Laminitis

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DiRi

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My poor little miniature Shetland does not seem to be improving, he has has laminitis for over three months , initially he seems to better within weeks then he went really bad , had X-rays which showed he had it mild, has had stick on plastic heart bars for seven weeks and he looks like he is getting worse again, has anyone else had similar experience.
 
Hi,
So sorry to hear about your mini.What else are you doing for him,Is he in or out?does he have hay and what are you feeding him?Is he on any pain killers,i.e danilon or bute?

There is so much you can do for them.I hope he gets better soon.
 
Please have a look at the laminitis site which may well have info on there to help you...
Has he been tested for PPID or EMS ( blood test)? This might be the underlying cause of the laminitis, it might be one of them.. suggest to your vet maybe?
Have you soaked his hay for more than 2 hours before giving to him?
Is he in his stable on deep bed of shavings? ( straw is not as supportive to the foot)
Have you taken him off all hard feeds?
 
Heart bar shoes are not a good thing in a lot of cases. Old fashioned. My farrier is a laminitic specialist with a degree. I had 2 with lam over the years. One mild one severe. Clogs are the best answer. Within 24hrs both horses were walking sound. The clogs are kept on for a few months. I was able to turn both out on soaked hay in bare paddock and use no pain meds. I can't recommend them enough.
 
Laminitis is controlled by diet first and foremost in most cases. Blood tests for PPID and IR are worth getting done but strict diet is key.
As well as the Laminitis site look here at diet and realigning trim (for the farrier) if required. http://ecirhorse.org/

Hay must be soaked in fresh water each time don't reuse the water and rinse after soaking.
 
I also wanted to point out that laminitis cannot be seen on X Ray. X Rays show 'rotation' or 'sinking' not laminitis which is inflammation of the lamina. The inflammation has to be controlled by diet and medication if indicated and rotation and or sinking has to be grown out by appropriate trim, hoof support and adherence to diet etc. over time. Life long changes may be required.

Study the sites suggested and I hope things start to go better for you and your pony.

Here's the laminitis site link and they have a face book group as well. http://www.thelaminitissite.org/
 
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Thanks for all your replies, he has all the blood tests, and the last X-rays showed slight movement, he is back on danilon now and does have only a handful of hard feed to get the medicine in him , vet came back today and said just to carry on, he is back on box rest again, although other vet suggested him going out on my bare paddock, vet today also suggested soaking feed and I will try is and didn't really think about changing the water each time, farrier is back again on Friday so hopefully things will improve , what are he clogs like. Instead of the imprints shoes he currently has. Just so sad to see him looking so fed up.
 
The clogs are great. They put a rubber gum stuff on the sole like a padding to support it then a plastic sole over the whole bottom of hoof. Then they bind the whole foot in cast tape. If there is rotation they also put a slight heel on. I can't recommend enough. I kept both mine on soaked hay outside on a bare paddock. After a day both were sound. Sparky was crippled before. U must change the hay water every day as only so many sugars can be taken up by it. If the same water is used the next day it won't soak the sugars out. Rinse it really well after too. My 460kg pony with insulin resistance has 7kg max a day and a hand full of fast fiber with multi git and min. As well as sugar coming out the hay all nutrients do too.
Where abouts are you? There must be a carrier doing clogs near you.
 
Best feed to give him will be hi fi molasses free chop, it has the least sugars in it, try and steer clear of hard feed as it has lots of sugar and starch in it and if you are trying to lose the weight, try to avoid hard feeds :)
 
Hi fi is great as suggested. My boys love this fast fiber. No sugars etc. Great also for oldies who can't chew chaff well. I've found it s better carrier for meds etc too as dissapears into it. The chaff option is cheaper. Both are good as partial hay replacers. Sparks has lost a good lot of weight. Really feel for you as lam is such a nasty thing for them and you. The main long term is keep his diet in check if that's the issue. 90% of cases have a underlying hormone issue. Minstrals was frozen grass and sun for a week while I was away. Sparky is IR. CONSTANT diet control and exersise now. It's hard but honestly worth it when you see results. A few times I'd broken down at all the soaked hay killing my back the time involved of several small nets a day to trickle it into him as he inhales food!
 
hellfire said:
The clogs are great. They put a rubber gum stuff on the sole like a padding to support it then a plastic sole over the whole bottom of hoof. Then they bind the whole foot in cast tape. If there is rotation they also put a slight heel on. I can't recommend enough. I kept both mine on soaked hay outside on a bare paddock. After a day both were sound. Sparky was crippled before. U must change the hay water every day as only so many sugars can be taken up by it. If the same water is used the next day it won't soak the sugars out. Rinse it really well after too. My 460kg pony with insulin resistance has 7kg max a day and a hand full of fast fiber with multi git and min. As well as sugar coming out the hay all nutrients do too.
Where abouts are you? There must be a carrier doing clogs near you.
Click to expand...

