Laminitis advice please

There is really not much a vet can do, they don't have a magic wand.

Get the sugar out of its system, as fast as you can.

No hard feed, ever from now on, and soak the hay or haylage.
 
I would strongly recommend that in the interest of your horse that you immediately get a specialist equine vet out immediately and get a proper diagnosis. Laminitis is an emergency and can cause your horse tremendous pain and permanent damage. Please do not delay.
 
I agree about a vet seeing the horses as an emergency.

The horses might benefit from frog supports, which need bandaging on, grazing muzzles and soaked hay - but only a vet who visits the horses can tell you what they need. The horses might also like something really soft to stand / lie on. Sedalin is often given as a treatment too and it has the added benefit of sedating a horse that might be anxious when stabled.
 
If they are still hobbling on bute then I would demand a vet comes out. I would try and find somewhere to bring them in on a deep shavings bed to make them more comfortable. 40 x 50 ft doesn't sound that small, when murphy was on "box rest" in the field he was in an area far smaller than that, really no bigger than a stable. I know you have 3 but would maybe be better to split them into 3 smaller areas to stop them moving round, and perhaps put frog supports on too.
 
I have phoned the vet back as suggested and she is coming out this afternoon. I have also sorted stabling with a friend who will take all three on if required...although big hairy cob is ok, I don't know if he would cope alone in the field?!
I am also looking long term to moving them as the field owner doesn't want me having a field shelter, until now I hadn't worried but now it is proving inconvenient. I know there is no quick fix but I hope that they are feeling chirpier soon. They are two of the most delightful characters, they are so loving I just can't bear to see them like this! I ordered grazing muzzles for them so we can manage them more carefully in the future.
I'm on my phone so can't go back but in reply to what farrier said, he said they did need doing and the shape was wrong, my previous farrier hadn't done them any favours but he assured me not to worry as it is not anywhere near as severe as some of the cases he has seen. He also said that there was no point calling the vet but I feel so much happier now I know they are coming!

I actually think horses are more of a worry than children at the moment...at this rate I will be a nervous wreck within the year!!!
 
Pale Rider said:
There is really not much a vet can do, they don't have a magic wand.

Get the sugar out of its system, as fast as you can.

No hard feed, ever from now on, and soak the hay or haylage.
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There's a lot a vet can to minimise long term damage IMO at the very least they ought to be in frog supports and I would never be happy to have one mine put on bute in these circumstances without the vet seeing them before how are they going to monitor improvement if they never them saw in the first place anything could going on inside these feet and no one qualified has seen them.
 
Great news! So please you have been able to sort something out for them and that the vet is coming. I hope they improve for you very soon:)
 
If they really are that sore but can't be stabled I would be looking at padding their affected soles to relieve some of the pressure for the first few days - get some value nappies and duct tape... bute until comfortable and then gradually reduce according to comfort levels.

Even offering some soft standing in the field in the form of some woodchip or shavings on the ground in a shady area would be beneficial to them.

Cut out all sugary foods including apples, carrots and any veg... if they are all on the round side then a track system might be beneficial for their future grazing - it will keep them all moving for their food.
 
CBFan said:
If they really are that sore but can't be stabled I would be looking at padding their affected soles to relieve some of the pressure for the first few days - get some value nappies and duct tape... bute until comfortable and then gradually reduce according to comfort levels.

Even offering some soft standing in the field in the form of some woodchip or shavings on the ground in a shady area would be beneficial to them.

Cut out all sugary foods including apples, carrots and any veg... if they are all on the round side then a track system might be beneficial for their future grazing - it will keep them all moving for their food.
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If the laminitis is severe they should not be moving .
I would get a load of pea gravel tipped into the turnout pen for them to stand on.
 
Hi,

New reseach shows 90% of cases of laminitis are caused by insulin resistance. It might be worth having your pony tested, especially if she/he is overweight with a cresty neck, or unusual fat distribution. Research it on the internet for better idea. My pony came down with laminitis May this year and was tested for raised insulin levels. Pony is doing well on Metformin (drug for human diabetes) to help lower her insulin levels whislt she cannot be exercised. Normal body weight and regular exercise are vitally important to control insulin levels.

Also magnesium oxide (try ebay progressive earth) is beneficial.

phoenixhorsemyfastforum.org is a good site for further information.

Hope your pony is ok.
 
titchy said:
Hi,

New reseach shows 90% of cases of laminitis are caused by insulin resistance. It might be worth having your pony tested, especially if she/he is overweight with a cresty neck, or unusual fat distribution. Research it on the internet for better idea. My pony came down with laminitis May this year and was tested for raised insulin levels. Pony is doing well on Metformin (drug for human diabetes) to help lower her insulin levels whislt she cannot be exercised. Normal body weight and regular exercise are vitally important to control insulin levels.

