In cases of sepsis or endotoxemia, the underlying cause should be addressed concurrently with laminitis treatment. There are various methods for treating laminitis, and opinions vary on which are most useful. Additionally, each horse and affected hoof should be evaluated individually to determine the best treatment plan, which may change with time. Ideally, affected hooves are re-evaluated on a regular basis once treatment commences to track progress. Management
Initial management usually includes stall rest to minimize movement, and deeply bedding the stall with shavings, straw, or sand. Exercise is slowly increased once the horse has improved, ideally in an area with good (soft) footing, beginning with hand-walking, then turn-out, and finally riding under saddle. This process may take months to complete. Cryotherapy
Cooling of the hoof in the developmental stages of laminitis has been shown to have a protective effect when horses are experimentally exposed to carbohydrate overload. Feet placed in ice slurries were less likely to experience laminitis than "uniced" feet. Cryotherapy reduces inflammatory events in the lamellae. Ideally, limbs should be placed in an ice bath up to the level of the knee or hock. Hooves need to be maintained at a temperature less than 10 degrees Celsius at the hoof wall, for 24–72 hours.In the case of a full-blown case of laminitis, use of a cold water spa proved effective in the treatment of Bal a Bali. For the first three days, Bal a Bali was kept in the spa for eight hours at a time.
A single severe laminitic episode or repeated, less severe episodes can, depending upon the degree of separation of dermal and epidermal laminae, lead to either rotation or sinking of the pedal bone, both of which result in anatomical changes in the position of the coffin bone with visible separation of the laminae, colloquially known as founder. Rotation and distal displacement may occur in the same horse. Both forms of displacement may lead to the coffin bone penetrating the sole. Penetration of the sole is not inherently fatal; many horses have been returned to service by aggressive treatment by a veterinarian and farrier, but the treatment is time-consuming, difficult and expensive. Rotation is the most common form of displacement, and, in this case, the tip of the coffin bone rotates downward. The degree of rotation may be influenced by the severity of the initial attack and the time of initiation and aggressiveness of treatment. A combination of forces (e.g. the tension of the deep digital flexor tendon and the weight of the horse) result in the deep digital flexor tendon literally pulling the dorsal face of the coffin bone away from the inside of the hoof wall, which allows the coffin bone to rotate. Also, ligaments attaching the collateral cartilages to the digit, primarily in the palmar portion of the foot, possibly contribute to a difference in support from front to back. The body weight of the animal probably contributes to rotation of the coffin bone.