What acute laminitis is associated with

• A. Ruminal acidosis
• B. Calving
• C. Endotoxin
• D. Relaxin

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that acute laminitis in ruminants is most closely linked to a sudden disturbance in the rumen from excess fermentable carbohydrates, causing ruminal acidosis. When the rumen pH drops, lactic acid-producing bacteria proliferate and the barrier of the ruminal wall can be compromised. This leads to systemic exposure to endotoxins and inflammatory mediators, which travel to the hoof laminae and trigger the inflammatory processes that separate the laminae and cause the painful signs of laminitis. So the initiating issue that best associates with acute laminitis is ruminal acidosis. Endotoxin exposure can contribute, but the precipitating condition described here is the acidosis itself. Calving and relaxin don’t typically serve as direct, defining triggers for acute laminitis.