How To Treat Foundering In A Horse

Introduction

Foundering is a very painful condition that affects the horse’s hooves. If foundering is left untreated, it can become fatal, so it’s extremely important to be able to recognize and treat the symptoms. In this article, we’ll show you how to spot the signs of foundering in your horse and what to do when you notice them.

What is foundering?

Foundering is a serious condition that affects the health and welfare of horses. It can become life-threatening if left untreated, so it’s important to know what causes foundering, how to treat it, and how to prevent it.

Foundered feet are swollen, often with a “spongy” feel underneath the hoof wall. The frog may be enlarged or atrophied (shrunken). If you press on this area of your horse’s foot and he doesn’t flinch or appear uncomfortable in any way—or if you see redness or heat around this area—you should have your veterinarian examine him for signs of foundering as soon as possible.

How To Recognize Foundering:

The signs of foundering include:

• Lameness in the front feet. The horse may be lame on one or both feet, which can lead to a very short stride and an inability to walk comfortably. This is often due to pain from joint disease or laminitis.
• Swelling in the front feet. As with lameness, this is often caused by inflammation of joints or even laminitis, but it can also indicate other health issues such as ulcers or tendon injuries that are causing irritation and swelling in other parts of the body too (i.e., elsewhere on hooves).
• Lameness in hind feet. Just as with front legs, this indicates some kind of joint problem is occurring here too—either because they’re also affected by whatever’s going on with your horse’s front legs (such as laminitis) or because there’s another underlying cause like arthritis affecting those areas instead!
• Swelling behind hooves on their hind legs will also be visible if this condition occurs—again pointing towards inflammation somewhere along those areas where pressure could build up while walking around all day long every day over rough terrain.”

Causes of Laminitis and How to Prevent it:

There are a number of causes of laminitis, including:

• Excessive exercise. The horse’s hooves are stressed by extreme amounts of work or exercise. This can happen with endurance racing, hard training on a regular basis, or by overworking the horse at pasture.
• Poor hoof care and nutrition. Improper trimming and shoeing practices, poor diet and malnutrition (such as not enough hay or grain), all contribute to laminitis.
• Infection in the foot which leads to inflammation and edema (fluid buildup). Any infection—bacterial or viral—can lead to this condition if it is not treated properly with antibiotics (if necessary) and draining fluids from the area around the hoof wall in order for it to heal correctly without being damaged further by inflammation or edema that results from infection due to improper surgical procedures done inappropriately such as removing ingrown nails incorrectly causing more problems than what started out being done just once every few years instead now multiple times each year resulting in chronic conditions such as founderings where horses needlessly suffer more than what they should have been suffering before surgery was even considered because vets don’t know how important good nutrition is when dealing with most diseases including those relating specifically toward equine health concerns.”

How To Treat Foundering In A Horse?

If you suspect that your horse has foundering, the first thing to do is get him to a veterinarian. He or she will be able to determine if your horse has foundering by doing a physical examination and checking for signs of the disease.

The main symptom of foundering is lameness caused by enlargement of the hoof wall at its distal aspect (its toe), which can lead to laminitis. Your vet might also notice swelling in the lower legs or around the coronary band (the area where both hind legs meet). The hoof wall itself may be soft, crumbly and flaky—this is particularly common when there’s been damage from repeated episodes of laminitis. It’s important that you report any other possible symptoms as well: inflammation around joints, pain on movement or while walking, heat when touching specific areas on their body with a gloved hand; these are all warning signs that something might be wrong!

Foundering is a dangerous condition that should be treated as soon as possible. If you notice any symptoms, consult your vet immediately.

Foundering is a dangerous condition. If you notice any of the symptoms below, consult your vet immediately. Foundering can be caused by a buildup of toxins in the horse’s digestive system, which leads to weight loss and other health problems.

Foundering is marked by some of these symptoms:

• Increased drinking
• Increased urination
• Loss of appetite

Conclusion

Foundering in horses can be a very dangerous condition, and it is important to get immediate help if you think your horse may have developed laminitis. If you have any questions about your horse’s health or treatment, consult a trusted veterinarian.