Equine version of Diabetes (sp)

[berry]

OK so we have a pony at the yard where I work that has been off work for approx 5 weeks with laminitus which the farrier has been advising us and keeping an eye on. He seemed to be getting better and was nearly sound until last week when he took a turn for the worst, farrier said he is having another attack and we should really get the vet up now as it may be hormonal.
So vet came up today and had a look, he does'nt think his pedal bone has rotated which is good but is a bit concerned about his way of going and how he is worse at certain times of the day. Also this pony will drink 3 or 4 massive tubes of water a day which the vet is also concerned about so he wants to test for an equine form of diabetes (cant remember the correct name for it), he said it is very much like cushings and you get near enough the same symptoms.
He also said that the pony would benifit from eds shoes???(not sure if thats right either, I'm useless me lol).
He is coming back out on friday to x ray his feet just to make sure his pedal bone is ok and to do a blood test, poor pony has to be starved for 12 hrs which wont impress him.
Has anyone else came across this and if so what has the outcome been??
Also what is eds shoes, what do they look like and how do they benifit laminitics????

 

[ISHmad]

Can't help you re the Ed shoes as haven't heard of them. Did he say it was insulin resistance? This is common amongst laminitic and Cushings horses.

There is a great forum - think it is called something like Metabolic Horse which may be of use to you. Lots of nutritional advice backed up by the latest science etc. Good luck, hope that the little chap is okay.

 

[SpruceRI]

DO you think the 'eds' shoes are stick on jobs with raised heels to take the pressure off the laminae?

Other than that I don't know. Could look on Robert Eustace's Laminitis website for further help?

http://www.laminitisclinic.org/

 

[ann-jen]

[ QUOTE ]
he wants to test for an equine form of diabetes (cant remember the correct name for it),

[/ QUOTE ]
Do you mean hyperlipaemia? Ponies with this are more susceptible to laminitis.

Usually heart-bar shoes would be used for laminitics although he might have said egg-bars perhaps? Egg-bars are a fully circular shoe so the bars continue round the back of the foot and support the heel - heart bars also have a metal strip that runs down over the frog - the length of which will depend on the x-rays - to support the pedal bone if there has been rotation.

 

[TGM]

I think the vet is referring to EDSS shoes:

http://www.hopeforsoundness.com/edss/store/lameprod.html

I would suggest that once you get the X-rays done, get vet and farrier together to discuss the best approach for your pony.

 

[Dougie]

equine metabolic syndrome, recently this disease has got alot of press and many chronic laminitics are being saved. its a fascinating condition

 

[Chunky_Monkey]

Yup, agree with the others - it sounds like the vet suspects Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

I've been convinced my horse has had it for ages, but the vet pretty much refused to run the necessary tests when I asked last Autumn.....he thought I was a hypochondriac, I think, and said I was wasting my money......but now the horse has had his first ever bout of laminitis for no apparent reason, a different vet from the same practice is taking the possibility of EMS seriously, and has taken bloods. just waiting for the results now!

Tracey x

 

[kirstieg]

Hiya x

My horse has Metabolic Syndrome.
Its controlled by tablets called pero something lol
She was on box rest for just over 4 months and nothing was working
All's it is, is their immune systems down and they cant fight infections by themselves.
He/She will be fine dont worry

My pony had 2 sets of x-rays and a blood test and the blood text sorted it out and thats when we found metabolic syndrome

They carry on leading a normal life but they go on these tablets for 6 months and then come off them

Heres my pony on box rest

Me thinking she was never going to get better and i got told that i might not be able to ride her again (bear in mind shes only 5)

And her first trip out to the paddock
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g169/k...rent=hfvhvu.flv

And her now

All back to normal except i dont jump and never will with her xx

Hope i helped xxxx

I know what you and the owner is going through. If you or him/her need to talk you email me xxxxx

 

[Eaglestone]

Re EDSS shoes my little horse was fitted with them when he went down with Cushings Induced Laminitus in October 2005, apparently not to my Vets agreement (I beleive) as she said it was like going out all night to a dance with high heels on - I did not find this out until after I had paid £250 for them to be fitted and then after 6 weeks or so of box rest he got worse. Another Vet (under the same practice) discussed with the Farrier again and it was agreed (by all this time!) that shoes should come off and for him to stay on the deep litter he had been on anyway. From then on we progressed, but he was on 5 months box rest altogether!
This was slightly different as he is a Cushings horse but I just thought I would let you know how my Horse got on with them. If you would like more info from me then you can PM me if you like.

Good Luck! I know from others that the condition your horse is suffering is something that can be controlled and life for him can go on more or less as before - but you will always need to be careful re Laminitis

PS Apart from the Cushings my horse is doing fine, back shod and sound and that was with 10 degrees of Pedal Bone Rotation!