Laminitis is a serious hoof disease found in equines (e.g. horses, ponies, donkeys). Although it is very rare for laminitis to kill a horse directly, severe cases can result in the horse being put down for humane reasons (horse is in pain) or economic factors (horse is crippled and can no longer be used). Such euthanasia is sufficiently common that laminitis has become the second most common cause of premature horse death.