How to ID Laminitis

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Lorrie66

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Sorry if there is a thread that covers this already - but done a search & so many pop up that I will lose the will if I carry on.....

Can anyone very kindly tell me in simple terms what typically can be the first signs of laminitis to look out for?? My horse is a real good doer & he seems fine right now but I am paranoid about laminitis.
I check & oil his feet everyday so what could be the first clues I could keep an eye out for?
I am told hot hooves don't always happen....as well as not always any significant lameness....??
where is the easiest place to check the pulse? and any other advice would be fab!!!

Thanks
 
Mine had his first attack 7 week ago, I've had him for 8 years and he'd never had it before. He started off looking stiff in his shoulder on the lunge I had NO idea it was laminitis, until 48 hours later it changed he looked 'pottery' on both front feet and was worse on tarmac and better on the school surface. I brought him in immediately and within 24 hours it was a full blown attack, he could hardly walk, red hot feet, pulses all round etc etc, the attack to 5 days to settle. He's been in for 7 weeks and now has shoes back on and is sound on 1 sachet of bute a day in walk on concrete so we are getting there. Amazingly he suffered very little damage.

Unfortunately in my case the first signs were still too late, even though I acted immediately I was too late to nip it in the bud as the very first sign just looked like a stiff off side shoulder.

Prevention is better than cure so keep your ned slim and svelte. It's amazing how little they can really survive on!

Another on our yard looked pottery in the field last week, owner didn't know what to do so I told her to bring it in and restrict food immediately, she did and pony is now fine 1 week later. Each case is so different so it does vary, but generally the stilted gait is the first definite sign.

I hope you and your ned manage to avoid it entirely as its horrible.

Good luck.
 
Check the digital pulses every day at the same time of day then you will know what is normal for your horse. The best place is at the fetlock. Ask someone to show you as you might not be sure you are doing it correctly. Any increase in the digital pulse could potentially be laminitis. Also lameness always shows up first when you turn the horse on a tight circle
 
One of mine was diagnosed with hind leg laminitis yesterday. :(

He was fine the day before, yesterday I went to bring him in from the field in the morning and he was very slow and was walking very oddly with his hind legs. I could feel a fairly strong pulse in both fronts but not behind and his fronts were a little warm. I rang the vet straight away, but she couldnt get to me until early afternoon. By then he was in so much pain we could hardly get him out of the stable to watch him move. Vet said he is not overweight or getting too much grass, but thinks it is a combination of concussion from hard ground in the field and possible cushings.
So, box rest, bute, and everything crossed. :(
 
For barefoot horses the first sign is usually that they begin to notice stones that they would previously have walked over with no problems. With shod horses you do not usually get that warning. The first sign in a shod horse is very often that you can see them shift their weight from one foot to another when they are stood tied up for, say, 15 minutes on concrete.
 
With mine, I know bred her and know her inside out. She had an attack at 19yrs, and I had checked her at 9.30pm the prevous evening, and at 7.30am the next morning, I looked at her and knew just from the way she was standing.

Fortunately, caught very early, Imprints on within 3hrs (love my farrier) and in for 6 weeks, gradually reintroduced to the field and all fine now.
 
My big boy has been diagnosed with Laminitis yesterday in both front feet. He is 9 yrs old have had him 8 years, not over weight the first time hes had it. Signs i saw where foot sore on small stones, stiffness in his shoulder. The vet checked him two weeks ago and didnot know what it was as there were no signs of an abcess, no pulse. Box rest, bute turned out and came in lame yesterday..
 
As someone said above prevention is better than cure.

As for signs, mine happened overnight, some genuis thought he deserved some grass cuttings and bang overnight got acute laminitis in all 4 feet.

He has had a mild bout after this, i always know with him - cresty, sheath gets swollen a little, pottery and warm feet.
 
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