can't stable mild laminitis case

[cadno1]

Had to call vet today as my cob x showed some small signs of being tender in front feet. Worst fears confirmed as vet suspects mild laminitis. Am unable to stable him due to (a) not having proper stable and (b) stress levels that will result from attempting to barricade him into a (doorless) barn, away from his companion, as this has never happened to him before. Vet agreed pacing and / or stress could worsten condition, so I've got him shut away from grass, with companion, in small dirt floor corral, with access to barn, where I've put an area of deep shavings. I've also put rubber mats on area of concrete outside barn. Am currently soaking hay (vet said 10 hrs and I couldn't find a bale till 6pm this evening). I've had to give both ponies a little bit of 2 hrs soaked hay (literally football sized amount, twice in a few hours) and a couple of small feeds of Happy Hoof and Low Cal balancer, because I believe complete starvation isn't good either .... Am concerned that I haven't got him stabled, and that I've either given him too much or not enough hay, and that he might get worse over night. Any thoughts please? Am at my wits end.
Sorry for long post.

 

[Dogstar]

Sounds like you are doing the right thing except the whole area needs to be shavings, apparently nothing else works so well in supporting the hoof. My mare is a door banger so when I thought she had laminitis I penned her in a stable sized area outside with deep shavings and put tyres round the edge to keep the shavings in. Good luck.

 

[cadno1]

Hi
Thanks for this. Can't get more shavings tonight ... wish I'd known how vital stabling / shavings was or would have built something to keep him on them, regardless of stress factor. Will just have to hope for best overnight, and sort it tomorrow. Thanks again and hope your mare was OK.

 

[stormalong]

Hi there = you are doing the right things. I found that Easibed was better for laminitics, or Safemix - woodchip gives better support to the feet and pedal bone. Appreciate you already have shavings down, you could try adding Easibed in a couple of days. Yes, soak hay, and if you can give little and often to aid boredom. My 13hh welsh pony used to have 2 smallish slices a day of hay, plus some Dengie Lite. When you do turn out again I found a grazing muzzle invaluable - preferred the canvas one as opposed to the plastic bucket ones. Pony took a few days to work out how to use it, but much preferred being out grazing than stuck in stable all the time.

Good luck, don't worry too much it will come right in time.

 

[millimoo]

In the absence of a full floor of shavings, see if your vet/farrier can pack his feet with pads. I'm not sure of the process as I've never used them, but may be worth considering. Feeding regime sounds ok, and definitely DON'T starve them

 

[AngieandBen]

Years ago, they used to use pieces of thick carpet for packing the feet!

You can buy foam supports now. Good luck, make sure she is comfortable thats the main thing, and plenty of fibre for her to eat

 

[cadno1]

Hi Stormalong, Angieand Ben and Millimoo,
Thanks so much for your replies - I had wondered whether there was something he could wear in his feet (as opposed to having to stand on something, in one place), so I'll check this with vet/farrier.
Hay is now soaked so am able to feed small amounts, often, along with Happy Hoof and balancer.
Will check out the canvas grazing muzzle - he has a rubber one but threw himself on floor in effort to get it off ... Wish now I'd persevered :-(
Thanks again - it's really helped having other people's advice / experience.
All best, Karla

 

[horsedreams]

hi
instead of wasting money on the frog supports (very expensive and don't last long) find some soft rubber (what they use for wall matting) and cut into shapes of the frog then bandage the all foot with vet wraps to hold them in place this will help with the support
if you can not get hold of the wall matting we would roll a human bandage into a sausage shape and pad up like this or premature baby nappies are good to improvise with

i hope he is ok lami is a very painful thing to have for a horse

grazing muzzles -- we used the shires canvas one bought a greenguard and he was not comfy in this at all much prefered the small holed canvas
they are around £14.00 in the shops

as for the hay try double netting so it lasts longer

we gave bran mashes to flush out the toxins not everyones cup of tea but an old farrier told us it would help flush him out of all the toxins

ours had a severe case of lami but he did pull through after 8 weeks though he had to have his toes cut right back and was fitted with heart bars when he was comfy enough in his feet

hope this helps

 

[cadno1]

Thanks so much for this - very useful info - thanks again - will try those things

 

[JHR]

I have an old pony who gets laminitis from time to time. I used to stable her but now but her In the school where she is happier, an the soft surface help her out, she hates the stable. Packing the foot is another idea as people have said, can buy frog supports, get the frier to help or create something yourself with loads cotton wool or something. After a Couple of days when the tenderness has stopped, I put her in a starvation paddock, she is much happier in there as she can see the other horses and is outside.

