August 28, 2007

Case Study - Chronic Laminitis - NitrOxide and NutraWound

"El Patron"
10 year old Black
1/2 Paso, 1/2 AQHA gelding
15.2hh, 1050 lbs

"El Patron", was purchased as a 2 1/2 year old by his present owner. His owner describes him as a little horse, about 15.2hh, with a big appetite. His weight is estimated at 1,050 lbs. "El Patron" was very slow to mature, and didn't reach maturity until, he was about 6 years old. He had a tendency to be tender footed. He was kept at a facility in an in and out situation. He was fed hay and grain 2x per day, and was kept in the stall free to go into the corral 99% of the time. He did not have any access to green grass. But were showing signs of tender footedness and also had shelly feet that the farrier had a difficult time keeping shoes on. It was suspected that the horse was suffering from mild bouts of laminitis.

When the horse was 5-6 years old, he was moved to another facility where he had access to grass and he suffered an acute laminitic episode. Radiographs revealed approximately 3 degrees rotation in each front foot. "El Patron" was taken off grass, and heart bar shoes were put on. He also underwent a procedure that used a router to drill into the hoof wall and lamina to allow drainage. He seemed to respond and get better, but was not completely sound. After 6-8 months the owner began riding him lightly again, and with work, his lameness would worsen. He continued to chronically be worse and better, but never fully recovered.

December 2001 the owner got involved in the Strausser method of treating laminitic horses. The farrier began working on the horse, keeping him barefoot, taking his heels off, and keeping the horses feet moist by having him stand in the water overflow from the water tank. He had forced exercise to increase the blood flow to the feet. It took approximately 3 months of weekly trims, and the horse appeared to get better. After about 1 1/2 years the horse became more rideable, but he was still sore and his problems were not solved.

The horse was administered Bute (phenylbutazone) on and off over the last 4-5 years when he was painful, with it providing some relief.

"El Patron" was also put on thyroid medication for an under active thyroid. Cushing’s disease was not suspected, nor tested for. He remained on the thyroid powder for several years. He was regularly taking a biotin supplement called "Nu Foot".

It appeared that "El Patrons'" worst times were in the fall. The owner feels it was because he kept him off of the spring grass. On November 9, 2003 "El Patron" suffered his worst attack of laminitis. He was out on lush pasture, and his owner found him standing in the pasture, weight back on his haunches and holding his left foot up. He was hardly able to make it into his deeply bedded stall. The owner said he initially thought the horse had sustained a fracture of that leg.

"El Patron" had a corral outside of his stall and was not closed in. He was found outside lying in the mud by his water trough. Getting him back into the stall was very difficult for the horse, he would hop, weight on haunches and try and not bear any weight on his front feet, barely touching with his toes only. His owner said he would sweat profusely with nostrils flaring, and blowing hard just to take a few steps. He was still eating, but his appetite was decreased due to the pain.

"El Patrons'" owner saw an ad for NitrOxide™, a formula for aiding in treatment of laminitic horses.

November 15, 2003, NitrOxide™ a Nitric Oxide delivering product, was started at 1 double dose per day. (A single dose is 3cc powder per 100 lbs body weight; a double dose is 6cc per 100 lbs.) After 4 days on the product, the horse was able to stand comfortably in the stall.

After the first bottle, the owner decided to change to another Nitric Oxide delivering product called NutraWound™. This decision was made because he was still giving the "Nu Foot" biotin supplement, and NutraWound™ formula also has biotin in it for aiding in the repair of the hoof.

December 12, 2003, The horse had abscesses drain from the coronary band on each foot. Abscesses can occur up to 3 months after the initial insult to the lamina. They occur in areas of dead or dying lamina or solar corium, between the pedal bone and the hoof wall.

"El Patron" continued responding well to the Nitric Oxide delivering product NutraWound™, and by January 15, 2004, he was moving completely sound. He was never confined to his stall but was allowed in and out as he pleased, into a paddock with the grass mowed short. His dosages remained at 1 double dose per day until the end of January, and then were reduced to a single dose 3x per week. He is still on a single dose 3x per week. He appears to be the most comfortable and sound he has ever been in the last 4-5 years.

Radiographs were taken in March of 2004 and show 14 degrees rotation in both front feet. With encouragement, the owner is going to consider a program to gradually de-rotate him now that he is comfortable and moving well. "El Patron" will stay on NitrOxide™ at a single dose 3x per week for the rest of his life.

NitrOxide™ and NutraWound™ are both uniquely formulated using the precursors that increase Nitric Oxide production. Nitric Oxide is a gas molecule that causes vasodilation of the vessels, greatly increases circulation, and is an excellent anti inflammatory and pain reliever. Nitric Oxide is also crucial in establishing the body's own healing process and increasing cellular production to quickly heal the damaged lamina. Giving these products to the laminitic horse allows the horse to stay in a deeply bedded stall, without having to painfully walk to increase the blood flow to the tissues. Unfortunately, walking causes tearing of the already compromised lamina, thus increasing the chances of the coffin/pedal bone rotating or even sinking. We encourage the veterinarian to be aggressively involved in the horses care.

We recommend addressing the issues that caused the onset, and diagnostics to determine the extent of damage that has occurred. We also recommend the veterinarian and farrier work aggressively together to help support and stabilize the horses damaged foot. With aggressive treatment and allowing the Nitric Oxide delivering products to increase the circulation to the damaged lamina, the inflammation that causes damage and death to the lamina and pedal bone, will be reduced and the the body's own healing process speeded up. This greatly reduces the horse’s pain, and increases the horses’ chances of a complete recovery. Laminitis is a devastating disease, and one that should be treated as an emergency. Proper aggressive treatment at the onset is the best-case scenario for every laminitic case.

A testimonial from "El Patrons'" owner Mr. Larry O'Bryan of Texas: "I believe these products saved my horses life, and he will continue on maintenance doses for the rest of his life."