Laminitis? SOS

FWIW, sometimes I've found a drench gun easier to work with than a syringe. I could also put a bit more of a tasty substance in there (apple sauce or whatever, but I know you have to watch sugar).

I had to syringe banamine yesterday (liquid, not paste) and it mostly ended up on my hand/arm the first go 🫠
 
Mine just got out of hospital last Tuesday (second time in two years - this time to operate on a skull fracture that means the front of her head is basically two separate parts, so no relation to what Atlas has been going through) and she is literally usually a hay eating machine - and I mean every stable she has ever been in the YO has spontaneously commented on having to put in twice as much as any other horse they've ever seen. Last year in hospital she was trying to keep eating as she was literally colicking.

This time, she has literally only finished her hay overnight for last night since she got out of hospital, so a clear week to get back to normal eating. So just to say, my experience is that they can really go off their food with all changes.
 
OMG I’ve just caught up from when you had your wisdom teeth out! I’ve had tears brewing, sighs of relief followed by should I skip to the last page to check Atlas is still with us and now have everything crossed that he will be strong and healthy enough to travel in the not too distant future. I really feel for you and hope that everything comes together in your new home with OH, Pepper and of course Atlas.
 
Gah he won’t even eat the buttercream antibiotic syrup in his feed. Even Boggle the world’s fussiest eater gobbled that up.

Heartening though is he trotted down the slope of his run for the first time in weeks, he’d stopped doing that because of his sore feet.

OH is off to buy some different things to try but otherwise he’s going to have to wrestle with him to syringe stuff in 3 times a day (with a little applesauce)
 
CanteringCarrot said:
FWIW, sometimes I've found a drench gun easier to work with than a syringe. I could also put a bit more of a tasty substance in there (apple sauce or whatever, but I know you have to watch sugar).

I had to syringe banamine yesterday (liquid, not paste) and it mostly ended up on my hand/arm the first go 🫠
Click to expand...
Great idea!!! Thank you!!!
 
Bradsmum said:
OMG I’ve just caught up from when you had your wisdom teeth out! I’ve had tears brewing, sighs of relief followed by should I skip to the last page to check Atlas is still with us and now have everything crossed that he will be strong and healthy enough to travel in the not too distant future. I really feel for you and hope that everything comes together in your new home with OH, Pepper and of course Atlas.
Click to expand...

Thank you! It’s actually just a bit ridiculous. Sometimes I’m kind of embarrassed to post the latest s*** show in here. It’s like I invite chaos into my life but I really don’t want it, I just want to mooch about on my pony and hike with Pepper and do my job and live my life without a constant stream of drama.
 
JGC said:
Mine just got out of hospital last Tuesday (second time in two years - this time to operate on a skull fracture that means the front of her head is basically two separate parts, so no relation to what Atlas has been going through) and she is literally usually a hay eating machine - and I mean every stable she has ever been in the YO has spontaneously commented on having to put in twice as much as any other horse they've ever seen. Last year in hospital she was trying to keep eating as she was literally colicking.

This time, she has literally only finished her hay overnight for last night since she got out of hospital, so a clear week to get back to normal eating. So just to say, my experience is that they can really go off their food with all changes.
Click to expand...
This is heartening to hear thanks, makes me less worried. Thank you for sharing this 💕 But omg I hope she’s doing ok now!
 
Michen said:
Gah he won’t even eat the buttercream antibiotic syrup in his feed. Even Boggle the world’s fussiest eater gobbled that up.

Heartening though is he trotted down the slope of his run for the first time in weeks, he’d stopped doing that because of his sore feet.

OH is off to buy some different things to try but otherwise he’s going to have to wrestle with him to syringe stuff in 3 times a day (with a little applesauce)
Click to expand...
Is he sound now?

Silver linings and all that....
 
SEL said:
Is he sound now?

Silver linings and all that....
Click to expand...

I haven’t “properly” looked, yesterday he still looked cautious walking down his run hill. Today he looked much happier and even trotted down it. I did a little in hand trot and didn’t see any obvious lameness at all and he certainly looks like he has more spring in his gait. So, even if not 100% sound on a hard circle type thing he is certainly much much sounder than a week ago.

