Laminitis nightmare ?

[Pearlsasinger]

Yes you definitely need a vet who responds promptly. 2 days is far too long to take to respond to a veterinary emergency, such a suspected laminitis.

 

[Backtoblack]

Theres a new drug available for lami can't remember the name but have heard of very good quick results. Also get a lami app for your phone, mine are off the grass at present, it's reading so high.

 

[Backtoblack]

BTW vet should attend immediately for suspected lami it's an emergency.

 

[scats]

One of mine got laminitis last summer and we had to treat her slightly differently as she is a chronic box walker when stressed and we realised that her box walking was not going to help the situation. She had mild rotation in both feet. We put heart bears on, then I padded her feet up and we slowly allowed her to potter out to a small fenced off area in the field. She stayed in the normal routine of out overnight and in during the day. She had to walk about 100 foot to get to her field/stable every morning and evening. We just let her go as slowly as she needed.
That was June/July last year. She was back in work by November, normal shoes back on and has remained totally sound since.

 

[Mrs_P]

So he's in a very deep bed of shavings and having soaked hay. He's on 1 bute daily. He did seem to walk much better across from his stable to my friends (not a great distance but enough to be able to see a difference) although as I say he is on bute so not getting my hopes up.

 

[Mrs_P]

So the verdict.......

*drumroll*

It is an abscess ?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

So the verdict.......

*drumroll*

It is an abscess ?

Hurrah, keep everything crossed it drains down and out promptly ?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I am amazed that your vet did not come out immediiately as Laminitis is an 'emergency' and needs to be treated immediately. Your vet needs to come out and determine if it is Laminitis and if so or suspected take bloods to check for Cushings Disease, Equine Metabolic Sydrome or something else has triggered it off such as encysted small red worms (which can not be detected in a normal worm count). I would also suggest that you need to find yourself a more pro-active vet who responds immediately.

I agree my old vet practice failed to diagnose my mare two years running, till it downhill and I lost her, they are my x vets now.

OP you may have to use relaquine if he has to box rest. He needs to be in a good thick bed and Bedmax is the preferred beddidng for support and cushion.

OH sorry wrote this before I saw your update and you have done exactly what I suggested.

I lost my mare of a life time due to Laminitis and vets failure to diagnose, since thenher son has laminitis and my Connie and my new ID. I check pulses/grass and put them on Timothy Haylage and also Turmeric has made a real difference to the flare ups.

Some of these ideas may help while on box rest. Collected from previous experience and other H&H members. https://h0rseservices.weebly.com/horses-on-box-rest.html

 

[Mrs_P]

My boy is back to his usual self. He has been allowed turnout for a few hours this morning, not that I had any say in the matter as he dragged me to the gate. Vet said he could go back out completely but I don't trust him to keep the bootie (poultice) on ?.

The abscess was right on his toe which ties in with where farrier found the bruising. Vet managed to pop it and he should be right as rain after a few days poulticing.

I have a very happy horse and I am a very happy owner.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply. I really appreciate all your comments and advice. Xx

 

[meleeka]

That’s excellent news!

Duck tape is your friend to keep everything in place when poulticing. You really can’t overdo it when they are moving around.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Hurrah!

You can get a sort of sandal to put on the base of the hoof to keep a poultice on, Crocz. They are not so good in muddy conditions but great at this time of the year.

 

[tristar]

so pleased for you and horse, mrs P

 

[misst]

Great news

 

[mustardsmum]

This is great news Mrs_P! Sounds like he will be fine, once drained they are pretty much sorted. In my experience, abscesses usually present as a broken leg!! Our first loan pony got an abscess in the first week we got him, he was stood in the field with one front leg hanging in the air. I honestly thought he was going to have to be shot. Called vet, and owner and it turns out he was a bit of a drama queen and once shoe was off and drained he was perfectly fine....!!!

 

[Apizz2019]

Hello all

I'm a long term lurker and really enjoy reading through the discussions on here.

I was hoping for some help with my poor gelding who we suspects has laminitis.

Bit of background he is 16yo standardbred gelding. He lives out 24/7 this time of year on around 5 acres of grazing. He has never had issues with this previously.

