laminitis

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joanne1920

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My shetland has been diagnosed with mild laminitis
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she is on 10 days box rest and needs acp and bute, the farrier has come this morning to trim her feet, as her heels grow quicker than her toes - something she has had for several years the vet thinks this is a sign that it was brewing. Farrier seems happy and thinks she will be sound in a few days.
She is on limited hay, but can have straw and a handful hifi with her bute in. Vet also advised me to use LamiGard and Vita Biotics, both of which i bought yesterday.

The trouble is she is really quite depressed being in, she is standing sulking in the back of her stable and has only done 3 poo's in 24 hours although they look a bit more healthy than previous stinky cow pat ones.
When i left her an hour ago, she wasnt eating and hadnt eaten her hifi with the bute and acp in.... at what point should i worry that shes not eating enough and could she be just sulking and feeling sorry for her self? she was eating straw when i left last night...

also does anyone use lamigard? if so what do you think...

Also ive been advised to get a muzzle and will order one from Dinky Rugs...

Thanks in advance and everyone please send healing vibes...

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Lots of healing vibes to you, but I think she is just in the huff - hay and feed when she's obviously had a huge sugar hit from the grass will not be appealing - her belly will get the better of her in the end though. Hope she gets better soon.
 
Is there any way that you can fiind a place that is secure and stable sized, with a lovely thick bed. preferably shavings, where she can do her 'time' in view of her mates? That is assuming she does not llive on her own
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When my old boy had the onset of Laminitis again last year in July (he is a Cushings horse) after being very strict and vigilant. I was able to enclose him in his Field Shelter paddock, by reducing the size ... this has a shavings bed inside and thick soft woodchip on the outside. So he was able to have his 10 days of 'time' in full view of his mate, where they could touch each other and could continue being 'out' for 24 hours.

I do not think it is a good idea that she is not eating as that will only upset other aspects of her well being.

I know that this is not much use at the moment, whilst she is refusing to eat, however, did your Vet suggest soaking her hay, for at least 12 yours to remove all the sugars (and goodness) etc so that she could have more of it .... with a good Vitiman supplement to replace the goodness that is needed?
I do not use Lamiguard, as I am very sceptical of these sort of things at the moment and my Vet advised me to keep to my current regime ... however every horse is unique, so it does depend on the horse.

Good Luck and keep us updated as I for one have so much concern with horses, ponies and owners suffering this horrid condition.

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if you soak your hay for 2-12hours before feeding, you wont have to limit it too much.
has she got frog supports on?a good deep bed in veiw of her mates will make her feel better.
 
No frog supports, vet didnt mention them. Unfortunately there isnt anywhere i can put her where she can see the others that isnt on grass :-( also asked vet at time about a thick shavings bed and he said that it wasnt nesscary that it wasnt bad enough for that? i'll see how she is in a bit - i will soak some hay for her though, i'll do it overnight for morning, then put another small haynet in, in the morning for evening and i'll give her another slice of fresh straw to munch on too x
 
Sorry but I don't understand how your vet can say that your pony isn't bad enough to need frog supports, in my understanding they are vital, as is a thick shavings bed to support the feet, the ACP is very important as it dilates the capillaries to promote the blood flow to the feet, when the blood flow is compromised the laminae die, & this is when rotation occurs, hence the need for frog supports, the bute is not only pain relieving, but also anti imflammatory, if it were my pony I would be syringing the drugs if she wouldn't eat them.  I agree with the others that she is probably sulking a bit, but laminitis is a very serious & painful debilitating condition, so she probably isn't feeling very well either.
 
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Sorry but I don't understand how your vet can say that your pony isn't bad enough to need frog supports, in my understanding they are vital, as is a thick shavings bed to support the feet, the ACP is very important as it dilates the capillaries to promote the blood flow to the feet, when the blood flow is compromised the laminae die, & this is when rotation occurs, hence the need for frog supports, the bute is not only pain relieving, but also anti imflammatory, if it were my pony I would be syringing the drugs if she wouldn't eat them. I agree with the others that she is probably sulking a bit, but laminitis is a very serious & painful debilitating condition, so she probably isn't feeling very well either.

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I agree with Kizzywiz .... as I am one of those owners that 'syringe' drugs in every day to ensure that I have some hope of keeping Laminitis at arms length
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Oat straw if you can get it, is good for bulking, mixed with poor quality hay and stamed or soaked. They find it quite tasty and it has no feed value of note.

You can ask your vet for flavoured bute, I mix mine in angel delight and syringe it if they are being awkward, if you have ACP in pill form push it into an apple or scoop out the middle of a carrot.

I would ask the farrier to use styrafoam supports just as a precaution, they are the first stage of the EDSS approach to laminitis treatment and would support the feet until you have stabalized her and are sure that it is a mild attack.

We have had a very wet spring followed by late sunshine so it's going to be a bad time for laminitics, just lost my old horse to it, he had cushings as well and it was just not fair to carry on, so please don't take any chances!
 
I do trust my vet completely as he does own the surgery, she is now eating again i think scotsmare was right ( she was sulking) as she eating her hifi with the bute in and the acp in a little bread, ive soaked very small haynets about 1/3rd slice each net and shes eaten a whole one over night and ive left her with another today, she has also eaten about 1/2 slice of straw too over night.
Farrier didnt mention frog support either she thought it was extremly mild and caught very early and thought she would be sound again within 7 days, Tilly is only very slightly pottery, and isnt leaning back on her heels and is quite happy to scrap the floor whilst eating and she did all this before she had the bute and acp, she has had her heels trimmed and i think she feels much more comfortable now the butes kicked in.
I will phone the vet monday morning and aske him specifically about frog supports, but if they need to be nailed or glued on there is no chance as we have tried to shoe her before ( about 6 months ago) sedated with acp just to get 2 front shoes on so i could drive her, she wasnt having any of it... if vet does think she needs them then she'll have to be sedated intraveniouslly (sp?) i would imagine.
Thanks for your help and i will keep you all updated x
 
Hi mookey - just to say that I am in the same situation as you, and I am sending my very best healing vibes to your little one
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Hi Marius_Mum, thanks - also sendingh some your way too. I know shetlands are prone to it, but i havent done anything different to what ive done the last 6 years of owning her, its so depressing leaving her in and then, she'll have to wear a muzzle, the trouble is she is such an affectionate pony and loves to groom my cob (they share a field) which she wont be able to do with a muzzle on :-(
Hows the situation with your horse/pony? x
 
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