 

[lily1]

I have a shetland mare that showed early sings of laminitis bought on by a long course of antibiotics, apart from deep shavings, soaked hay and happy hoof the vet suggested Lamineze just 1/2 a scoop twice a day and its helped.

 

[Hebe]

Some excellent points made here

I would put a mag lick in with him too if he was mine

 

[legaldancer]

Did the vet prescribe bute? A vet told me to give bute to a pony who had very early signs of laminitis.

Please check with your vet first.

 

[cadno1]

Thank ever so much for more suggestions re Lamineze, Magnesium and school environment. Re Bute, he was on 1/2 sachet a day, for arthritis - so vet has actually taken him off it, to see extent of pain from laminitis - but I would imagine he'll be going back on a bigger dose, once we're sure it wasn't masking some higher level of pain.
Thanks again - all info and advice is so welcome

 

[bensababy]

Can i also please advise against padding the feet yourself - consult farrier and vet and get them fitted properly, you place them in the wrong position and you will be left worse off!

 

[cadno1]

Thanks - I'm hoping to speak to vet again later this evening and had planned to ask her about it - it seems it really would help if he had some support, but none of the vets have yet suggested it.
Many thanks again

 

[millimoo]

For another muzzle option, google Dinky Rugs. My Shetland wears these. The nostrils are open, and they don't rub. The only problem I have is that they wear out quicker as they are made of web strapping. But hes much happier in these than the rubber bottomed ones. My mum even has her warmblood in the XL ... And she hates muzzles

 

[spookypony]

Careful about the Happy Hoof...it does contain molasses, if in small quantities. I've been advised against it.

If the laminitis is very very mild (as your description of slight tenderness suggests), I wouldn't worry too much about the deep shavings/stabling (seeing as he has the option of standing on the shavings available to him). We had a few brushes with LGL last year, and each time, putting him in the no-grass paddock with soaked hay sorted the tenderness very quickly. Vet and trimmer both agree as to management.

I'm hoping we'll manage to avoid the problem this year!

Best of (((vibes))) for your horse's quick and complete recovery.

 

[cadno1]

Hi
Thanks for replies. Re Spooky pony - how quickly was it that pony improved? Mine seems worse, if anything this morning (diagnosed Tuesday) Thanks for Happy Hoof warning :-( Have only been feeding tiny amounts (approx 1 kg per day) but maybe not helping?

 

[Laura1812]

these are pads for laminitis - will eliminate the need for so much bedding

http://www.aepsupplies.co.uk/index.cfm?sid=21583&pid=330565&item=26497

also sand is good for them to stand on if you have an outside area

 

[cadno1]

Thanks for that link - they look brill
Thanks again

 

[spookypony]

If he seems worse, definitely time to talk to vet again...I'd honestly cut out the Happy Hoof as well; maybe phone up the "Metabolic Horse" people and ask for some advice. My pony was better after a day or two.

 

[hippo-horse]

My mare had severe laminitis 7 years ago,she too would not settle in her stable,and we had to tape off a section of the main field for her,not much bigger than her box.The vet used a 2 part puttty in her feet for support,it warmed when combined,then hardened to support her hoof,and was secured with vetwrap,plastic sacking and tape.My farrier is amazed at how she has recovered,and thinks that the putty saved her hooves from serious damage.I still worry about her,so i try to keep her off good grass,or make her stand in with a fellow chubber for part of the day if the grazing is too good for her.