effort aims to identify priorities for the equine industry and benefit the owner, veterinarian, supporting industries and, most importantly, the horse.

Please visit the AAEP Foundation Web site at www.aaepfoundation.org to see the complete 2009 AAEP Foundation Equine Laminitis Research Workshop report, summaries and related articles, including:

• Lessons Learned from the 2nd Equine Laminitis Research Workshop

• Summary Feedback from World Café, Questions and Key Recommendations on Next Steps

• The Pain State Arising from the Laminitic Horse: Insights into Future Analgesic Therapies – by Tony Yakash, PhD

• Overview of What we Know about the Pathophysiology of Laminitis – by Susan Eades, PhD, DACVIM-LA.

Foundered pony photo credit: World Horse Welfare

To learn more: Ohio State Vets Have a 20/20 Vision:Cure Laminitis by the Year 2020

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.

The Place to be Tonight

by Fran Jurga | 31 December 2009 | Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog

Here's a peek inside the Smiddy in Dundonnell, Scotland, which is almost as far north as you can go. It's past Inverness, and looks west toward the Outer Hebrides. It's a smiddy no more, but a mountaineering hut where up to ten hikers can rest for the night. But the forge fire blazes and the tools are still there and here's a fellow to serenade us on the accordion.

The red dot on the map at left locates Dundonnell on a map of Scotland. The islands to the left are the Outer Hebrides.

Auld Lang Syne is, after all, a Scottish tune penned by the great poet Robert Burns. But you knew that.

Here's the Dundonnell smiddy from the outside.

I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend an evening by the fire with than the readers of this blog. Of course I'm not really in Scotland, except maybe in a flight of imagination.

Thanks to Dundee, Scotland photographer Robbie Graham for the loan of this photo. Robbie asked for a "wee credit", but I'd give him a lot of credit. His photographs are extraordinary; take a "wee" tour of Scotland with Robbie with this set of images of the country he obviously knows and loves so well.

Happy new year from the Hoof Blog as I turn off the Big Mac for the year! May Auld Lang Syne's cup of kindness find you all often in 2010.