Is this the start of laminitis :(

X

xmariax

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 March 2009
Messages
309
Visit site
My sec a had his feet trimmed and has bruising on both front feet around the frog and his White line, does this mean he's going to get the dreaded disease :(
He is tubby but is always on a diet !

Wat are ur thoughts is this a symptom of lami?
 
Not necessarily but take it as a warning. Deep bed, reduced feed foot support if nec etc. Prevention is better than cure. What age/type is he? Does he wear a muzzle? If not invest in one and add regular lunging to his routine(if sound).
 
Thanks for ur reply, yes he is sound.
He is a lead rein pony I do lunge him nearly every day and he goes out for 3 hrs on minimal grass.
He has 1 slice hay am and 1 pm and a handful of high fi lite.

I'm really paranoid about it :(
 
If not already doing it I would soak the hay for 12 hours minimum at least in the short term. Possibly cut out the turnout short term until the feet have settled down and you are happier, or maybe muzzle?

I only say this in caring spirit as someone whose pony has just gone down with acute lami :-((( (mine is far from sound tho even tho no hoof changes other than surface bruising). If you can prevent it getting as far as mine, it would be soooo good.
 
He is 11 h, he is ridden most days but not hard as my daughter is only 6, so I lunge for 20 mins.
I'm not sure on his weight but he has a cresty neck like a stallion he's always had it, we ve had him a year and he has lost weight he has never had lami.

No I haven't checked pulse I will do it in the morning ! I assume if it's strong that's bad???
No he doesn't box walk
 
Farrier said he wasn't sure wether it was a warning sign of lami or just bruising.
But both feet were exactly the same , it's so worrying as I've seen my friends horse be crippled, think I ll be keeping him in for a while!!
 
Not sure where you live but it's been hard ground for weeks and weeks here. So the bruising could be from that. Am surprised that your farrier didn't check his pulses or show you how to. Any concerns at all though get your vet out, better to be safe than sorry.
 
Thanks for all ur replies, I'm going to leave him in for a while and soak his hay, will check his pulse .... I dnt think it's hard ground as we ve had loads of rain and sun which prob doesn't help grass!!!!
 
If he has a cresty neck and bruising it sounds like he has had lami. Please ring your vet for a chat if nothing else. All good advise given, soak hay, less turnout and take his pulse. It's just around the fetlock, but can be very difficult to do if no one has shown you. Shame on your farrier for not advising you :(
 
Ditto Gilby, ring your vet tomorrow for some advice :)

There is one thing in his management which is a red light to me, its this:

he goes out for 3 hrs on minimal grass
Click to expand...

I know why you're putting him out on minimal grass, but did you know highly stressed grass like this can be really high in fructans and sugar? Best if possible to keep him on a completely bare surface - either a dirt paddock with no weeds/grass growth whatsoever, or turnout in a school, around the yard if you can make it secure, or some similar arrangement. very intensively grazed grass is worse than well managed pasture for laminitics.

Don't forget that less turnout = less exercise, which will complicate his dieting. Exercise is really important in weight loss, so you may need to increase the frequency, duration or intensity of his workload.
 
Last edited:
Thanks naturally..... I am going to start leaving him in and up his exercise gradually hopefully he ll shed a few pounds!!
 
glen ruby is correct - deep shaving bed, check the pulse, check for heat in the coronet band (use an infrared thermometer to get accurate readings). The bruising could be the pedal bone rotated and pressing down, causing the bruising. Get the vet out with the hoof testers, to get it checked out. If you can take pictures of the hoof and post them - that would be helpful. There is a farriers forum where you can post the pictures and they will tell you.

my old horse suffered pedal bone rotation and the bruising started to show through after about 8-12 weeks. how does he walk does he put heel first and roll through the hoof.
 
He is sound just has bruising, when I bought him I asked vet to check for lami and she said there was no sign he had ever had it and the farrier agreed, I do trust his previous owners when they say he's never had it.
It worries me as the bruising is on the White line and around frog
I will give my vet a ring for a chat tomorrow
Thanks for all the advice guys
 
I'd say the chances of him getting laminitis are quite high. The cresty neck you speak of is a symptom of insulin resistance, consequently your pony is probably, in effect diabetic.

I think that many horses in the UK tread a very fine line as to whether they will have an attack or not, and it takes very little to tip them over into a lamanitic episode. Very often a change can occur which we may have little control over, and this is enough taken with our usual management of a particular horse to tip them over.

Laminitis is on the increase, so everyone says, which is suprising considering how aware people are of it. This of course begs the question why is it on the increase and why are people unable to stop it happening.

In truth I think that the advice many people get is not good, and management routines are designed to suit the person rather than the horse. Feed companies push the wrong sorts of feed, in too large amounts. Vets appear to be fairly ineffectual, and a horse's recovery often happens in spite of rather than because of veterinary advice.

Farriers often get involved with lamanitic cases as people perceive it to be a disease of the foot, which of course is only a symptom, and together with poor veterinary advice collude to prolong discomfort and delay recovery.

Obviously, some vets and farriers do know what they are doing, but, far too many don't.
 
Last edited:
He might not have it, my friends Shetland bruises it's feet all the time and it puts on weight as fast as anything even with a muzzle and no hay. But this pony has never had lami.
I would check your ponies legs for heat
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top