Laminitas-Crisis!

Bananarama

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Ok I have a huge problem regarding a pony who is prone to laminitis, for this sake lets call her Sunny. Now Sunny is owned by a friend of mine who doesnt exercise her properly but does look after her. She is in a small pen in a big field but she jumps out of the pen regually and gains acess to too much grass. Now currently the owners are on holiday and the pony is being looked after by someone else, lets call them Sam. Yesterday Sam was feeding Sunny so I went over to have a chat, and was told the pony is very lame and its probaly laminitas. She was put back in her pen but the electric fence was turned off so when I went up this morning she got out again. She was struggling to walk and seemed to be in alot of pain, but the person looking after just leaves her and hasnt taken her off the grass of had the vet. Is there anything I can do?

This is also in veterinary but here gets quicker replys.
 
Either get involved yourself and remove the pony to a suitable stable or call the ILPH.

Im sorry but pussyfooting around because its 'friends' who are involved doesnt really address the fact that the pony could be in serious trouble.
 
Who is the yard owner/yard manager? They have a duty of care towards all equines on their premises. This pony needs to be in a stable on a deep bed and the vet should be called asap so that the pony can be given the appropriate medication - i.e. bute & ACP. On no account should this pony be left with access (albeit accidental) to grass. If this continues the owners could well return from holiday and have to face having their pony PTS. You are obviously a caring person, otherwise you wouldn't have posted about this situation. For the pony's sake, please get the person looking after the pony to get it stabled and call the vet.
 
To Jaylen, she has acess to grass whether she gets out the pen or not, the pen is just smaller, at maybe 70X70m. Its not a yard its a farm, but there is acess to stabling if she is put in one of ours, which we are happy to let her. We will have to see what happens when the owners get back tomorrow.
 
I agree with Spaniel and Jaylen. This ponies life is at risk and someone needs to take control. While the owners are away, ultimately the YO is legally responsible for its welfare, even though someone else is allegedly caring for it.

Go kick someones butt into action NOW.

Do let us know how you get on, or if you need any feed advice.
 
Feed advice wont be needed, I know another lamanitic pony who has to have special feed ect, and the owners know what they are doing, well sort of. Ill see what I can do tommorow and will get back to you then on the state of affairs.
 
Tomorrow may well be too late. Act now, she cannot be left any longer or you risk real and permanent damage to her feet. Get her on a deep bed of shavings with soaked hay to eat and call a vet.
This is an emergency and any delay could be fatal.
Jane
 
Laminitis can be absolute agony for a horse and even if it was ok when you left it may be in excrutiating pain by now and its feet could be changing beyond repair. Please don't leave it outside, its freezing and frozen ground and laminitics shouldn't come into contact when they're not having an attack. IMO, get it in and get a vet now, I agree its an emergency.
 
Odd, I replied to this when you first posted. I agree, don't leave it, get the pony in and give some Bute and get vet asap.
 
Ok on second thoughts...Do you want to help this pony or not? If you do, go out, bring it into a stable, on a deep shavings bed and give it soaked hay and water and some bute if you have some. If you are not prepared to do that then have the decency and compassion to find someone accountable who will sort it out tonight. This could all have been done already in the time you have spent on this forum tonight.
 
I cant go up and move her, she can barely walk, and also the people who are looking after her wouldnt know where she was. She has had bute ect but has been left on the grass, and I didnt think that was ok, I was checking.
 
You could be getting advice, on the phone, from the vet, NOW. No it's not ok that she has been left on the grass, but you seem to have no intention of doing anything to help the pony. If she can barely walk she needs to be off the grass now, things will only get worse if you leave her.

Anyhow I am not going to continue any discussion with a person who clearly has no intention of doing anything.

Hope you sleep well tonight.
 
* Is there anything I can do? *


With all due respect Yogi, you have asked for our help and we have given our advice based on many years of combined experience. Please dont take this the wrong way, but if you are not prepared to act immediately, why did you ask the forum for help?
 
Laminitis is a veterinary emergency and veterinary assistance should be called for immediately. This is because the horse will be in a lot of pain and the pedal bone in the foot can rotate or sink through the horses hoof.

In the interim period the horse should be brought in and stabled on a very thick bed. You can always leave a note for the people looking after the horse and tell them where it is.

Laminitis can be caused by a number of different things but this time of year it may well be Cushings Disease however an equine vet will be able to carry out various tests to determine what is triggering it off.

In any event it is important to do something straight away as the pony will be in a lot of pain and will need pain relief.

Waiting is not an option this is an emergency. A vet can give you advice over the phone.
 
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