digital pulses..?

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amandaco2

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was wondering if anyone takes them on their horses?and when they get raised pulses?
since my older mare got laminitis last year ive been taking them once or twice a day on all my horses
sometimes one horse will have a raised pulse but not the others.
ive found them raised in my 2yo fillys feet today when though she has only been laying down and its not been particularly warm.(shes kept the same as the lamanitic mare) the laminitc mare had no pulse at all!
 
I do check them sometimes, but not on a regular basis.
 
Like you I regularly check for pulses after having a laminitic pony, my vet recommended it as a good early warning of a problem, I realise that it can't be taken in isolation but if you find something at rest with significant pulses i would keep a close check over the next 24 hrs both of the pulses, hoof heat and any signs of footiness. There is no harm in being careful this time of year - just try not too become paranoid - I know I did!
 
My horse tore a tendon last year and since then I have checked her legs every day at least once, if not twice. I feel the tendons, feel for any heat in the heel or on the front or sides of the feet, check that both feet are the same temperature (as best I can with only my hand), and check for a raised digital pulse (plus a sweep over with my eyes and hands for anything else). My horse went lame on Wednesday with no signs other than the actual lameness - no heat, swelling or pulse. Lameness has progressed and today she has hot feet and some swelling, still no pulse.
IMO legs (all four) should be checked once every day, at the same time of day each time. Swellings, heat and raised pulses can all be early warning signs of things going wrong, but then they don't have to show any symptoms at all if they want to be a big pain in the backside
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As Jane_lou says though, don't check too often or paranoia will take over!
 
I am afraid that I am one of the paranoid round here and check my Cushings horse who has suffered Laminitis, twice a day
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As others have said this cannot be taken in isolation.

But it is good to keep and eye on the whole persona of the horse or pony .... if ever in doubt about any aspect of your horse's 'norm' then it is worth being a little bit concerned and have it checked out, even if it is a quick call to the Vet to have a chat .....

I keep a dairy of my Cushings horse so I am completely paranoid aren't I
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its a shame as ive kept her on the bare field for now,just in case.
this is the sort of weather her and lamanitic mare could have gone on a section of the grassy paddock overnight, its been very very dull here.
 
Bruising can cause a raised digital pulse, severe bruising can even cause a bounding pulse .... having a horse with laminitis history and frequently bruising his feet I take digital pulses at rest twice a day.

yes, I know Im paranoid, but I am just too scared to miss something.
 
Yep, I too am paranoid and now checking the youngster just as obsessivley as the oldie! I think you can't take the DP in isolation TBH and have to watch the whole horse as someone else said eg I watch the consistency of their droppings, how they move etc
 
Where in the foot do I find the digital pulse?
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Is there a normal pulse rate for this or is it a case of what's normal for the individual?
 
if you can feel a pulse it can be because the horse is hot,been running about or is excited.
a rapid bounding pulse thats really easy to feel means there is pain and possibly laminitis or an abcess.
this is what you feel for not an actual number of beats per minute.
you can find it below the fetlock where they have the ligaments running down-on the sides of the pasterns.
 
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