Laminitis is a terrifying mystery to many horse owners, in part because in the early stages a horse with tremendous damage can look and act much like a mild case. A great deal of damage can occur even when the horse appears to have a favorable response to treatment.

What’s going on inside that laminitic foot, and how do you tell if it’s a really bad case?

To answer these questions, we’ll take a look inside the laminitic foot using radiographs (X rays) and venograms, because understanding the mechanical changes that occur within these feet helps us understand how to treat laminitis more successfully