EVALUATION OF THROMBIN-ANTITHROMBIN COMPLEXES AND FIBRIN FRAGMENT-D IN CARBOHYDRATE-INDUCED ACUTE LAMINITIS

Carbohydrate-induced laminitis has been associated with decreased plat elet survival, decreased blood flow to the hoof wall and with the depo sition of platelets and microthrombi within venules in the dermal lami nae. To evaluate further the systemic prothrombotic events occurring i n the prodromal stages of laminitis, plasma samples from control and l aminitis-affected ponies and horses were tested for the presence of th rombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes and fibrin fragment D (D-dimer). N o statistically significant differences between the control and lamini tis-affected animals were observed for either the D-dimer or the TAT c omplexes. Few of the values for individual animals exceeded the refere nce ranges for control animals. These data indicate that the prothromb otic events observed in carbohydrate-induced laminitis may not be asso ciated with systemic activation of the coagulation or fibrinolytic sys tems.