The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation is calling on veterinarians to volunteer information about naturally occurring cases of laminitis for the first study of The Laminitis Research Project.

The Laminitis Research Project unites veterinarians and horse owners in a collaborative effort to uncover new information about the causes, prevention, and treatment of laminitis. One of the most complex conditions confronted by equine veterinarians, laminitis is a demobilizing disease that affects the critical laminae structures of the equine foot.

Researchers coordinating the first study in the project series, "A Case-Control Study of Pasture- and Endocrinopathy-Associated Laminitis (PEAL) in Horses," are currently seeking cases from practicing veterinarians in the United States and Canada. This study is supported by the Foundation and by Prascend (pergolide mesylate), manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. By identifying risk factors associated with this form of the disease, researchers hope to develop strategies for management and prevention, as well as identify priorities for future laminitis research.

"It is our belief and hope that our study of naturally occurring cases of PEAL will identify factors that can be further investigated as means for preventing or controlling this form of laminitis," Noah Cohen, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, principal investigator of the PEAL study, said. "We are reliant on the goodwill and commitment of AAEP members in the United States and Canada to help us obtain the necessary information and samples from affected horses and unaffected horses that will serve as controls