? Laminitis or footsore

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

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Our shire x is very pottery today. He was trimmed on Monday and this morning was standing in field, didn't come over as normal to gate. I went and got him and he walked in but very tentatively and when he got to more rutted bits he was not wanting to move. I managed to get him into stable so he's in now and we're treating him as though it's lami, just in case.

He is moving about better in stable and I've felt for digital pulses in all his feet but nothing noticeable ATM, no heat. He's weight bearing on all four feet, no rocking back at all but he's occasionally resting alternate back feet. However when he was moving in field he looked sore on all of them TBH.

The farriers said his feet looked fantastic on monday and also commented on what a fab weight he is. He is only fed on hay/fast fibre.

Our field is very very hard (like rock), very rutted and very icy. Could he be this sore just with bruised feet?? He doesn't like hard ground anyway and the only reason he's had his shoes off is to save the field and because he wasn't going to be ridden much over the winter.

As I say, we are treating it as lami just to be on the safe side and are waiting for farriers to call to see if they think we should get vet out tomorrow.

Thoughts pls, sorry for the long post but worried xx
 
I think you're right to treat it as lammi till you know for sure especially with the frost, when he was trimmed was any of the frog or sole cut away? That could make him sore.
 
it is quite possible that he has just badly bruised himself but still treat for lami i have one that has been lame for 3 weeks now with the vets messing around from an abscess, tendon ligament strain, sidebone (which we already knew she had) and has now developed a traumatic laminitis we knew she was going so started to treat even though the vet said she wasn't yesterday the farrier come today and said she has traumatic laminitis....

so it is better to be safe then sorry i hope your chap is ok and it is just bruised feet.
 
I've got exactly the same problem. My lammi prone pony was lying down yesterday afternoon - i never find him down in the daytime. Cant feel pulses & walking ok but hes in for a bit now just in case.
 
He'd pulled a big bit off his back right wall which was why he had to be trimmed monday. It's not the first time he's done this but before the grounds been soft. That foot definately looks like it's had a bit taken off it and yest evening when he was fed my friend said he looked a tiny bit sore on it but today he's much worse, although as I say better in the stable.

Anyway he's stopping in until someone can tell us. Once we get the ok and he's happier he can go out in small area by building in day time for a bit of air and then in again until the ground is better.

But until we know he'll stay in xx
 
You are so right to treat as if he has laminitis it does sound a likely suspect to me. There is some anecdotal evidence very cold temperatures have a negative effect but the sunny days and freezing nights I believe you've had in UK increases the risk tremendously due to increased sugar levels in the grass.
Check for signs of thrush as well. Do soak hay if possible.
You will need the vet for a diagnosis. Fingers crossed and good on you for taking immediate action. :)
 
Sounds like your doing the right thing frosty grass can bring it on. But it could be the cold getting to him as his feet were just done. I had a terrible time keeping my shetland comfortable last year with it being so bad for so long, he was fine in the morning but after a day out he could barely move I ended up booting him during turn out. My blacksmith called it frozen foot and said it was quite common. Touch wood he's been ok so far this year.

Hope he's ok.
 
Thanks for all your replies. So my friend called farrier tonight, he said that there have been a few horses this week that have normally been ok post trimming that have been very footsore due to the ground conditions. They have said we are doing exactly the right thing by keeping him in and to get vet out if he doesn't look more comfortable tomorrow. If he is looking better than they have advised putting his shoes back on (we had planned to anyway at end of feb) to make him more comfortable.

I'm certainly not ruling out lami but we will see how he is tomorrow xxx
 
That's good, hope he's looking better in the morning and that's all it is. I used to have one who was very prone I remember that horrible feeling you got when she looked like she was having an attack.
 
Personally I would get the vet if the horse is that uncomfortable.

The key here is the trim on Monday, and I'd be suprised if it were lami.
 
I had exactly this problem this week with my miniature stallion, he was fine in the stable but when I turned him out he was very tottery and taking small steps in the yard until he hit the snow and then he was fine again. I have had both vet and farrier out, he has had a trim and he is on anti-inflammatory for a week, the farrier also put cotton under his feet and fixed it with duck tape. He is doing great. He thinks it is just due to the cold weather and very hard ground.
Good luck
 
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