Laminitis? SOS

Michen

Michen

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Before anyone gets too excited I’m waiting for emergency vet right now! Brief history.

Horse came up lane right fore about 5 weeks ago. Suspected abscess and nothing obvious blew but lameness improved. Had work up by vet and he was a little lame but vet felt bruise or similar. X rayed and very large sidebone found (horse only 4.5).

Horse got worse, in both feet. Vet again and re x rayed. No rotation. Lame left fore this time. Vet convinced sidebone was issue.

Had horse shod in easy care shoes yesterday and he immediately walked better. This morning he is lying down, trembling, standing like this when standing. Extremely scary. Insulin results literally just came back and he’s normal.

Never any pulses. Not responsive to hoof testers yesterday. Good sole depth.

Has anyone had lami present like this? Vet said insulin being good doesnt entirely rule it out. He is overweight which has mostly happened since not working due to original lameness, he was pretty decent when the lameness kicked off. Has been off pasture since Monday regardless and on soaked hay.

I am beside myself at what to do with him :( I can’t imagine the shoes caused him to be this sore with good sole depth and no nails and no reaction to testers before application.

Emergency vet will re x ray when he gets here in two hours. I’ve already been waiting 1.5 but they are backed up. Absolutely horrible sitting with him in this situation.


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Oh Christ Michen, he doesn't half pick his moments! Mine is footsore currently after a trim. My best guess is that he was already teetering on the edge and the trim has just made things sore. He's not really lame though, just a bit footy over stones.

Is he obviously in pain when he walks? He looks more colicky than laminitic in those photos. Can you get him inside on a really deep bed if his stable is right there?
 
Faran got it when in work, not that overweight, good insulin levels etc so there was no metabolic reason, he hadn’t had any steroid etc so no toxic reaction so his was mechanical ie terrible trim and hard frosty ground 😓

I just left him in on a very deep bed, no shoes for the first two/three months when he left the stable it was with his boots fully padded. He then got heart bars then normal shoes and he’s been barefoot for nearly a year now and sound the whole time.

I am still giving him cinnamon, turmeric and boswellia. He had that along with Bute and paracetamol for a time. I gave him aloe Vera juice to help with the medicines.

It’s horrible watching them like this. But I would honestly have him in a thick bed not a dry lot 😓 just my opinion. The bed and the mats made a big difference to his comfort and support.

Hugs and it’s bloody horrible to watch them like this 😓🥰😓🥰😓
 
Ive come to the conclusion that horses will continue confusing and testing us the whole time we've owned them. I've owned mine about fifteen years. a week after we bought him he had everyone convinced he'd broken a leg. Long story short they think he'd bashed a nerve which resolved as the feeling came back.

Hopefully it's something straight forward like a delayed reaction to the trim. Any chance they took him too short?
 
On the insulin note have they run a dynamic test rather than just a one off blood test. I had to give mine corn syrup and then was tested an hour later. Supposed to give a truer picture of how they metabolise it. If they have been feeling rubbish and not eating you could be getting a falsely good result.
 
He’s on a dry lot right now because his stall isn’t bedded as we were about to move to California. I am probably going to get him IV buted and move him to a boarding facility 20 mins away (it sucks to have to move him but if I can do it when he’s had an IV of bute it should be the best time to do so) as I have to leave this weekend and he needs more care and eyes on him than can be done with my private barn where grooms come in twice a day.

Once I get the vet here and make a plan, he will be in a stall bedded to the nines but right now the outside bit has deeper and comfier footing so hes choosing to stand there.
 
meleeka said:
Oh Christ Michen, he doesn't half pick his moments! Mine is footsore currently after a trim. My best guess is that he was already teetering on the edge and the trim has just made things sore. He's not really lame though, just a bit footy over stones.

Is he obviously in pain when he walks? He looks more colicky than laminitic in those photos. Can you get him inside on a really deep bed if his stable is right there?
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He's short striding yep. He looks laminitic. I'm just holding off on the bed because I think I'll need to move him today, I could wait until sunday but if they IV bute him today it's the best time. It's only 20 mins away and I hate to do it but he has to be in a boarding facility if he's this bad, I want eyes on him all day. Luckily I have places to go!

He was struggling to pee but has now peed, and pooed.
 
I wonder but does that happen when not exercised? He’s been on stall/run rest since Monday. Seems odd. He’s actually cheered up a huge amount in the last 20 mins. Still looks very uncomfy but he’s searching for food and pottering around.
 
He’s so much better in himself. Eating again. Being cheeky. But he did just look a little wobbly when walking, took a sideways step. And looks sore everywhere.

Could that point to tying up? Being wobbly?

He has a history of EPM (was very neuro in Feb) but has since had no issues and been neuro cleared every time. It can flare again though but it doesn’t usually cause pain. Last time he was extremely ataxic but totally happy and cheeky
 
Sounds like my youngster who had Atypical Myopathy- he seemed to be brighter/ in less pain after a pee. I don't know if you get that in USA? Certainly sounds more renal/ tying up rather than laminitis
 
No oaktrees by barn and he’s literally not left his stall and run…

I mean WTF. He definitely isn’t right but he’s now demanding food and his eye is so much better.
 
He’s also negative for PPSM1 was tested pre purchase as common in Morgan’s.

No we have firs and ponderosas around us here in Colorado.
 
Just a thought to run by the vet when they arrive in case they’ve seen it before - is Atlas having a reaction to the glue from the glue-on easycare shoes?

I’m sure the glue is developed to be safe, I don’t know about the glue. Most thick fast drying glues would sit on the surface of the hoof to bond, but thinner faster drying glues (I use these more in my work) might seep through the porous hoof wall into the live structures and potentially cause inflammation/reaction.

Seems strange for him to be like this straight after the shoeing, makes me wonder if that’s the trigger somehow.

Fingers firmly crossed he recovers quickly…wanting food is a good sign if he was even off food 🤞
 
PurBee said:
Just a thought to run by the vet when they arrive in case they’ve seen it before - is Atlas having a reaction to the glue from the glue-on easycare shoes?

I’m sure the glue is developed to be safe, I don’t know about the glue. Most thick fast drying glues would sit on the surface of the hoof to bond, but thinner faster drying glues (I use these more in my work) might seep through the porous hoof wall into the live structures and potentially cause inflammation/reaction.

Seems strange for him to be like this straight after the shoeing, makes me wonder if that’s the trigger somehow.

Fingers firmly crossed he recovers quickly…wanting food is a good sign if he was even off food 🤞
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I actually thought about this too but I wasn't sure if it could be a thing. I believe super glue is used for the type of shoes he has on? When I looked into that model that's what was recommended, but Michen would know more since it's her horse.
 
The vet is astounded that as a horse with a 104 temp he still wants food.

I’m waiting for him to wake enough to trailer him to hosp and he’s still trying to eat!!
 
Michen said:
F*** ing hell. This is where the thousands of dollars a day start.

And where do I draw the line with my 5k project pony with huge side bones that may well/probably will affect his athletic carrier
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I would see if it’s something that responds to treatment relatively quickly. If so, it will be a few nights at the vet’s then a boarding elsewhere with meds situation.

If they can’t get a handle on it fast but can tell you what it is, you have more information and can make a clearer decision. Often truly expensive things don’t have good long term outcomes for the horse in my experience. Not always, but often.
 
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