What are laminitis and founder?
The terms laminitis and founder are often used interchangeably. This is incorrect, although laminitis frequently leads to founder. Laminitis is an infection of the laminae, or tissue that connects the coffin bone to the hoof wall. It is a debilitating disease that causes the delamination of a horses hoof. As the layers of the hoof wall delaminate (separate) they cause extreme pain in the sensitive tissues underneath the hoof wall. (The sensitive laminae are living tissues that connect with the insensitive laminae to form a strong and durable bond between the hoof wall and the coffin bone.) Founder occurs when the bond between the sensitive and insensitive laminae completely fails, as the laminae die. This causes the attachment of the coffin bone to the hoof to break down, damaging arteries and veins and crushing the remaining living tissues around the coffin bone. In extreme cases, as the whole weight of the horse bears down on the coffin bone, it will rotate downwards and through the
