Lizards Desire's career over

Sad news sorry to Albert and connections

Laminitis puts paid to Lizard's Desire's career

NICCI GARNER: LIZARD’S DESIRE is fighting for his life on his owner Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s farm in Dubai after contracting laminitis.

A devastated Mike de Kock said on Friday that Lizard’s Desire, the horse who scored a glorious victory in the Singapore Airlines International Cup after so nearly winning the world’s richest race, the $10-million Dubai World Cup, and the premier event in Hong Kong, the QEII Cup at Sha Tin, earlier this year had contracted enteritis and the toxins had set off the laminitis, an extremely painful and debilitating inflammation of the hoof.

"Ninety-five percent of the time laminitis is deadly, but he’s fighting it with all the determination and courage he showed us in his racing,’’ said De Kock. "We’re hoping he’ll pull through.

"He’s a great character. To do Dubai as hard as he did and then go on to run so well in Hong Kong and Singapore says a lot about how special he is.’’

Lizard’s Desire, runner-up in last year’s Gold Circle Derby, ran four times in Dubai for two wins and a close second to Gloria De Campeao in the Dubai World Cup. Twenty-nine days later he failed by just a neck to catch Viva Pataca in the 2000m Sha Tin race. His turn came in Singapore where he got up close home to beat Gloria De Campeao by 0.50 lengths.

The five-year-old gelding, by Lizard Island out of the Northfields mare Annsfield, carried the hopes of many South African racing fans for even greater glory next year, but De Kock says his racing career is over.

"It’s heartbreaking for everybody because he’s done a hell of a lot for many people, and the country.’’

oh wells sorry to hear. hope he makes it.

that's bad news, hope he pulls thru.

TRAGIC NEWS.

Just a question. The horse was treated for a stomach problem and that set off a hoof infection.

How would that happen??

Gloria De Campeao has just been retired through injury aswell...

My great friend... you became part of my family.
You became part of our dreams.
When you ran you made us forget about our problems.
You've put your heart in everything that you have done.
You will be remebered as the smal Akkedis with the big heart.

You were SA MADE.

Good morning Kobus, its all very sad
Must have been a terrible couple of weeks for you.

Any news? Gloria de campo it has been annouced will stand at stud in Sweden ,bit of a coup for them!

Laminitis drug shows promise in clinical trial
By Horsetalk.co.nz on May 02, 2013 in Featured, Lameness, News


A drug undergoing a clinical trial in horses has proved successful in stopping laminitis in 80 per cent of horses treated so far, it has been reported.

Laminil is an injectable drug treatment for acute and active chronic laminitis that inhibits the inflammatory response and the laminitis cascade. It has to date proven effective in treating both acute laminitis and active chronic laminitis.

The active ingredient of Laminil is already approved for use in humans by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and has been approved for investigational drug testing in horses.

It is being tested in top veterinary facilities such as the Dubai Equine Hospital and the Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Kentucky.

It has been administered to more than 60 horses and 120 hooves with no adverse effects, proving successful in stopping laminitis in 80 per cent of horses treated so far.

It has shown effectiveness with all types of laminitis such as insulin resistance, equine metabolic syndrome, grain overload, grass founder, trauma, and weight-bearing laminitis.

Laminitis is inflammation of the hoof. There are many triggers, but the end result is the same: inflammation. This leads to destruction of the delicate laminae that connect the hoof wall to the coffin bone inside the hoof. The disease has ended the life of such great racehorses as Secretariat and Barbaro.

About 3 to 4 percent of the estimated nine million horses in the US will develop a case of laminitis annually. Worldwide, there are hundreds of thousands of cases of laminitis per year.

Laminitis is considered the No. 2 killer of horses, behind colic, and cases can be notoriously difficult to treat.

Laminil is a mast cell stabilizer that inhibits inflammatory mediators and other chemicals from being released from the mast cell in excess. When the inflammatory mediators are not released in excess, then the laminitis cascade is broken/halted, and the horse is able to heal and recover.

The drug is injected into the digital vein below the fetlock, using a temporary tourniquet above the injection site.

Those behind the clinical trial of the drug, Willowcroft Pharm, say more laminitis cases are needed for the study.

Veterinarians treating laminitic horses are encouraged to read through the inclusion form on the “For Veterinarians” page at www.laminil.us to see if the horse qualifies for the trial. If it does, the vet should follow the instructions on the form or contact Willowcroft Pharm for more information.

Willowcroft Pharm says participation in the clinical trial not only will help the horse, but it will get the drug approved so it can be available for all horses.