SYDNEY, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers said they have helped open up new channels to target a top killer disease of horses, pointing to important and improved equine and veterinary treatment worldwide.

Laminitis, a complex, common and often devastating disease affecting animals' feet, is a major killer of domestic horses. However, researchers have made great strides in understanding its pathophysiology, the Queensland University of Technology said in a statement about its researchers' work late Friday.

The team presented the latest findings in the field, with important links such as insulin dysregulation, equine metabolic syndrome and other factors to the disease, it said.

"We have defined insulin as the key player in endocrinopathic laminitis ... we have come to understand that it's insulin dysregulation in these animals which is helping to drive the laminitis," said the university's Dr Melody de Laat.

"Detection of insulin dysregulation is essential to identify animals at increased risk of endocrinopathic laminitis so that the preventative management strategies can be focused on these individual animals," said Dr Nicola Menzies-Gow from the Royal Veterinary College in London.

The researchers have set up a special online collection of findings on the disease via the Equine Veterinary Journal scientific publication.

"I am really optimistic that within the next ten years we are going to be able to understand the pathophysiology of this condition really well," said Dr de Laat.

"And then we'll be able to turn our attention to new treatment options for the disease, which will help horses to become pain free." Enditem

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