Laminitis or ?

J

jes_nibley

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30 September 2006
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Wiltshire / Dorset borders
www.languedocgundogs.co.uk
Hi there,

Before I start I would just like to say that i have the vet coming out tomorrow but thought i would pick your brains in the meantime...

My section A broke through an electric fence a few times a couple of weeks ago and pigged out on sheep creep (he has to share field with sheep so there food is fenced off). Since then he has been in a starvation paddock as that combined with grass starting to grow he got a bit fat. He got happier and started lots of whickering and talking again v quickly then broke out one day but just into the rest of the field, not the creep thankfully!.

Since then he has been stabled at night as the weather changed and it's very open up here (and the TB won't come in by himself!), but in my limited knowledge of laminitis i thought that stabling was supposed to be better for the horse / pony. However, in the morning's he is very 'footy' and walks quite slowly to his field. In the evenings he will walk much quicker back in from the field.

There is no heat in his feet / legs but he is now right. He'll be 15 this summer and I've had him since he was 6 months old - he's never had laminitis before but I'm not sure what else it could be...?!

Hoping someone has some ideas / thoughts / things to try or look for.

Many thanks!
 
Is there a digital pulse at all?

Laminitis usually comes on very quickly after eating excessive food etc.

From what you've said, it could be that he's a bit stiff after staying in over night, if he's ok when being brought back in.
 
Hi, thanks for your quick reply.

I can't feel a digital pulse. He's never really been one for getting stiff overnight - i appreciate that he's getting older but they were stabled at night all winter and went out 24/7 about 6 weeks ago.

It would have started around his pigging out episodes - he stopped cantering over for his tea!! (That's a Major hint that something is not right ;) )

Hmm, thinking it may be laminitis and that it is varying in how bad it is due to pigging out and being confined to starvation paddock.

He has wetted hay as has mild copd, might try soaking it to within an inch of its life and see if that makes a difference to morning walking...

Thanks again!
 
Hi I have a pony who has had laminitis in the past quite a few times and there does seem to be a stage of it where some gentle movement does seem to ease the pain more than standing in. Years ago we were advised to keep them walking at this stage but now the vets advise them to stay in on a deep bed of shavings because although walking might ease the pain there is still a risk of pedal bone rotation ( and therefore permanent damage ) which is reduced by restricting movement. Your pony could be at this stage so I would keep him off the grass until the vet has seen him just in case. Hopefully if it is laminitis you have caught it early and it won't take long for him to come sound.
 
jes_nibley said:
He has wetted hay as has mild copd, might try soaking it to within an inch of its life and see if that makes a difference to morning walking...
Click to expand...
I would soak the hay as you describe and rinse it until the vet gets there. I think it's always the best action if there is any suspicion of laminitis.
It will help with weight loss too in the longer term. Keeping a good low weight is very important to laminitis risk.

ps. Movement helps keep metabolism up but it must be done with suitable surface and/or hoof support/trim to reduce risk of further damage in acute laminitis.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi there,

Well the vet has been this morning and it is laminitis. :(

So, he's on boxrest for a little while and bute for a few days with very soaked hay, a strict diet and see how we go. She thinks we have caught it in the early stages but obviously now he's got it he could have an attack whenever (i.e. if he breaks out of his starvation paddock when he's allowed back out) - or at least that's how I have understood it!

So, my next question is:
does anyone have any tips as to how to manage laminitis (other than wet hay, limited grass, diet and exercise when sound etc..

Thanks!
 
This is going to sound horrid but dont rug up as much......with our lami when the others are in heaveys he is in a meduim as it makes him use hes own engery to keep himself warm it's another way for weight control and using his body to help with it..........also no turning out in snow/frosty weather as it's all you can eat in sugar.

Hugs and hope everything goes okay.

X
 
Your pony could be at this stage so I would keep him off the grass until the vet has seen him just in case. Hopefully if it is laminitis you have caught it early and it won't take long for him to come sound.
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I use a paddock split in two and have some sheep in the other side. When pony is brought in for the night the sheep are let into her side of the paddock and they eat all the grass!

But fencing issues need sorting to prevent acute one off attack becoming chronic issue. Mine started charging underneath the very zappy electric fence, she doesnt seem to care about the zap so we are having to pay to have permanent fencing for her starvation paddock.

When she is in a normal field she is out during day, in at night and she is muzzled all the time she is out. This reduces her intake by at least half and also means she cant get to the short very sweet new grass shoots, only the slightly older longer ones, which are lower in sugar. Also if she does get out of the field, she still has the muzzle on! I find Roma ones are softer and less rub-prone than the Shires altho you have to watch they dont manage to make the nibble hole in the centre of the base bigger as the rubber there is also softer.
 
In terms of management, my lad now has to be on a bald paddock all year in the day and stabled at night on hay. He is no longer rugged at any time of year and grows a thick coat instead. In winter I strip graze him a bit each day.
The management is vital as I have learnt to my detriment. I went on holiday for a week recently and someone looked after him for me. To make it easier for her I said to leave him out at night on hay as his paddock was very bare anyway. It rained whilst I was away - a lot of rain and the grass grew. When I got back he had the very early signs that something was 'not right'. He had one sensitive back hoof and I am confident it is very early stages, so he has been on box rest and I am slowly letting him back out on some grass in the day only. Hard lesson to learn and I wont be letting him out at night again. I was lucky that I caught it so very early, but it is a set back for us both.
 
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