Equine laminitis induced with oligofructose.

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Oligofructose-Induced Laminitis Model Van Eps and Pollitt's 2006 research established a reproducible experimental model of laminitis by administering oligofructose (OF) to horses, bridging the gap between field observations and controlled laboratory investigation of this devastating condition. Twelve horses received OF whilst six controls received placebo; researchers monitored clinical signs and collected blood samples at 4-hourly intervals over 48 hours, with post-mortem histological grading of lamellar tissue to assess laminitis severity. All OF-treated horses developed both clinical and histological laminitis whilst controls remained unaffected, demonstrating 100% consistency in disease induction. By establishing OF as a reliable trigger, the authors directly linked pasture-related laminitis cases to fructan overload—a finding with significant implications for grazing management and dietary prevention strategies. For practitioners, this work provides mechanistic support for restricting high-fructan pasture access during risk periods and highlights the importance of monitoring nutritional intake rather than attributing all cases to systemic factors alone.

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Key Findings

• •All 12 horses administered oligofructose developed clinical and histological laminitis within 48 hours, while 6 sham-treated controls remained unaffected
• •Oligofructose alimentary overload reliably induces laminitis in horses, establishing a valid experimental model
• •A causal link is established between pasture fructan content and field cases of laminitis in horses

Conditions Studied