I am not sure what to do with him now because I do think whatever it is has benefited from him not mucking around and him having a period confined to really rest his feet, it might be that a decent period of stall/run rest is a sensible idea. The beauty of the set up in the USA is that he’d not be in some indoor confined space, he’d have his run attached to the outdoor and friends either side etc so it’s not confinement in the traditional UK sense. I wonder if the sidebone has been forming or maybe a little fracture we couldn’t see on a x ray or whatnot. But I need to balance that with his happiness/eating! Pain meds will be a problem for him, so I really need him to get and stay sound.
 
Last edited:
Might be a completely out there thought but I know any old injuries I have really play up when I've got a virus. The physio said to me it can be the general inflammation causing it. It may be he was brewing the virus for a while and then exacerbated the foot issues.

Could be a total red herring but just a thought from the people injury side.
 
Yeh! Who knows. I’ll never know I’m sure.

Funny that internal medicine fixed him better than any of the orthopedic vets hehe.
 
Michen said:
Thank you! It’s actually just a bit ridiculous. Sometimes I’m kind of embarrassed to post the latest s*** show in here. It’s like I invite chaos into my life but I really don’t want it, I just want to mooch about on my pony and hike with Pepper and do my job and live my life without a constant stream of drama.
Click to expand...
I think it makes perfect sense for you to especially during rougher times. It’s the community you grew up with horse care wise. Makes sense even with a great support system there you would want the comfort and opinion of a community you are more familiar with.
 
Yeah I will have to move him soon, but I wanted him to go back to his own barn initially a) to wait for salmonella results b) to give him a familiar set up.

He now needs to stay in Colorado for the foreseeable until he’s totally sound (can’t give him pain meds for journey) and he’s had plenty of time to be 100% recovered. A month at the very least. Probably two. Maybe all winter.

He will go to the barn I had Boggle at, before my current set up. So I know it well (some of you may remember the pig- Dusty- I’ll be curious to see what Atlas thinks of that!), one of my best friends is also there and will help keep an eye on him and co ordinate things. Plus a vet actually now lives on site.
 
Also I need to check in with M but I just wondered if, given he looks much sounder, there is any slim possibility this was an abscess and it was bad enough to cause a fever/infection hence why he responded so well to antibiotics? Within 24 hours of them his fever was gone. And he’s now much sounder. Google seems to say it’s not impossible lol…

I wouldn’t be able to see if anything burst because he now has the glue ons on and they cover most of his sole.

If we find something when they are removed and this was a 12k abscess I think I’ll about give up 🤣
 
I have just caught up with this thread. Oh gosh Michen, it never rains but it pours.
It's as though Atlas was mean't to find you as you have the resources and heart to be his person. Fingers crossed he continues to improve.
 
Michen said:
Also I need to check in with M but I just wondered if, given he looks much sounder, there is any slim possibility this was an abscess and it was bad enough to cause a fever/infection hence why he responded so well to antibiotics? Within 24 hours of them his fever was gone. And he’s now much sounder. Google seems to say it’s not impossible lol…

I wouldn’t be able to see if anything burst because he now has the glue ons on and they cover most of his sole.

If we find something when they are removed and this was a 12k abscess I think I’ll about give up 🤣
Click to expand...
One of mine had a horrid abscess recently and for a couple of days did look laminitic too - abscess was in a front foot but he had heat and raised pulses all round and was lame all over
So - who knows?
 
Not read all comments but when Fig had severe lami (1mm sole depth after rotation from memory) he got on better with the imprints than the easy care. Not sure why at all. He didn’t take to shoes at all after that and was happy with 2 x soft Eva pads and boots for work.

Colic nearly got him from the pain (ironically, that was what got him in the end years after) and it really was terrible. There was something off for a few weeks then BAM could barely walk then a bit better then BAM wouldn’t even get up. Truly dreadful.

He was carrying too much weight at the time and I’ve learned my lesson but his was from farrier induced caudal failure.

In all fairness to him he let me syringe all his meds down twice daily with no fuss. He was a seriously fussy eater so I didn’t ever try mixing or dressing any feed to get them down him.
 
