The answer to the question is not really simple, but rather one of "ifs, ands, degrees, etc." Can a horse recover from laminitis/founder to become serviceably sound? Yes. Will it be predisposed to further bouts? Yes.
Laminitis can be caused by many factors and can range in severity from being very mild where the prognosis is quite good to so severe as to require the horse to be euthanized fairly immediately. The prognosis is dependent on many factors, not the least of which is how soon the problem is found and treatment is initiated. The greatest amont of destruction begins to occur within 12 hours of the onset of the disease. Many times if found early enough and if proper treatment is initiated, the disease can be managed very well, and many horses can return to normal activities. Another factor involved in prognosis is the number of feet involved, which, obviously, can range from one foot to all four feet. The more feet involved, the greater the insult to the system and the greater the degree of difficulty in maintaining the comfort of the horse.
