Equine Laminitis: A Potential Model of Raynaud's Phenomenon

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and equine laminitis in the horse are medical enigmas. Clinical and scientific data were compared to evaluate the degree of similarity that exists between these two peripheral vascular diseases. Data indicate that certain pathologic and pharmacologic aspects seem to have common features. Some of the correlations maybe due simply to both diseases having ischemia of the distal digits as a pathologic component. The exact etiology of the ischemia is not known for either disease. The results of this study suggest the hypothesis that RP and laminitis are the same disease in different species. This hypothesis can be tested more efficiently when the pathophysiology of both conditions is better documented. It is possible that comparative studies will promote advances in the understanding of both RP and laminitis. The fact that equine laminitis can be experimentally induced is of potential value in such future studies.