Also magnesium oxide (try ebay progressive earth) is beneficial.

phoenixhorsemyfastforum.org is a good site for further information.

Hope your pony is ok.
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That is really interesting information I will also look into that as my mare does have unusual fat deposits on her rump and shoulder but doesn't look fat. Thankyou.
 
Goldenstar said:
If the laminitis is severe they should not be moving .
I would get a load of pea gravel tipped into the turnout pen for them to stand on.
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Pea Gravel! are you sure i think that might be a bit abrasive always turn mine out on wood shavings which is ideal (according to vet) or sand school if one available. So glad you have a vet coming just to confirm that you are doing the right thing always puts your mind at rest OP.
 
I'm a little concerned at your post that said you cut the grass right down (which sounds like it hadn't been grazed short but mown).. cut grass= stressed grass = not good for lami.

I hope that you can get them sorted and make them more comfortable.
 
Vet came and hoof tested my babies, she said she would still class it as mild although they look sore. She told me box rest them more than anything so that I can get the excess weight off them and also as it is due to rain, the grass will shoot more which is the last thing they need.

Luckily I have the most fabulous friend who has banished her poor ponies to her ménage so my boys can have her stable (both in one to reduce stress) and big chap is in her holding paddock. She is only 10 minutes drive and vet okayed them to travel that distance.

They will do 10 days box, 7 on bute and then very small strip grazing with muzzle during the day. Hopefully, that will crack it :)

Thank you all for your support, it has been so helpful. As a matter of interest, what is track grazing?

The pea gravel is very interesting, might section off area to permanent gravel so they can use if they wish?!

Titchy, I will ask vet to investigate when she comes back in 10 days, didn't realise it was so closely linked to diabetes though!

Thank you everyone once again and I will keep you posted, hopefully it will be good news from now on :) xx
 
Goldenstar said:
If I was unlucky enough to have a horse with laminitis again I would fill the stable with pea gravel.it really is a supportive comfortable surface .
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Just disgussing this with OH and will speak to vet in the morning as I use my woodchip area to put mine if she has a bout, not had to use it for over a year now but always handy to have as I have no school. It won't break down like woodchip either and good drainage. Thanks again. Good luck OP sounds like you have everything under control, keep us updated on progress over the next week or so.:)
 
Really good news that you've been able to sort out somewhere for box rest for them and that the vet has seen them.

Hope you're ok. You've had a pretty stressful weekend!xx Its a long, horrible journey, but hopefully they will be fine once they get over this attack and you can start to work at preventing further attacks.
 
Crugeran Celt said:
Just disgussing this with OH and will speak to vet in the morning as I use my woodchip area to put mine if she has a bout, not had to use it for over a year now but always handy to have as I have no school. It won't break down like woodchip either and good drainage. Thanks again. Good luck OP sounds like you have everything under control, keep us updated on progress over the next week or so.:)
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Might be an idea to use the pea gravel and an area of woodchip for them to have a lie down .
If you lay a piece of membrane under it it will last much longer as it sinks into the soil over time.
 
what a fab friend :) hopefully that will sort them out.

pea gravel is great but we found it to be not particularly cheap.. especially when they spend more time rolling in it (not helping the feet guys!) or trying to tip toe round the edge, or digging up the lining :mad:.

for future, if yours are all good doers and you are free to fence as you wish do consider a track system. http://www.paddockparadise.com/
I have found it invaluable this year with Frank not really in work due to lameness issues.

ours looks like this (though this pic was after all the rain last month so it got a bit potted.. smooth again now!) round approx 3 acres.

179595_10151762033585438_386965529_n.jpg


they walk around sooo much more and have to work for their grub.
 
There seems to be some misconceptions about pea gravel on this thread, with regard to its beneficial effects and comfort.

Firstly the sort of pea gravel that is recommended for use in lamanitic cases is 10mm, prices can vary depending on location but around £100/ ton give or take is about average.

Laminitis predominantly induced by sugar/starch intake, is a catastrophic attack on the horses metabolism and the resulting breakdown in the lamina is a symptom of the disease. Concentrating on treating the feet is not a cure for laminitis. The resulting damage to the feet and the severity of rotation of the pedal bone cannot be cured or put right as it were. The feet are only repaired by the horse itself once the underlying problem has been addressed, and new lamina reattach from the coronet band down. This process is on going and continuous, but can only be successful when the cause of the disease has been removed.

Concentrating on treating the feet is really a waste of time. They cannot be repaired and the horse needs to grow new ones, which they always do if allowed to, often in spite of some of the treatments applied to the feet rather than because of them. Therefore, the application of special shoes and pads to the lamanitic foot is often painful for the horse and always detrimental.