Michen said:
Also I need to check in with M but I just wondered if, given he looks much sounder, there is any slim possibility this was an abscess and it was bad enough to cause a fever/infection hence why he responded so well to antibiotics? Within 24 hours of them his fever was gone. And he’s now much sounder. Google seems to say it’s not impossible lol…

I wouldn’t be able to see if anything burst because he now has the glue ons on and they cover most of his sole.

If we find something when they are removed and this was a 12k abscess I think I’ll about give up 🤣
Click to expand...
I was kind of wondering that which was why I asked if he was sound. I knew one who'd had one of those ops that severed a nerve (they used to do them for navicular) & it was an unidentified abscess - because she couldn't feel her feet - that caused the all body infection that ultimately killed the poor mare.

Even if the vets were rightly treating some other infection it could be the treatment zapped something in the hoof too.

What matters now though is him staying well and you staying sane!
 
Michen said:
He’s so happy! And he looks nice and comfy on his feet, bonus.

Long term the kidney thing may be a little worrying, we think he had a bad reaction to the bute he was on and it was actually seperate to the other illness/fever thing. Whilst his levels are normal, possibly he has some kidney function issues that may get him long or short term. Will keep up 6 month blood work and maybe a yearly ultrasound there.

Another thing I asked his vet was whether this seemed to point towards an immune problem. To get this sick twice in a year, once with the EPM (most horses exposed don’t get symptomatic) and then again with this.. I’ll have his immune levels tested in a month or so once he’s fully recovered. Tricky as on the outside he looks like a healthy chap.

So a few things to be mindful of moving forward. Whilst he’s got sick twice this year he’s also bounced back unbelievably well so hopefully there’s a tough horse in there.

Also really pleasing is no flare up of EPM despite everything that happened so that’s good.

View attachment 166273


View attachment 166272
Click to expand...
Really silly but do you have him on elevated vit E? Defo recommended for EPM horses. On the outside mine looked absolutely fine when he was going through his episode - only the weird response from nerve blocks and him starting to trip an unusual amount resulted in us thinking EPM (then only did a blood titre as felt a full spinal wasn't needed given his clinical signs). He is looking great considering what he has just been through. So pleased something has turned positive for you.


mustardsmum said:
Good that the salmonella test came back negative.

Was he eating hay at the vets ok? Is there something in the hay - could you try some hay from a different source? (Bag of haylage - do they do that in the US??). Like others, I think I would just let him have what he wants for now to settle him back down. And syringe meds. Maybe in feed they are just too bitter. Maybe check his temp daily so you pick up on anything, will also set your mind at rest seeing it being stable. Hopefully he’ll pick up in a day or too.
Click to expand...
I dont think it is different in the US but I know in Canada, haylage is a big no-no as the risk of botulism is very high. I panicked when I heard my horse was getting haylage here and was reassured it was normal to feed.
 
Yeah, the risk of botulism here (in the US) is indeed very high.

I miss the smell of good haylage. It was also very convenient for my horse that got a cough when fed hay (dust allergy). He was fine on haylage, which was great because that meant I didn't have to soak/wet hay.
 
Atlas has really turned a corner! You were all right about sometimes it taking some time after a horrid hospital stay. His appetite is really picking up, he’s trotting around his run including down the hill which makes me so happy that he must be sounder. My OH sends me a detailed report 3 times a day which includes what meds he's had, how much he's eaten, how many times he's pooed, what his attitude is like, how much water he's drunk, what his temperature is. I haven't asked him to do that but he's just the sweetest and knows how stressful it is for me to not be there.

Actually, me not being there has probably been a really good thing!

Our financial year ended today for sales bookings and it's been manic, I've been travelling all week and get back to Co at midnight tonight. I just couldn’t have done this without the support I’ve had on the ground, not having to worry for a second that Atlas has been getting everything he needs. It’s been an all day job with meds, timed turnout, feeding etc. What a keeper.

I was hoping to move Atlas Sunday but I think we will push a few days to give him extra time, and I will bring his pony friend with him for emotional support 🙈 I hate to move him but I really have no choice and he will have great care where he is, and I hope bringing his pony friend will make the whole thing less stressful as he will live in the stall/run with him.

Not many pics but here’s what I have!


b23615f0-63e6-49d8-9d1e-506721e5ea54.jpegae9900bf-1c04-4e75-a2f5-7e28e2034eba.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top