Laminitis? Confused!

southerncomfort

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2013
Messages
5,207
Visit site
Three days ago I found my small cob lying down in the field. Not unusual for him...He likes a kip! Half hour later he was still there so I felt his feet and found moderate heat in all 4 coronary bands.

I decided to get him in off the grass but three days stabled and on soaked hay only, he still has some heat in his coronary bands. I can't feel any pulses but he has very hairy legs.

Is it possible that warm coronary bands are normal for him? He doesn't seem to be lame.
I read an article last night that suggested heat in the feet alone is not a good indicator of laminitis.

I'm wondering if I jumped the gun assuming it was laminitis.

I'm going to speak to my vet on Monday and he's having feet trimmed on Tuesday.
 

be positive

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 July 2011
Messages
19,396
Visit site
I think if he was lying down and you had any fear it could be laminitis you have done the right thing and caught it very early, I would probably continue to monitor and restrict grass, soak hay and try to get some weight off.
I have a welsh pony who has never had laminitis but sometimes gets too close for comfort, if I feel she is quieter or lying down more than normal a few days being even more careful with her is enough to stop it becoming a real concern far better to prevent than deal with a full blown attack, you have not jumped to gun just been slightly ahead of it.
 

meleeka

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 September 2001
Messages
10,473
Location
Hants, England
Visit site
Agree with above, you did the right thing but I’ve always found heat an unreliable indicator. My pony has different temperatures depending on the time of day, weather or even which bit of the field she’s been in. Pulses are the best indicator imo but very difficult on a hairy unless you’ve felt them before. My cons are better felt further up, but if you google where the artery runs, anywhere should be feelable if they are bounding.
 

southerncomfort

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2013
Messages
5,207
Visit site
Thanks everyone.

I have him turned out in the school during the day and stabled at night and I'm keeping him on the soaked hay for now.

He's having his feet trimmed tomorrow so hopefully we can work out what's been going on.
 

ester

Not slacking multitasking
Joined
31 December 2008
Messages
60,198
Location
Cambridge
Visit site
nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution :). I wouldn't put much store by warm feet though. If the pulses are there I'd think they would still be fairly easily felt despite the hair. - can't feel a pulse on F unless there is a problem, it was nice to find I was feeling in the right place when he had an abscess.
 

southerncomfort

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 September 2013
Messages
5,207
Visit site
Well he's had his feet trimmed and the verdict is very mild laminitis caught very early!

He is sound with no pulses now so we've had the green light to crack on with exercise. He's going to be allowed an hour a day turnout in a pen in a bald field for now, the rest of the day he'll continue to be turned out in the school and stabled at night. I'll also keep him on soaked hay for now.

Feel like we've had a very lucky escape but it's a bit of a worry as he isn't at all overweight. I'm going to treat him as if he's been diagnosed with EMS and just manage him very, very carefully.
 

wkiwi

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 March 2015
Messages
838
Location
Wales
Visit site
Well caught !
Just be aware that if you become good at feeling pulses then there will always be a pulse (unless dead). It is just like feeling the pulse at a human's wrist (except the hair makes it all harder of course). So when people say they can feel a pulse there it could be a normal pulse.
If you check regularly, then you can tell what is normal for your own horse and if you are worried it is increased then compare both inside and outside of the leg and compare each leg with the one on the opposite side, and then front and back. Even if you have a bounding pulse in one or more foot it might be other things and not laminitis (as it is just a symptom of increased blood flow/pressure) but better safe than sorry :)
 

kinnygirl1

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 September 2011
Messages
1,519
Visit site
Well caught !
Just be aware that if you become good at feeling pulses then there will always be a pulse (unless dead). It is just like feeling the pulse at a human's wrist (except the hair makes it all harder of course). So when people say they can feel a pulse there it could be a normal pulse.
If you check regularly, then you can tell what is normal for your own horse and if you are worried it is increased then compare both inside and outside of the leg and compare each leg with the one on the opposite side, and then front and back. Even if you have a bounding pulse in one or more foot it might be other things and not laminitis (as it is just a symptom of increased blood flow/pressure) but better safe than sorry :)

^^ this ... my horse was diagnosed with EMS (although hasn't had a lami attack) last year and I became obsessed with pulses as I can literally always feel them even in the middle of winter! I got my vet to check them in my presence to confirm that they were normal and not bounding and she said once you've felt them you will probably always be able to get something... you just have to learn what's normal for your horse.
 

SEL

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 February 2016
Messages
12,303
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site
Agree with the guys above. It was only when I checked the pulses of an active laminitic that I understood the phrase 'bounding pulse'!
 
Top