I think my yearling might have Laminitis. Help.

[Cedars]

Puz is lame. Noticed it yesterday, worse today (I think). Tentative in walk, lame in trot, totally *****ed in canter, particularly if she tries to turn on sharp bends. I think its her near fore, but her off fore sometimes looks like its the problem so not 100%. No heat, no pulse. She's not sat back on her heels, her eyes aren't red, she's not "puffy" above the eyes. She's not overweight - her tummy is big but shes not cresty and shes not got a fat ar$e. She's not changed grazing recently, been on the same grass for about 2 months. I gave her a few apples the other day, but apart from that there is zero change.

There are "rings" around all four feet, about bang in the middle going around the hoof. They're indentations (i.e. they go in, not bump out). She's not sore anywhere to touch.

Spoken to the farrier today who said he's never known a yearling have lami because anything they eat goes in to growing and particularly as shes not obese it shouldnt be a problem at all. He also says she'd be totally unable to bomb around her field and she wouldnt want to - but shes been running around quite happily today, just lame. Farrier going to ring me back tomorrow night to check on how she is, and then if shes no better he'll come out Monday evening.

She's exactly the same in herself, no change there.

Any suggestions? Am absolutely terrified I'm going to lose her.

 

[Spottyappy]

Sadly, although it is unusual, it is not unheard of for youngsters to get lammi- mine did as 2 year old.
But, with the bombing about and hard ground, it is possible yours has just pulled herself, or got foot sore.
I personally would bring her in, to reduce risk of further problems, be it lammy or making a pull worse.
Walk out in morning and see how she is, but I would leave in for a couple of days min either way to be on safe side- hopefully it is just the ground,and she will be ok.
Your farrier sounds like he's right there for you if you need him, which is good.

 

[Cedars]

She cant realistically come in without causing chaos - as all three would have to come in (long story!) - although obviously if the farrier says she needs to she'll have to! She's onto more restricted grazing now so if it is lami at least we're doing what we would be told to do anyway.

Farrier thinks she's probably just foot sore from bombing about on the hard ground. If shes not better tomorrow I will get him out on Monday anyway though. Farrier is absolutely fantastic so that is at least good news.

Thanks for replying, can't believe you're the only one!

I've just read up on the "bands" around her hooves, apparently they're normal and are normally caused by a change of diet or stress- its half way down so itd be about 6 months ago which I think was probably when she was weaned, so both diet and stress!!! So at least thats not connected.

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

I hope for you and your yearling it isn't lami - if it was lami she wouldn't want to move least of all trot and turning corners bending would be out of the question. Also if it is lami the only thing to do is to get her off the grass asap into a deep bed and feed soaked hay and get a vet asap - acute lami shoyuld be treated as an emergency like colic.

 

[Cedars]

Oh shes definitely very happy still running about. Shes not sat back on her heels and if it IS lami its by no means a "serious" case - before people jump on me I appreciate it can BECOME serious but its not right now - and my farrier was basically insistent that it couldnt be lami she has none of the signs he'd look for. He thinks shes footsore/bruised sole. Just wondering whether people had experienced similar and if it did sound like lami to anyone, which Im guessing it doesnt.

 

[galaxy]

The rings could well be growth rings from when she changed grass a while back. Quite common.

Could it be an abcess? I've never heard of lami in one that young either. Could you ask your farrier to come up for a look?

 

[YorksG]

Doubt a pony/horse with laminitis would be running around, never seen one yet that did. I would also go with bruised sole, or even an abcess, although again unusual in a youngster, but not too serious. Hope she is ok.

 

[Cedars]

Thanks guys. I automatically panicked and thought lami but shes not showing any of the "traditional" signs apart from being footsore. Farrier is coming on Monday if she is no better by tomorrow afternoon. He's such a good guy, he'll come up after his working day on Monday to have a look at her for me. Think if shes not better by tomorrow evening she'll definitely need looking at, even if it is just for him to say there is nothing wrong?

What would the signs of an absess be?

 

[galaxy]

Signs of an abcess could be on 3 legs or just intermitently lame on a turn! Depends on how much pressure it's causing.

Getting your farrier out is the right thing.

 

[YorksG]

Agree with Galay, have known some be totaly hopping, others just a bit iffy esp on hard ground. It depends where in the hoof it is and how big it is. Farrier best person to find it if there is one.

 

[Cedars]

Thank you guys, thinking its probably best unless shes suddenly totally sound tomorrow to get the farrier out anyway. I dont wanna end up causing a problem for her in later life if we ignore something now.

Remind me why we "do" horses?!?!

 

[Dolcé]

Our 2 year old got laminitis, his was caused by stress, galloping around on hard ground during a dry spell, sound familiar? I'm surprised your farrier isn't aware that this can happen, nor that youngters can get it. Our lad wasn't rocking on his heels, he was lame and looked stiff when he moved rather than the typical lami stance. If it could be laminitis then you should get her off the grass and onto a deep bed to support her feet until you farrier (or preferably vet) can get to look at her with restricted hay and no hard feed.

When our first one had grass laminitis he was brought in, he had never spent a night alone in a stable, all 3 used to share, but we had no choice. He did settle after a couple of days though and now loves his stable, we bring him in as nanny to all the youngsters if they need to be in.

