A warning to all those who have Laminitics and Snow

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spotty_pony

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I know a few horses who have come down with Laminitis recently because they were turned out in the snow. A lot of people don't know (I didn't either!) that when snow becomes packed in the feet, the circulation to the foot is greatly reduced and it can bring on Laminitis. So a warning to anyone who owns a Laminitic and has lots of snow - be very careful! It might be worth keeping them in if possible if they are very prone to it.
 
Mine has not had laminitis but he is a typical good doing native...so I am always paranoid about the risk of laminitis. I have NEVER heard of this before, but it is always useful to know various factors that can affect the risk of laminitis, thank you.

Yes, frost covered grass is very bad for those with lami...I try to avoid turing out in frosty conditions where a thaw is unlikely, the rest of the time I try to ensure there is plenty of hay for him to munch first
 
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My girl is a Laminitic and has come down with a very mild case. She's never suffered in the snow before, but this year it does seem to be compacting and sticking in the hoof. it's not affecting my other two though, so a bit odd. Unfortunately I cant stable her as she suffers colic caused by stress of staying in. I have however made a very small pen around her field shelter and taken a Tip from Nativeponies of putting cottonwool in her fronts and covering with Vet wrap. This seems to have done the trick... :)
 
The sugars in the grass become more concentrated during the frost and snow cover

Still make pens for your lami cases

pack feet with lard and veg oil (1kg lard 1 litre oil-blend together by heating gently and allow to cool- pack feet and then use socks!!!!

Also to keep the blood supply to the laminae put furry boots on around fetlock area covering the coronet band-either use old set of travel boots and cut down or buy the rhinegold furry travel boots.

I have no idea how to post pics on here but my cushings lad is fine in his pen with the above done
 
I have had a pony come down with laminitus yesterday and was wondering how the hell that has happened !! whats the best step now to take, I have kept him in and given some bute ?
 
I've tried mixing lard and veg oil and smothering that in mines' feet, but it doesn't make any difference, she's still on 'stilts' in no time. Will try the socks now as well.

Must be the shape of her foot, because my Shettie is OK.
 
The Grinch said:
I have had a pony come down with laminitus yesterday and was wondering how the hell that has happened !! whats the best step now to take, I have kept him in and given some bute ?
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Vet, deep shavings bed and free choice soaked (minimum one hour but preferably 12 hours) and rinsed hay, in small holed net if overweight. Add a good balancer plus magnesium oxide/cal mag plus salt to a handful of soaked unmollassed beet like speedibeet. Nothing else to eat ie. no treats, carrots, apples, juice in water etc. etc.
Aim is to get dietry sugars as low as possible whilst maintaining good forage intake.


I don't know about ice packing in hooves but here's an article about grass.
http://www.safergrass.org/articles/sugarinhay.html
 
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My Farrier told me not to turn out my laminitic in the snow because of the above.

It's quite deep here so she has been in for 2days.
 
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