Marine A. Barnabé

1 INTRODUCTION Equine laminitis is a common and potentially devastating condition with various aetiologies, including endocrinopathies, sepsis, and excessive weight-bearing on one limb.

1 INTRODUCTION Equine endocrinopathic laminitis is a common, painful and potentially devastating condition that can affect horses, ponies and donkeys. Although multiple risk factors are recognised, insulin and adiponectin concentrations are currently the most important predictors of endocrinopathic laminitis risk.1, 2 These two hormones are commonly measured in equids, using either serum or plasma obtained via jugular venipuncture.

1 INTRODUCTION Basal hyperinsulinaemia and hypoadiponectinaemia are independent risk factors for the development of endocrinopathic laminitis.1, 2 Previously laminitic ponies have lower adiponectin concentrations than their never-laminitic counterparts3 and the presence of hypoadiponectinaemia prior to the first development of laminitis suggests that low adiponectin concentrations are not simply a consequence of laminitis.1 Although adiponectin and insulin concentrations are currently...