Effectiveness of a unique dihydropyridine (BAYTG 1000) for prevention of laminitis in horses.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a unique dihydropyridine (BAYTG 1000) would be beneficial in preventing laminitis in horses.


METHODS
16 clinically normal adult horses.


METHODS
8 pairs of horses were used in a controlled double-blind study, using sex- and age-matched horses randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Horses were subjected to carbohydrate overload to induce laminitis. Treated horses were administered BAY TG 1000 (30 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h) for 3 days. Hoof wall surface temperature (HWST) and lameness were recorded at 4-hour intervals. The HWST was adjusted on the basis of time of onset of lameness and evaluated, using a repeated-measures ANOVA. Lameness 8 hours after onset and clinical status 72 hours after onset of lameness were evaluated, using Mann-Whitney procedures.


RESULTS
Analysis revealed that BAYTG 1000 did not decrease the incidence of lameness but significantly ameliorated prodromal hypothermia, lessened the severity of lameness 8 hours after onset of lameness, and improved the clinical status of horses 72 hours after onset of lameness.


CONCLUSIONS
Results support the conclusion that BAYTG 1000 was protective when used in prevention of laminitis. The drug decreased severity and improved clinical status (recovery) of induced lameness, which was interpreted to mean that the drug's actions were on mechanisms important but secondary to primary causal mechanisms of laminitis. Therefore, drugs that enhance digital perfusion via alteration of rheologic activity may have potential use in the prevention and management of laminitis in horses.
Hood
David M
DM
Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station 77840-4466, USA.
Brumbaugh
Gordon W
GW
Wagner
Ilka P
IP
D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000503:physiopathology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006736:Horses; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D004095:Dihydropyridines