Laminitis aftermath

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CPW

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I have done a couple of posts on here regarding my horse who was diagnosed with laminitis about six weeks ago for the first time.

I am now coming to the point where he should be able to go out gradually from next week as vet coming Monday to do check up.

He seems to have a constant pulse in both front feet - when it was first diagnosed it was really raised in the one foot and obvious but now I check them everyday (he only had laminitis in one front foot which also has seedy toe) and now they both seem to be the same but easily felt - is this normal?

Also, any suggestions on good grazing muzzles?
 
I wish someone would tell me about pulses, too!
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I can feel pulses in my horse, but they're the same as yours, regular, quiet but easy to feel. I think that's normal, though 'people' would have me believe that ANY pulse means something is wrong. I have been fretting about this. Anyone?
 
I would assume a normal , regular, quiet pulse should be fine. It is, at the end of the day, a pulse. If it wasn't there your horse would really be in trouble!
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I guess its easier to find in some than others. I know from checking my pony's regularly I can find it easily but stuggled at first. Once you know what you're feeling for it's easier to feel and I know I often imagine that its pounding when its not!!
I think people that panic about digital pulses are those that don't know what a normal pulse feels like.
So , I would say a regular, quiet pulse is a good thing.
 
I had a scare with my fat shetland on wednesday. I got the vet out because I thought he might have the dreaded laminitis. She could feel a pulse but said that it didn't automatically mean he had laminitis, just that he had pain in his foot. It turns out the farrier trimmed him a bit short. 2 days later the pulse has gone and he seems more comfortable.
 
My horse has had laminitis in the past and I panicked this spring when I found pulses in all 4 feet again. After treating it as laminitis for a fortnight the pulses werent getting any better and I got the vet out again. Different one this time and she told me to start riding him and to turn him out again. She said that digital pulses were not the be all and end all and that if the horse is sound and happy on his feet to ignore them. She said there are loads of horses this year who have them and it is because of the high temperature and temperature fluctautions from hot to cool. There have been at least 3 others at my yard who have shown digital pulses who are completely sound.
So, if your horse is sound and showing no signs of being pottery on tight turns, I wouldnt worry at all
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Honeypots, this isnt quite the case. A digital pulse is not like a 'normal' pulse. The pulse you feel is part of a 'safety valve' system. Normally the blood flows through the foot and the place where you detect the digital pulse is not used by the horse. When blood pressure climbs in the foot for whatever reason-exercise, hot weather, laminitis- to relieve the pressure in the hoof, some of the blood is diverted round this 'safety valve' system. This is why a bounding digital pulse in laminitics is so dangerous as it means that alot of the blood is being diverted away from the structures of the hoof, the laminae are starved of blood and start to die.

Can you tell I have been doing my homework on this!
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Thank you everyone, this is all very useful.

Wormhugs - how can you differentiate between the digital pulse and a normal pulse?

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You can find the digital pulse in a very specific place on the inside of the fetlock. Normally it is very difficult, if not impossible to find, as its not usually there- the safety valve sytem is not in use, therefore there is little or no blood flowing through it so its not detectable.
Havent ever taken a 'normal' pulse of my ponio, just assume he has one as he is merrily chomping on his haypile!
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I think you can find a pulse on the inside of their jawbones though, but am quite happy to be corrected or be told where else one can find one!
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[ QUOTE ]
Honeypots, this isnt quite the case. A digital pulse is not like a 'normal' pulse. The pulse you feel is part of a 'safety valve' system. Normally the blood flows through the foot and the place where you detect the digital pulse is not used by the horse. When blood pressure climbs in the foot for whatever reason-exercise, hot weather, laminitis- to relieve the pressure in the hoof, some of the blood is diverted round this 'safety valve' system. This is why a bounding digital pulse in laminitics is so dangerous as it means that alot of the blood is being diverted away from the structures of the hoof, the laminae are starved of blood and start to die.