Whilst I see no value in attempting to cure laminitis by treating the feet, it is and must be a priority to make the horse as comfortable as is possible whilst it grows some new feet. I see a use for bute, when the initial attack hits, but prolonged use of NSAID's will have an adverse effect on the regeneration of the lamina and will hinder and prolong the recovery. Pea gravel in the stable at a depth of 6 inches provides an excellent support for the damaged feet and provides tremendous relief. It is also comfortable for horses to lie in for prolonged periods which they will do when suffering from laminitis. Proper trimming and allowing movement to stimulate the feet are preferable to months of box rest on thick beds of shavings, which do little or nothing to relieve pain and encourage a swift recovery.
 
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Pale Rider said:
There seems to be some misconceptions about pea gravel on this thread, with regard to its beneficial effects and comfort.

Firstly the sort of pea gravel that is recommended for use in lamanitic cases is 10mm, prices can vary depending on location but around £100/ ton give or take is about average.

Laminitis predominantly induced by sugar/starch intake, is a catastrophic attack on the horses metabolism and the resulting breakdown in the lamina is a symptom of the disease. Concentrating on treating the feet is not a cure for laminitis. The resulting damage to the feet and the severity of rotation of the pedal bone cannot be cured or put right as it were. The feet are only repaired by the horse itself once the underlying problem has been addressed, and new lamina reattach from the coronet band down. This process is on going and continuous, but can only be successful when the cause of the disease has been removed.

Concentrating on treating the feet is really a waste of time. They cannot be repaired and the horse needs to grow new ones, which they always do if allowed to, often in spite of some of the treatments applied to the feet rather than because of them. Therefore, the application of special shoes and pads to the lamanitic foot is often painful for the horse and always detrimental.

Whilst I see no value in attempting to cure laminitis by treating the feet, it is and must be a priority to make the horse as comfortable as is possible whilst it grows some new feet. I see a use for bute, when the initial attack hits, but prolonged use of NSAID's will have an adverse effect on the regeneration of the lamina and will hinder and prolong the recovery. Pea gravel in the stable at a depth of 6 inches provides an excellent support for the damaged feet and provides tremendous relief. It is also comfortable for horses to lie in for prolonged periods which they will do when suffering from laminitis. Proper trimming and allowing movement to stimulate the feet are preferable to months of box rest on thick beds of shavings, which do little or nothing to relieve pain and encourage a swift recovery.
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Another excellent post Pale Rider.
 
That is a really interesting post Pale Rider. I hope this doesn't sound snarky, its really not meant to, but how have you gained this knowledge, personal experience with laminitics or on a professional level?
 
Pale riders post is interesting but it's my understanding that you must prevent the pedal bone for dropping and frog supports will help with this the horse I had who got severe lami following an accident was shod in heart bars and you could see the relief in the horses face when the farrier got them on working along side the vet with a portable X-ray machine.It took them three try's to get them on right.
That horse made a full recovery lead a normal life went back to full work .she was sound to work lightly with no shoes but was always shod to hunt as before she had a lot of vet and farrier intervention and it cost a lot of money.
It is I think misleading to say the horse grows a whole new foot it won't grow new bones or ligaments or tendons and these must be stablished, pea gravel in mild cases can be enough to do this.
 
Believe me I do understand that just treating the foot problems caused by laminitis is not the answer but my mare doesn't get laminitis due to grass or being overweight it has always been stress related, first started when she was sent away for schooling as a 5 year old. She has had other bouts due to things like the heavy snow winter before last, she hates being stabled and has even had stress laminitis when new horses have arrived in a neighbouring field even though there is a river between them and they cannot get close to her. I keep an area of woodchip infront of my stables so that I can leave the stable doors open, she is happier that way but she has a soft area outside the stable to stand on. It works for her. As I say she has not had a problem since the winter before last but she also suffers from foot abcesses so would pea gravel be ok if she had an abcess?
 
Crugeran Celt said:
Believe me I do understand that just treating the foot problems caused by laminitis is not the answer but my mare doesn't get laminitis due to grass or being overweight it has always been stress related, first started when she was sent away for schooling as a 5 year old. She has had other bouts due to things like the heavy snow winter before last, she hates being stabled and has even had stress laminitis when new horses have arrived in a neighbouring field even though there is a river between them and they cannot get close to her. I keep an area of woodchip infront of my stables so that I can leave the stable doors open, she is happier that way but she has a soft area outside the stable to stand on. It works for her. As I say she has not had a problem since the winter before last but she also suffers from foot abcesses so would pea gravel be ok if she had an abcess?
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This sounds like a very difficult horse to manage I would ask your vet about the pea gravel but personally I have always found that too much standing on soft surface tends to make them get abscess more easily so yes I think an area of pea gravel would help you .
Different surfaces are very good for horses feet , do you have her shod or unshod?
 
It goes without saying that the best way to deal with laminitis is to stop them ever getting it.
You can't always as I know to my cost but wieght control and exercise are vital at this time of year.
 
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