Laminitis question

[tanira]

If a horse has low grade laminitis and is only showing very slight lameness, how long after its been taken off the grass and put on box rest would you think it would take before you see even a slight improvement?

I'm aware this is a how long is a bit of string question but in trying to gauge if my horse should be showing signs of improvement by now.

 

[Micky]

Yes how long is a piece of string!! It can take anything from 4 weeks to months ( sorry!)..has the farrier been out and checked his feet ( for correct balance) can you turn out in a small bare paddock with soaked hay? Have you adjusted his feeds to low sugar/low starch ones? Have you had feet x rayed to make sure there is no rotation? ( well worth it btw) Have a look at thelaminitissite..very informative and fb link where you can ask for help ( and its proper help )...

 

[tanira]

Yes, she's on a non molassed chop with a small handful of nuts mixed in. She's on magox, sodium and alpha bute. I did ring the farrier he is out this week but coming next. As the vet pressure checked he said there wasn't much more he could do (but you're right he could check the balance).

As vet has only looked at her once she didn't xray. She wasn't 100% sure it was lam she just said because she was carrying a bit of extra weight (she wanted 30kg off so not massive no cresty neck etc) we would treat it as that in the first instance. She is due to look at her again next week if she isn't better.

It's just odd she's been in off the grass, started to look better but then by the weekend looks worse? I know sometimes they can look worse after coming in if still on some form of sugar but that's all been removed. So I was hoping to see an improvement of some form.

Also, if it's only very slight lameness how much rotation could there be? Would she not be lamer if it was really bad? She isn't shuffled under herself, no pulse, no heat. I'm just confused :/

 

[Pebble101]

Mine was off bute in 2 weeks but still not quite right for 4. I had a couple of times where I thought he was OK and then he went a bit backwards. He was not in agony, no pressure to hoof testers but certainly uncomfortable and bounding pulses (but does tend to have them to a certain extent anyway). I had X-Rays and he had a slight rotation in one foot. Turns out he is Insulin Resistant and has Cushings.

Having had a look at the laminitis site some horses are off for months. I did what they don't recommend and put shoes back on my horse after 5 years without. The X-Rays showed how thin his soles are and explained why he has never been good on my concrete yard and as I intend to start riding him gently again the vet and farrier thought it would be best. This worried me and was a big decision as putting shoes back on could aggravate the laminitis, but I needed to get him exercised to get some weight off.