Acute Laminitis Medication Available to Field Case(s) for Testing

SPONSORED HOOF BLOG POST

WANTED: YOUR NEXT ACUTE LAMINITIS CASE

MAY 18, 2012--Hoofcare Publishing is asking the blog readership for assistance. The developer of a promising medication to improve the prognosis of acute laminitis cases is seeking a collaborator in the field who has a case that has just been diagnosed.

The medication is a mast cell inhibitor (stabilizer) that has been FDA-approved for use in humans. It is designed to inhibit the release of inflammatory mediators from the cells involved in laminitic reactions and has been successfully tested as a medication for induced laminitis in cattle, sheep and horses in university and private test studies.

A mast cell contains a bundle of granules. When it is activated, the pink granules, in this case of histamine, are released.  Mast cells are important in the immune response system but have many functions that are being studied in medicine. Color-enhanced transmission electron microscope image credit: University of Edinburgh. Wellcome Images

The developer now needs some clinical tests of the drug, which ships in solution in a vial. It is injected into the foot via retrograde venous therapy, similar to the way that antibiotics are injected into feet with infections. A tourniquet is used at the fetlock and the medication, in solution, is injected into the digital vein.

Only acute laminitis cases are being sought at this time. Horses that have progressed to chronic laminitis are not suitable for this test.

A stimulated mast cell that has just exploded, releasing histamine granules. The remains of the cell are seen towards the lower left, still containing a number of granules that are yet to escape. Image credit: K. Whitley, D. Becker, Wellcome Images

The medication is a mast-cell stabilizer, meaning that it inhibits the release of excess inflammatory mediators contained within mast cells. This is a much-studied area of immune-response medicine and other areas of disease pathways. The laminitis formulation also offers anti-inflammatory properties but must be administered only to horses that are not receiving Bute for therapy.

 A $75 formulation fee will be waived to a Hoofcare + Lameness blog reader who comes forward with a case to participate.

A clinic or private practitioner who would like to participate agrees to:

a. Administer the drug via the retrograde administration instructions provided.

b. Complete a Post-Treatment – Results Form – “5-Days” Post-Treatment.

c. To allow study sponsor to contact horse owner to complete Post-Treatment survey.

d. An owner-consent form must be completed.

If you are interested in participating, please send an email to Hoofcare Publishing and the developer will contact you.

Caution: Federal (United States) Law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.   Storage requirements: Room Temperature 

Followup: this product is also known as Laminil 

 

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