Back in April our yard went into lockdown as next door had a confirmed strangles case, and their fields border our fields. My boy is usually shod bit given the circumstances I asked farrier to remove his shoes as unknown how long the situation could continue and having done so previous summers when he has been turned away for his summer hols (hunter so usually has a few months off over summer).

Anyway a few days ago I noticed he seemed a bit sore. I assumed he might have been enjoying his usual favourite game of hooning about the field and perhaps went over a stone. Checked legs and hooves and couldn't see anything obvious. Checked for a bounding digital pulse and couldn't feel anything, and hooves did not feel hot, but he seemed uncomfortable.

The farrier came to check him and noticed some bruising in the white line and said this is usually a sign of laminitis and to box rest.

I rang my vet who also said box rest and go from there. She said it could be some bruising which is making him uncomfortable or he has an abcess brewing up, but assume it's laminitis just in case. He is not overweight and isn't on particularly rich grazing although I know this isn't always the cause of lami.

My main problem is he is an absolute nightmare on box rest. He will not stable on his own meaning another horse has to be brought in to kero him company. The other issue is our stables are in a huge barn made from metal sheets. In the weather we have been having it is unbearably hot in there. We do not have a sand arena or turnout that isn't grass. He is incredibly miserable and stressed at the moment and I really don't know what to do.

I am calling the vet again today but if this is going to mean he will constantly need to be on box rest then I think I may need to consider his happiness and quality of life in the long term.

I'm devastated. I watched a good friend lose her mare to lami last year and I know it always usually gets them in the end ? my poor boy ?

I have first hand experience of lami and the first thing I'd suggest doing is finding the cause of the laminitis.

Test for PPID and EMS. Once you've ruled either, or both, you can come up with an action plan. PPID and EMS are responsible got most cases of laminitis.

Without knowing the exact cause, you're going to be blindly feeling your way around in the dark, trying to find what it might or might not be.

It could well be neither of those but that's where I'd recommend anyone starts, unless of course there is a strong possibility of it being concussive laminitis or supporting limb laminitis, i.e horse recently did a lot of hard work on a hard surface and similar, or has injury induced laminitis.

Happy for you to DM me. X

 

[Hepsibah]

I'm so pleased for you. Laminitis is absolutely miserable for horse and owner both. Abscesses aren't much fun either but they don't tend to be life threatening...
I heartily recommend turning out as much as you can as the exercise helps pump the pus out of the foot. I use duct tape to cover the vet-wrapped poultice which does the trick quite well.
"

"

 

[Mrs_P]

Thanks all. He's back out this evening and will be leaving him out now other than checking/changing the poultice. He kept the poultice on without any issues. I changed it this evening and there is still some goo coming through. He's now back out in a rather fetching bright blue ductape bootie.

 

[ponynutz]

A great way to pad the feet (after years of experience) is using cheap (so big and fluffy) sanitary pads folded in half and then duct-taped to the bottom of the hoof. Stays in place and gives great cushioning.

Lidl do excellent thick sanitary pads that are relatively cheap.

Sorry if conversation moved on or someone's said this only half way through reading the thread.

 

[ponynutz]

My boy is back to his usual self. He has been allowed turnout for a few hours this morning, not that I had any say in the matter as he dragged me to the gate. Vet said he could go back out completely but I don't trust him to keep the bootie (poultice) on ?.

The abscess was right on his toe which ties in with where farrier found the bruising. Vet managed to pop it and he should be right as rain after a few days poulticing.

I have a very happy horse and I am a very happy owner.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply. I really appreciate all your comments and advice. Xx

Hurrah!

 

[Bellalily]

Not sure if you've had it confirmed yet, but if it is laminitis, this is by no means he end of at all. Our chap had it almost 10 years ago, autumn flush and rubbish electric fencing meant he just had too much of the green stuff. He made a full recovery in six weeks, he didn't go out again at that yard, I found another one whilst he was in. I too had to bring his mate in, so I had two on box rest which was fun. I would definitely keep him and comfortable whilst you find alternative lodgings for him. As I said, ours made a 100% recovery, went on to complete 20 mile endurance rides over Bodmin Moor barefoot and I've just about managed to keep it at bay since. I'd also be leaving those shoes off as they may mask the condition his feet are in and also his recovery will be quicker if his circulation is not impaired.

 

[Bellalily]

Hurrah!

Just read this after I'd posted. Thank goodness, I do love a happy ending.