How long to keep pony off grass - suspected onset of Laminitus?

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pipper

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New little sec A pony has been with us a couple of months, never had lami as far as im aware. living out in herd (in for a few hours during the day with small fast fibre feed) We hacked this morning and she was very trippy and kept feeling the stones, at one point she stood on a stone and went very lame for a couple of mins. I have no idea if this maybe the onset of lami ( we have had a little rain over the last few days, nothing major though ) so she is now in her stable as a precaution. How long should before I turn out again?
she is not lame just feeling the stones now and again. Obviously I will be keeping a very close eye and any further signs and the vet will be called straight away. But would rather prevent it in the meantime. I am truly kicking myself as yesterday I gave her 4 carrots ( never feed carrots coz of the sugar - just had some left over in my fridge ) ..... lesson learned!
 
Check her feet for abcessses, bruising and heat/pulses. Also give her frogs a good brushing out and make sure she doesn't have thrush (you say you've had wet weather and wet/dry changes can often trigger this). Can you see any stretching of white line and/or can you see any kind of flare on toes? Have a look at her heels to see if her grass rings are stretched which is a good indicator of her history with lammy.

My standardbred was hobbling on the gravel track last week, and although I'd picked his feet out I hadn't noticed he had thrush. Was enough to make him sore for a few days until we killed it off, but obv the first thing that went through my mind was laminitis, although this wasn't the cause.
 
Thanks for replies,
Jemima*askin - haven't called the vet yet. will do if it is needed.
Kellybee - Thanks for the things to look for/at. She has very very hard flat soles, have been soaking in water to try to get some moisture into them so she does feel the stones, but this was a little worse. But will check all the things you said.
Any idea how long to keep in for though?
 
Actually - thinking about it when we got back I checked her feet properly and a section of her frog was sort of hanging - has this any significance or is it as I thought just the normal shedding of the frog?
 
Normally a bit of frog hanging is just natural shedding.
You don't need to soak hooves because they are hard and flat.
If soles are flat that can be helped by a look at diet, trim and exercise.
Sounds as if you could do with a bit of advice. If you think she might have lammi she needs keeping in and to see a vet.
 
My horse had a similar experience. Totally lame on one front, vet called, couldn't label it so put her on box rest for a week to see if abscess or Lami surfaced. Vet came back after a week and she was totally sound so concluded it was a bruised sole. However I'm glad I was cautious to the point I changed her feed to healthy hooves that week, just in case! Prob best to get vet out if you are worried.
 
I don't understand why you're soaking her feet?

I'd get the vet out to rule things out . If it is laminitis you want to keep her in from 2weeks- 1month. You'll have to review her diet - weigh and soak hay , reduce grass area when she does go back out , etc

If it is laminitis too she'll need painkillers.
 
Just an update - Pony seems back to normal self thank goodness - no footyness and no lameness (btw she wasn't lame this morning - just a few steps when she stood on a stone) no heat ect ect ect. walked over the stones with no problems. Phew - was on the verge of vet call! Soooo - Im guessing just a bit of trouble with the soles of her feet being rock hard along with rock hard frogs! more feet soaking....
Called her previous owner, he told me that she sometimes does go a bit footy in the summer if the soles get very hard, and that it passes - they had the vet check her when it first happened.
So it will be onto a 'foot' feeding regime once they are in at nights and fed....
she is in overnight so she will have been in 24 hours and I will check again in the morning to be on the safe side.
thanks for all the helpful replies - especially the one listing all the check points for me. x
 
Pipper - stop soaking your pony's feet!
You do not need to soak feet because frogs are hard and strong.
By the way, some people feed some form of "barehoof diet" year-round. I never see the point of feeding a balancer that's full of vits and mins, but only doing it in winter. They aren't generally to be found in the right quantities in our grass.
 
amymay said:
Why are you soaking this pony's feet???
Click to expand...

well - to try and get some moisture into them - they are so hard...
but everyone on here is saying not to so i will stop!
she is a little on the heavy side - so in answer to the posted who said to feed for feet all year - i will do in a couple of weeks once i have got a little more weight off her - nearly there.
as i said we have only had her a short while so still figuring out things that are best suited to her...
another 6 months on will be a different pony!
 
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