laminitis query?

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lout

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hi there
I have been seeing to my neighbours shetland pony for the past month or so. She suffered a really bad laminitis episode 2 years ago and we were all surprised that she made it through.
shes been hobbling about all winter, i got the farrier to her to trim her feet and that has improved her mobility loads.
She has wintered in a very bare sheltered paddock and gets a haynet every day and some carrots.
A week ago she was in really fine form, and had a frolic and a roll in the big field for 5 mins supervised before i popped her back into the little paddock.
unfortunately for the past 4 days she has been really off her near fore. so much so that she doesnt make much effort to walk to her haynet or to the carrots. she is lying down alot - all the symptoms of a laminitis spell.

i am not a seasoned laminitis person so im wondering why do you think she has suddenly gone off her feet? we have had a cold snap with the snow but i wouldnt say the ground is all that hard. the paddock she is in is unlikely to have any spring grass popping through either. im just not sure what sets laminitis off at this time of year.

this morning when i was seeing to her, i picked out her feet as usual and there was a softness to her coronet band and it was weeping a little bit. she is moving around easier cause ive been giving her a dose of bute but i am now worried about the coronet band thing. i have put a dry poultice on to see what happens.

arghhhhhhh. ill try to get hold of her elderly owner and see if he will get the vet out soon.

so any thoughts why?

thanks

Louise
 
Dont' feed her carrots, it's the worse thing you can give to a lamanitic. And it does sound like it's time for a visit from the vet. It could be nothing more than the pony feeling the ground - but given her history you need to be extra cautious. I would be getting the vet out as soon as possible if she were mine.
 
oh, thanks
I really had no idea about the carrots. is there a carrot quota before its bad for them? ive been giving her a slack handful, like 5-10 or so.
I know her elderly owner takes her all sorts of veg scraps, what other things are a no-no?
and i agree if she was mine id have had the vet out in a flash - to be honest id have been tempted to have had her pts 2 years ago when she had her first really bad episode.
thanks

Louise
 
I'm afraid that carrots are a trigger for laminitics, and likewise frosty grass, due to the chemical reaction in the sward.
 
Sounds like an abscess bursting through the coronary band. Apply heated towels to the area to help draw the pus upwards. A few carrots, contrary to popular belief, will do no harm to a laminitic.
 
I have a pony with Cushings who has to be strictly managed otherwise he will get lamintis. Carrots are a complete no-no to a pony who is suffering from laminitis - so absolutely no carrots. This pony should be in a stable on a deep shavings bed being fed hay that has been soaked for a minimum of 12 hours to reduce the calorie intake. A vet should be called immediately. Frostly grass is a major cause of laminitis at this time of year, as is an apparently "bare paddock" . The fresh green shoots that appear on a bare paddock, are full of frutans.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like an abscess bursting through the coronary band. Apply heated towels to the area to help draw the pus upwards. A few carrots, contrary to popular belief, will do no harm to a laminitic.

[/ QUOTE ]

Would agree definately burst abcess from what you have described.
 
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