Can you tell I have been doing my homework on this!
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[/ QUOTE ]

Aaaaah! Why didn't I know this!! Thank you, wormhugs!
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Thanks W - that makes sense when applied to my boy
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6 months before i got my cob, he had very bad laminitis (some pedal rotation/ bordered on founder) due to chronic obesity caused by someone "producing" him for show cobs.
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Grrrr.
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He was left with saggy skin, cellulite and varicous veins (along with another page of problems noted on his vets certificate)
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Because his veins are swollen/ bulging/distended even at rest.you can almost see the pulse when he has pigged too much on his tiny paddock.
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At least he is now fit and well but its taken a while- Cheeky b*gger is now in a home for life
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[ QUOTE ]
You can find the digital pulse in a very specific place on the inside of the fetlock. Normally it is very difficult, if not impossible to find, as its not usually there- the safety valve sytem is not in use, therefore there is little or no blood flowing through it so its not detectable.
Havent ever taken a 'normal' pulse of my ponio, just assume he has one as he is merrily chomping on his haypile!
laugh.gif
I think you can find a pulse on the inside of their jawbones though, but am quite happy to be corrected or be told where else one can find one!
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[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you W ... I was trying to explain the blood flow issue to my friend the other day but did not know how to put it in words but now can, thanks to you
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now tho as I have always felt on the outside of the fetlock and / or the outside just above the pastern ...... am I wrong
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Glad to be of help!
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You can find the digital pulse (if there is one) one the inside of the leg. Its just below the fetlock joint, and is nestled in a V shape of bones or tendons (this is where my knowledge falls down big time!
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) If you can locate the V shape, its towards the rear of the V (tail wards, rather than head wards). Good luck finding it after such a technical explanation!
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Hi,
Just reading the posts regards digital pulses. From my experience when things in the horse are ok the pulse just at the fetlock is hard to find at rest which suggest there is no problem. If the pulse is strong and can be found easily that suggests a problem which is normally associated with laminitis.
 
Goes off to check the right place now. Thanks to wormhugs for the best description/location that I've ever read.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Honeypots, this isnt quite the case. A digital pulse is not like a 'normal' pulse. The pulse you feel is part of a 'safety valve' system. Normally the blood flows through the foot and the place where you detect the digital pulse is not used by the horse. When blood pressure climbs in the foot for whatever reason-exercise, hot weather, laminitis- to relieve the pressure in the hoof, some of the blood is diverted round this 'safety valve' system. This is why a bounding digital pulse in laminitics is so dangerous as it means that alot of the blood is being diverted away from the structures of the hoof, the laminae are starved of blood and start to die.

Can you tell I have been doing my homework on this!
tongue.gif

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[/ QUOTE ]

Wormhugs.. I have searched and searched for info on the above but just can't find anything similar. Would you mind showing me where you found this info?

cheers
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Hi Honeypots- took a while, but yes I have found it again, I think.
The website http://www.laminitisclinic.org/ has "Explaining Laminitis and its Prevention" a webversion of the book by Robert Eustace FRCVS broken down into chapters. The bit explaining blood flow is in Chapter 2, but its best to have a quick look through chapter 1 first.
I think thats where the info came from, I'll browse a bit more if I have time today!
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Hello, me again
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Have just beem having a look in Chapter 4 of the same book that I posted about previously. It is talking about why exercise is not good during active laminitis. I couldnt copy the text but have scribbled it down to type out- hope you appreciate this
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"The problem with laminitis is not a lack of circulation, in fact there is a greatly increased amount of blood enetering the foot. The problem is there is a greatly reduced perfusion, i.e. the blood is entering the foot in greater quantities than normal and going straight out again via arteriovenus anastamoses (AV shunts) to the veins without nourishing the tissues.."

This is what I described in my previous post-when blood pressure in the hoof is increased, for whatever reason, blood is diverted out of the hoof, as it is a non expandable structure.
Right, I'm off to do some work now!
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