Laminitis

[LouS]

Can I just ask a few questions. My gelding came down with lami last year while on box rest with an infection(not grass/feed related) but he is now prone to it, vet did show me how to feel for his pulses but I don't trust myself to know what's normal and not unless they are really up.

He is slim and on a well grazed paddock, he has been out overnight for 2 nights now and in through the day. The first morning he came in his front hooves were a bit warm to touch, checked them later in the afternoon and were fine, this morning just his offside hooves are warm to touch and the others fine. Is this a sign of lami? Do I need to be more careful or is he okay as long as he's in through the day and it is no more than slightly warm hooves? He looks perfectly sound.

I've almost cut his hard feed out (just Hi Fi Lite and and a light feed balancer) and he's getting a slice or two of soaked hay at most. I just do not want to get this wrong. There's another two horses eating off the paddock during the day so its not getting chance to grow much, it looks like there's nothing in there but its the spring shoots isn't it.

Also he is very slim and in work and I don't want him to lose any weight really, so I don't want to be starving him, will have to see what his weights like in a month or so.

 

[touchstone]

It sounds as if you are doing everything right, when checking pulses I tend to check every day, you soon get a feel for what is normal for your horse and can tell if they are raised. Also watch for any short striding or footiness over hard surfaces. As far as heat in the foot goes I don't tend to go by that, it can often vary over the day in a normal non laminitic foot, so isn't a very good guide I don't think, unless you have a bounding pulse, heat and footiness combined.
If he is dropping weight you could try adding non mollassed sugar beet which helps keep weight on and is safe for laminitics.

Good luck with him., I hope you continue laminitis free!

 

[millimoo]

Hi, get your horse blood tested for Cushings, or at least suggest it to the vet.
Also look at metabolic syndrome as this can also make them more prone.
I've just had the Cushings diagnosis this morning - my pony is slim, wears a muzzle, is stabled at night etc (a few years ago he could go out all day without restriction)
He's been suffering from footiness, rather than full blown Lami, and has a normal coat, eyes, and is not drinking / weeing excessively.
Just a suggestion for you to investigate.