Keeping an eye on a lamanitic

[Gingerwitch]

My friend has just called me to say she is ill, really ill, just off to A&E - and can i check on her girl for the next few days. No problem, glad to help out BUT the pony has in the past had a few bouts of lamitus (sp) - so what signs am i looking for, i know to check for pulses, heat in the hoof, the way she is standing - i will get her off the grass from 12pm till 7pm - she wont get any hard feed off me.... but i am still a little bit.... urm...... apprhensive (sp)
any other advice, she isnt my horse so i dont want to make any dramatic changes to her life BUT i certainly dont want the blame for her getting lami again.

 

[*hic*]

Best advice I can give would be to find out from friend or someone else who knows the pony what it's routine is and stick to that.

 

[Gingerwitch]

Jemima - her routine is out 24/7 on what i would class as good grazing.... but i know my friend has been worried and checks her twice a day for pulses etc. I get mine in at dinnertime, so i thought i would bring her into a 12 hour small holed haynet at the same time as mine.... and then turn out later on in the night -

 

[Thistle]

Prevention is better than cure. No pony prone to lami should be out on good spring grazing 24/7.

This is a fantastic site http://www.laminitis.org/ the laminitis trust

I would make sure the hay you give pony has been well soaked in fresh water for a good few hours to remove sugars.

By the time you feel an increased pulse the damage is done. You need to make sure that the pulse is never raised in the first place.

Do what you can for now, you friend probably won't want much changing but then try to gently re-educate your friend all about preventing laminitis ather than catching it once it's started.

 

[Kellys Heroes]

Jemima - her routine is out 24/7 on what i would class as good grazing.... but i know my friend has been worried and checks her twice a day for pulses etc. I get mine in at dinnertime, so i thought i would bring her into a 12 hour small holed haynet at the same time as mine.... and then turn out later on in the night -

Sounds about right but tbh, mine is a laminitic and I wouldn't have her out 24/7 on good grazing - she gets 1-2 hours a day muzzled at the most and even thats after the first week of summer grazing - she doesn't go out for the first week.
Just what you have said - the pulse, heat in hooves, the stance, any lameness etc. Just try and stick to her routine as much as possible, it is obviously working okay for her at the moment.
K x