Laminitis help please

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louisehood

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My horse has had on-going problems with laminitis in his back feet, have had numerous vet visits and still not getting anywhere. He has had pedal bone rotation in both back feet. However the vet has just said to turn him out onto a hard/flat surface for about an hour a day. He's not a happy boy at the moment however I think he is now sound just a bit stiff. But he still doesn't seem himself and has had blood coming out of his back hooves from the pedal bone movement but the vet has said this is normal? He does have EMS and Cushing's but both are controlled and medicated for. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks! :)
 
The blood is a result of the laminae breaking down. A build up of serum and blood as a result of laminitis can cause excruciating pain, much like an abscess. Sometimes poulticing can help relieve the pressure.
 
louisehood said:
My horse has had on-going problems with laminitis in his back feet, have had numerous vet visits and still not getting anywhere. He has had pedal bone rotation in both back feet. However the vet has just said to turn him out onto a hard/flat surface for about an hour a day. He's not a happy boy at the moment however I think he is now sound just a bit stiff. But he still doesn't seem himself and has had blood coming out of his back hooves from the pedal bone movement but the vet has said this is normal? He does have EMS and Cushing's but both are controlled and medicated for. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks! :)
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You must clarify what you mean in the bit I've put in bold!

His hooves need support (pads and boots?) possibly a realigning trim and his diet needs to be very strict with appropriate mineral etc. levels.

Read all the info you can and follow the diet advice strictly if not already.
http://ecirhorse.org/
http://www.thelaminitissite.org/

ps. Stiffness is often a sign of hoof discomfort/pain in laminitis!
 
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He just seems very fed up and lethargic, he's had blood coming out of his soles in his back feet and the walls of his hooves at the back have been very bruised but the vet has said this is because of the movement from the pedal bone. He had a trim a week ago, all of his shoes have been removed to build up the digital cushion within the foot to support the pedal bone more. His diet is extremely strict and he is not at all overweight.
 
louisehood said:
Apparently the blood is a good thing as it releases pressure? He has metformin for his EMS and a low calorie, low starch and high fibre diet.
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I am very concerned about this post and the op tbh!

Is his hay soaked well in fresh water each time and rinsed, what else is he eating?

Bleeding in the hoof/lamina is not a good sign! It is a sign of a very distressed hoof!
 
louisehood said:
He just seems very fed up and lethargic, he's had blood coming out of his soles in his back feet and the walls of his hooves at the back have been very bruised but the vet has said this is because of the movement from the pedal bone. He had a trim a week ago, all of his shoes have been removed to build up the digital cushion within the foot to support the pedal bone more. His diet is extremely strict and he is not at all overweight.
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I think replacing his hooves is the next best step!
 
He is being managed by a vet I was just concerned that he's not improving - the vet has said the blood is post-trauma from the rotation of the pedal bone. His hay is soaked and he has an alfalfa chop, Antilam (low sugar/starch balancer) and a reduced calorie low sugar conditioner as recommended by a nutritionist who specialises in EMS horses.
 
OrangePepper said:
Check out the Laminitis Trust Web Site
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Definitely a good place to start. Our pony had a terrible bout a few years ago as a complication of peritonitis. We used the glue on shoes which provided him with immediate visible relief and supported his recovery. I'd recommend them very highly, I honestly think he would have been destroyed without them - speak to your Farrier.
 
I would only poultice if a horse seems really sore as poulticing otherwise will just soften and weaken the hoof.

I would not be happy with what this vet is saying. Bleeding is not always from rotating pedal bones. All horses that have laminitis will have some bleeding under the hoof wall. Even if there is no rotation of the pedal bone. It can easily be seen in white hooves.

As a matter of urgency, the horse should be fitted with Styrofoam pads either taped to his hooves or inside hoof boots. This will help support the pedal bone.
 
I have had a look at this and what is worrying me is it could be cancer as if he has it in the pituitary gland it would look like cushings - which he has apparently got but the medication for it is not working, and he has skin cancers in the past. So another visit from the vet I think!
 
louisehood said:
His hay is soaked and he has an alfalfa chop, Antilam (low sugar/starch balancer) and a reduced calorie low sugar conditioner as recommended by a nutritionist who specialises in EMS horses.
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I would think you need to get him off balancers and conditioners asap, regardless if they are low starch and low sugar. They are suitable when he is not suffering from an acute attack of laminitis. Soak the hay in lots of warm water, and then change the water and do it again, to draw out as much sugar as possible.

I assume when you say bleeding from the sole, you mean a redness in the sole and not actual blood coming out?
 
I am already doing that with his hay, thanks for your advice on the balancer and conditioner i'll take him off them straight away, it is actual blood from the soles but I've had a vet and a farrier look at them and they have both said it's normal.
 
louisehood said:
I am already doing that with his hay, thanks for your advice on the balancer and conditioner i'll take him off them straight away, it is actual blood from the soles but I've had a vet and a farrier look at them and they have both said it's normal.
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Well i'm certainly no expert, far from it. But I would imagine the nutritionist recommended this diet before the acute attack? Low sugar and starch doesn't mean no sugar or starch to me. Best of look with him, I hope he's ok
 
yes it was before the laminitis, no it does have sugar and starch in it just a low amount but i'll take him off them until his laminitis has cleared up. Thanks :)
 
There are much better feeds than a balancer. Look at Allen and Page's website, they do a feed specially for laminitics called L-Mix. It's REALLY low calorie, molasses free etc and has all the vits and mins they need so no balancer needed. My lami-risk horse sadly didn't like it (he hates garlic) but I had excellent results with Allen and Page fast fibre which is very similar, I added rosehips to this which give a lot of benefits for laminitis.
 
top spec is quite well reported as not always suiting barefoot horses, as is alfalfa.

Mine is also quite picky (but it quite happily eating equimins advanced pellets atm!)

Did your vet say why he wanted him turned out on a hard surface?
 
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