Acute phase proteins levels in horses, after a single carbohydrate overload, associated with cecal alkalinization.

Introduction: Horses submitted to carbohydrate overload can develop laminitis due to changes in cecal pH and microbiota, followed by an increase in transmural absorption of luminal content, including bacterial toxins. In response to acute injury there is hepatic overproduction of several proteins known as acute phase proteins (APP). Few studies have evaluated protein fractionation to characterize the inflammatory response in acute laminitis. The aim of this study was to test the viability of an experimental model to induce acute laminitis, using a single carbohydrate overload, and the influence of a buffering solution on the development of the disease; also, study the kinetics of APP during acute laminitis, as well as the correlation between these proteins and clinical signs associated to this syndrome. Methods: Ten healthy horses were divided in a factorial and randomized way into four groups ( Results and discussion: 40% of the animals from SG and 60% from SBG developed clinical laminitis. A single administration of buffer solution was not able to prevent clinical signs of laminitis. There was no difference between groups on total serum protein, albumin, serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein concentrations (