Lactic Acidosis: a Factor Associated with Equine Laminitis

Plasma L-lactate was measured in 31 horses subsequent to carbohydrate overload of the gastrointestinal tract. The greatest increase in lactate was observed in horses dying of circulatory collapse; horses developing laminitis had a lesser increase, while horses with neither syndrome had only a slight increase. In retrospect, either death associated with complete circulatory collapse or laminitis associated with survival could have been predicted 16 to 24 hr after carbohydrate overload. Only two of five horses that died of cardiovascular collapse exhibited signs of lameness prior to death.