Therapeutic hypothermia (cryotherapy) to prevent and treat acute laminitis.

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Cryotherapy for Laminitis Prevention and Treatment Van Eps's 2010 review synthesises experimental and clinical evidence for applying therapeutic hypothermia to the distal limb as both a preventative and acute treatment for laminitis. The author examines the physiological mechanisms by which cooling tissue reduces inflammatory cascade activation and cellular damage in the laminar structures, then evaluates protocols for continuous distal limb cryotherapy in horses at risk or showing early clinical signs. Experimental models demonstrate that digital hypothermia significantly reduces laminitis severity when applied promptly, with the most compelling evidence for intervention during the critical prodromal phase—the narrow window between systemic insult (endotoxaemia, sepsis, excessive grain intake) and irreversible lamellar failure. Key practical implication: farriers, veterinarians, and yard managers should recognise that aggressive ice therapy to the distal limbs within hours of a laminitis trigger represents an evidence-backed intervention that can meaningfully limit tissue destruction, making it an essential component of emergency laminitis management alongside systemic therapy and dietary modification. The challenge for practitioners lies in identifying at-risk horses early and maintaining consistent, prolonged cooling protocols—a commitment that demands coordination between multiple professionals involved in the horse's acute care.

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Key Findings

• •Digital hypothermia successfully reduces the severity of experimentally induced laminitis
• •Continuous-distal limb cryotherapy may be useful in clinical cases at risk of developing laminitis
• •Article examines effects of hypothermia on tissue and provides rationale for distal limb cryotherapy protocols

Conditions Studied