How risky is it to give a laminitic steroids?

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haras

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Please give me honest answers as I need to know exactly what I am dealing with here.....

My mare has a very rare form of arthritis in her offside hock. She had it all x-rayed in January and we were given a poor prognosis and permanent bute, as she couldn't have steroids into the joint as she is laminitic.

Over the last week / ten days she has become very lame on the leg. Box rest and restricted turnout and double bute haven't helped.

I've had another chat with my vet today and have basically been told that there is only one more option and that is the steroid injection, but obviously that is a huge risk.

So my options seem to be give her the injection and risk losing her to laminitis (If she gets it, I will not make her suffer as she'll have no quality of life) or do nothing and have her put to sleep anyway.

She's a 20 year old new forest mare, but we think she was hit by a car when she was younger and loose on the forest. Other than the lameness, she is a happy little retired pony in fab condition. I rescued her 5 years ago when she was a barrell on legs with acute laminitis.

What would you do? Honest advice please
 
I would say that if she has had laminitis in the past, there is a very good chance that steroids will bring on another attack.

The severity of that attack won't be known, but I'm sure the vet could give you a much better idea. If the vet says huge risk, then I would say it's more than 90% chance.

I hope that you find a solution.
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I know it is a risk. You are between a rock and a hard place really. I guess theres the risk of the steriods inducing laminitis, versus the certainty of putting her to sleep if you dont try steriods? Do you feel its worth a risk or do you feel shes had enough? If you dont try, will you always wonder?

What does your vet think - was he able to give you a percentage risk? Did he think it was a worthwhile and ethical thing to try in a laminetic?

Im sorry, good luck, it sounds like a horrible situation.
Cassandra
 
You're right, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. Problem is, if she doesn't have the injection / doesn't get laminitis she can probably be kept comfortable enough to enjoy one last summer and put to sleep in October / November time, BUT, I'll never know if the injection would have made a difference and given her another year or two of happy retirement.

I've tried every alternative therapy going, i dread to think how much I have spent! so this really is the last resort.

Made even more bittersweet today, by the fact that we managed to get another of our mares covered and my old mare would have been nanny when they were weaned (we're planning on covering 2 of our mares), as she loves foals, and yet she may now not even see them born.
 
are all steriods equally risky?
i was really worried when Dom had steriod drops for his eye. The vet said there was a risk of laminitis, but it was very small due to the drug type and minimal absorbtion through the eye. Fortunately for Domi he didnt get laminitis although I was on tenterhooks checking for pulses every 5 minutes...

The Dex suppression test for cushings disease (cushings horses obviously being laminitis prone) is performed using a steroid though???
 
Depends on the individual I think. My experience was that my laminitic horse needed corticosteroid jabs to the hocks. It did trigger a mild bout of laminitis but he did ok for another 4 years. Guess you have to weigh up the pros and cons and make a decision that's right for the two of you.

Good luck, and I'm sorry you have such a horrible decision to make. x
 
Hi haras,

You mentioned that you've tried all sorts of therapies for your girl, but have you tried acupuncture?

Lies in a bit of a grey area between conventional and complementary....(there's a bit of a fight going on at the mo between the 2 sides!!)

Research shows (usually!) that it has significant effect on pain reduction. Western research puts this down to endorphine release, while Eastern sources relate it to freeing blockage in channels + promoting energy and blood.

Either way, acupuncture has a powerful effect on reducing pain, without any side effects.

It's definitely worth thinking about, my friend, and if your vet doesn't do it, there's a vet group that does (name escapes me, sorry, but Google will help) (BVAS?)

I'm human acupuncturist (got BSc in it), seen benefits, sadly can't treat animals, cos not vet (vets do a weekend course), but strongly suspect that your lovely mare would benefit. Main body for acupuncture in UK is British Acupuncture Council (BAcC)

With all my best wishes, BS x
 
My horse was put on a course of Steroids (for a respiriatory problem) and it set off Laminitis towards the end of the course. (Horse went slightly pottery on front feet). So immediately took her off the Steroids. No long term effects luckily).

What I would suggest you do is to ask your vet to teach you how to take your horses digital pulse so that you can recognise any increase in it while iyour horse is on the Steroids. Also if it goes pottery on it's front feet take it straight of the steroids.
 
My horse was given a huge dose of dexamethasone that almost instantly produced bad laminitis in a competition fit show jumper.

Would be worth talking to your vet about different types of steroids.
 
Hi friends,

Sorry if i'm boring and repetitive, and apologies for getting a little away from the question, just want to help your mare, haras. ACUPUNCTURE can usually help such cases.

Please ask your vet. He/she may be more than ready to accept the benefits.

Vets are very intelligent, educated, hard-working dedicated people, with a scientific background that needs research.

I don't have time in my current lifespan to look up, + quote all research on acupuncture, but most of it is positive, hence it could be very worthwhile for you to get in touch with a vet who is like-minded to me.

Steroids are not the only answer, IMO.

I've had more success with acupuncture than morphine has, on pain.

Please, please, get a vet to do acupuncture on your girl, but don't ever think it's a quick fix, rather accept the fact that she will need a weekly, progressing to fortnightly, if she's to benefit.

Wishing you and your girl well, BS x
 
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