First-time concussive laminitis - why? and help!

[Pasha]

I won't start panicking yet, although I will ask my vet about a blood test, as Holly def doesn't meet all the symptoms. She has none of the fatty deposits/cresty neck I always hear about. She is losing her winter coat in her normal way. The hollows above her eyes are perfectly normal. She is most definitely not excessively weeing, in fact it is a little under average for her. Her water intake is slightly up, but I am attributing that to the fact she is eating hay and not grass at the mo. But yes, her appetite at the moment is increased.

No need to panic at all - IF you get an IR or EMS diagnosis, personally I think that's the best outcome as you know 100% what the cause is and it is treatable! My boy didn't have any symptoms when he first got Lami and bloods were negative! Six months later bloods were negative... then 12 months later he was barefoot as damaged his Annular Ligament - went footy and bloods came back positive!

My boy was on Metformin for nearly a year - happy and out with his friends grazing every day, competing in Showing and Dressage and even did some Endurance! He is now off Metformin, still able to go out in the field everyday, still competing and just started jumping again

 

[muff747]

I presume the PPID blood tests was to measure ACTH and that the vets were very aware of the strict guidelines for handling the samples?
If there is any doubt about the handling and processing, that can cause inconclusive results.
Good info here from Liphook labs http://www.liphookequinehosp.co.uk/documents/PituitaryParsIntermediaDysfunction.pdf

The EC/IR yahoo group always stress the ACTH test is adviseable as the dex test can tip a lami prone horse over the edge.

Yasandcrystal - what do you mean by a strange gait, how does she go?

 

[LucyPriory]

Yasandcrystal - just want to comment briefly. IME ID and their crosses are high on my list of having problems with low grade (or worse) lami.

Footiness over gravel etc when bare is one of the first signs of low grade lami (to a barefooter anyway)

Thin, flat, weak or sensitive soles are again another (to a barefooter) classic (but not exclusive) sign.

I also commonly see flat, thin, weak soles post long periods of particular types of shoeing and shoeing with pads.

Both root causes of flat thin soles can be challenging, but not impossible to sort.

OP - this comment is not directed at you in any way.

The use of the word 'goodness' to mean sugar sets my teeth on edge........ why are the uni's etc not more direct/explicit? - why not say - soaking for a long period of time will leach out sugars and some minerals, but you can compensate for mineral loss with an appropriate supplement.

 

[YasandCrystal]

Yasandcrystal - what do you mean by a strange gait, how does she go?

'Like a camel' if I am honest! She has a high head stance and throws her front legs out straight unridden and ridden - slightly less ridden if one is collecting her a bit. I may have a video - I will look. My husband always wondered if she had discomfort or pain. I do not ask much of her just light hacking.

 

[Holtons Hollywood]

The use of the word 'goodness' to mean sugar sets my teeth on edge........ why are the uni's etc not more direct/explicit? - why not say - soaking for a long period of time will leach out sugars and some minerals, but you can compensate for mineral loss with an appropriate supplement.

Sorry, I was just horrifically dumbing down what I said there - I was taught all the minute details of feeds and feed composition (which I found very boring when it got to the real nitty-gritty I must admit!)

 

[peanut]

IME ID and their crosses are high on my list of having problems with low grade (or worse) lami.

Yes, my ID x TB has had lami in the past

 

[YasandCrystal]

Yasandcrystal - just want to comment briefly. IME ID and their crosses are high on my list of having problems with low grade (or worse) lami.

Footiness over gravel etc when bare is one of the first signs of low grade lami (to a barefooter anyway)

Thin, flat, weak or sensitive soles are again another (to a barefooter) classic (but not exclusive) sign.

I also commonly see flat, thin, weak soles post long periods of particular types of shoeing and shoeing with pads.

Both root causes of flat thin soles can be challenging, but not impossible to sort.

QUOTE]

Thanks for that. Yes I will get her shoes taken off again - we reshod her to give her support and comfort. She has never been shod with pads. She has mismatching hooves as many horses do - the very sore one is much smaller than her other and I am really wondering if there are navicular changes going on. I will definately get her xrayed when she is a little improved and post my findings on here.
I would of course like to find the root cause of her problems, as she is taking a longtime to respond. Interestingly she survived grass sickness which may or may not be relevant. Years ago she apparently had the fatal type but was nursed by hand (hand fed vegetables) for 18 months and recovered. Could this have left a lifetime weakness - problem possibly?

 

[Rosehip]

Um ..... have I understood you right? Your horse's problems were "absolutely concussive" yet you made changes to her diet and resolved her problems?

Sorry cpt, Ive only just read this thread back!
No, I didnt explain myself properly, Mels lami was definately concussive lami, and she had several weeks box rest etc etc. We (farrier, vet, etc) think that the reason she got the concussion was that she was on very very hard ground, on increadably sparse grazing (to restrict her intake and manage her weight) and when watched she would often trot up and down the fenceline, and also pound the ground - in frustratration - with her fore feet.
I changed her grazing so that for periods throughout the day she was allowed onto a less sparse paddock and altered her bucket accoringly, so that she wasnt actually getting any more, but thought she was. Now she has stopped bashing hell out of the ground and is contented again her lami (the vet described it as chronic low grade) has gone and she *touch lots of wood!!* is sound and happy again.
Hope that makes more sense? x