I really hope it isn't though and is something simple.

 

[PennyJ]

Google Concussion Laminitis and see what you think...

 

[Chestnuttymare]

\your farrier will know right away if it is laminitis. It doesn't sound like it as she would be unlikely to be hooning around the field, also not normally so cheerful either. I would think that just in case it is, i would be getting her off the grass totally and feeding soaked hay. Sounds more like a bruised sole or something pulled to me. An abscess is usually more painful than that too. It may just be the start of it and not too sore yet though. Mine went from being perfect when I left her in the field at night to grunting in pain and hopping lame when I got there in the morning but she is a delicate little flower (total wimp) lol
Be interested to know what it is though, remember update

 

[pottamus]

I disagree totally that the farrier would know if it was laminitis...all horses are different and have different symptoms and ways of dealing with foot pain. My farrier (remedial farrier for major vet practice) and my vet both swore blind my lad did not have laminitis and that he had an abscess in his RF...three weeks in of poulticing and messing about and he went for xrays..to be told that it was laminitis and that the 'abscess' foot had 12 degrees rotation because we had not treated it quickly enough but left him pottering around in a small area for three weeks with a poultice on! Some 8 months down the line and we were back riding!
I hope it is something of nothing with your horse...but the treatment for laminitis and abscess is the same in my opinion...off the grass and in a stable on a soft bed for a while until things can be diagnosed correctly by a vet etc.
Have you checked for pulses in all of your horses feet...this is usually a good indicator..as is tapping the sole of the foot all around the toe with the end of a hoof pick...soreness will be obvious in the area you tap.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

You know, just because she's not 'rocking back' on her heels doesn't mean that she isn't having a laminitic episode. And ALL bouts of lami ARE serious..............when will people realise this? *bangs head on wall*

If you EVER suspect lami, no matter how remote a possibility it is, you NEED TO CALL YOUR VET. He/she can sedate your youngster if being indoors is stressful for her.

I've just nursed my chap back from a mild bout of lami.......3 months down the line he's sound and back in work.........could have been far worse had I not caught it/been proactive in treating it(with my vet) early.

 

[NeilM]

You know, just because she's not 'rocking back' on her heels doesn't mean that she isn't having a laminitic episode. And ALL bouts of lami ARE serious..............when will people realise this? *bangs head on wall*

If you EVER suspect lami, no matter how remote a possibility it is, you NEED TO CALL YOUR VET. He/she can sedate your youngster if being indoors is stressful for her.

I could not agree more.

 

[Puppy]

Puz is lame. Noticed it yesterday, worse today (I think). Tentative in walk, lame in trot, totally *****ed in canter, particularly if she tries to turn on sharp bends.

Call the vet.

 

[Lotty]

I disagree totally that the farrier would know if it was laminitis...all horses are different and have different symptoms and ways of dealing with foot pain. My farrier (remedial farrier for major vet practice) and my vet both swore blind my lad did not have laminitis and that he had an abscess in his RF...three weeks in of poulticing and messing about and he went for xrays..to be told that it was laminitis and that the 'abscess' foot had 12 degrees rotation because we had not treated it quickly enough but left him pottering around in a small area for three weeks with a poultice on! Some 8 months down the line and we were back riding!
I hope it is something of nothing with your horse...but the treatment for laminitis and abscess is the same in my opinion...off the grass and in a stable on a soft bed for a while until things can be diagnosed correctly by a vet etc.
Have you checked for pulses in all of your horses feet...this is usually a good indicator..as is tapping the sole of the foot all around the toe with the end of a hoof pick...soreness will be obvious in the area you tap.

I agree totally.

Back in March my mare was a little quiet and not quite right - called the farrier straight away and he did all the tests and poking around. He said to me if she had lami she would have gone through the roof by now, so he told me to keep her stabled for 3 days then to call him. 2 days later she was crippled, it was awful to see. Yet she showed none of the obvious signs.

I do hope its not lami, fingers crossed x

 

[Cedars]

Hi, just an update on this. She's absolutely sound as a pound today. No sign of any lameness at all. She must have just been a bit footsore on the hard ground and bruised a sole or something.

Thanks for all your thoughts xxx

 

[Dolcé]

You know, just because she's not 'rocking back' on her heels doesn't mean that she isn't having a laminitic episode. And ALL bouts of lami ARE serious..............when will people realise this? *bangs head on wall*

If you EVER suspect lami, no matter how remote a possibility it is, you NEED TO CALL YOUR VET. He/she can sedate your youngster if being indoors is stressful for her.

I've just nursed my chap back from a mild bout of lami.......3 months down the line he's sound and back in work.........could have been far worse had I not caught it/been proactive in treating it(with my vet) early.

LOL, when I called out the vet for our youngster (we had just moved and it was a new vet as out of our vets area) he confirmed it was laminitis, gave me bute and told me to leave him out in the 20x40 yard which was made up of a grass stretch and hardcore in the middle in front of the stables. Fortunately, because of the other having it a few months before I knew what to do and ignored the advice, he came in onto a deep bed and weighed hay - needless to say I never used that practise again!