This is pretty much Exactly as my boy was treated some 4 years ago when he initially came down with acute Lami,..clogs went on which were brilliant and I always maintain this was a life saving treatment for him when it first happened and went a long long way to helping his recovery. He had minimal rotation to one foot, that over time and correct trimming has righted itself.

Together with strict feeding regime which is again exactly as Hellfire has written, my boy has been lami free since (touch wood that's the way we'll now stay!).

He was tested positive for EMS and initially given metformin for 3 weeks as a short term aiding in losing the sugars out of his system and steadily dropping the weight. My boy is just under 15hh and weighs 490kgs and has around 8kgs of fibre, soaked and rinsed and a small fast fibre feed once a day with his bespoke vits and mins in together with Mag Oxide (and Linseed if warranted at certains times of the year).


Mine and Hellfire's equines are pretty much on the same regime and diet to the letter!! Exercise consists of 2 walker sessions a week and as much as I can give him too, which is usually at least 3 times a week on board, varying from hacking out, schooling in the arena and a good old jumping session in the jumping paddock we have too...he loves variation (as do I) and we even get to have a good blast round the haylage fields in summer when they've been cut.

Hope your little'un starts to recover soon enough OP. It is very much a case of a 'life changing' period for them....and you.
 
Wow can't belive someone else is doing exactly the same. Don't know where you get the mag oxide on but I've been getting it off eBay as really good price. Do you think it helps? I've been feeding it a long time as its meant to help a lot. I use codlivine git and mins. Must make sure they have that.
I'm glad someone else on here has used clogs. Really are life saveing. Mini had minimul rotation but sparky was bad. He's 14hh and the weight tape was reading 500kg! He is a fell x and now at 460kg. He's lunged twice a week or more and ridden twice a week or more. Lots of hill work! It takes time to build fitness and get rid of fat deposits. As janovich said it is life changeing for both of you.
 
DiRi said:
My poor little miniature Shetland does not seem to be improving, he has has laminitis for over three months , initially he seems to better within weeks then he went really bad , had X-rays which showed he had it mild, has had stick on plastic heart bars for seven weeks and he looks like he is getting worse again, has anyone else had similar experience.
Click to expand...

sorry the answer is yes but i lost my mare.

There could be abscess
there could also be pedal bone infection
rotation.

when did you have the x rays done?? before he went sore again???


Please call your vet and ask for more xrays or get them out and make them investigate in case there is a fore mentioned issue, there is something wrong and a warning light flashing, act now before to late

check here for previous posted comments on laminitis also sites http://horse-care-and-advice.weebly.com/l.html
 
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Please check out this site:

http://www.thelaminitissite.org/

And join their Facebook group where you will get some excellent, well informed help and advice.
If your pony is in pain then then something is not being addressed.
Diet is essential and as everyone has said, low sugar all the way. Trim is very important too especially if there is any rotation and needs to be done regularly until it is corrected and so shoes are not always helpful.
Your pony should be box rested until he is pain free without painkillers or he may do himself more harm.

If you join the Facebook group and put up your story you will get some great advice and helped through each step of your ponys recovery.

Good luck
 
hellfire said:
Wow can't belive someone else is doing exactly the same. Don't know where you get the mag oxide on but I've been getting it off eBay as really good price. Do you think it helps? I've been feeding it a long time as its meant to help a lot. I use codlivine git and mins. Must make sure they have that.
I'm glad someone else on here has used clogs. Really are life saveing. Mini had minimul rotation but sparky was bad. He's 14hh and the weight tape was reading 500kg! He is a fell x and now at 460kg. He's lunged twice a week or more and ridden twice a week or more. Lots of hill work! It takes time to build fitness and get rid of fat deposits. As janovich said it is life changeing for both of you.
Click to expand...

RE: the Mag Oxide...Yes I do think it helps my boy. He is very prone to getting the cresty neck and fat pads appearing over the loins and down the back of his butt cheeks! They disappear in Winter, but as soon as that grass starts appearing all nice and tasty and juicy (and full of sugar!),..he'll react and up they come.

I remember once when I ran out and was waiting for a delivery of Mag Oxide (I get it from Forage Plus, which is where I also get his bespoke minerals from as I had a hay analysis and a food plan done for him initially.... and Sarah Braithwaite was great on informing me what he needed...and didn't need!)....and while I was waiting for my Mag Oxide he went without, only for 3 or 4 days,..but goodness did I see the difference in him, both physically and in his personality too! He went all 'crabby' and 'short tempered' and his neck went up too.

I work hard to keep his ailments at bay and as his restricted summer paddock is now pretty much bare with just a nibble on (he goes out at night), and together with the cooler weather over the past couple of weeks), his fat pads and cresty neck are disappearing big style. :).

He's sound as a pound and his feet now are fantastic since he's been on this strict regime and diet (and exercise of course!) and he pretty much 'self trims' his own now and the farrier visits every 6 weeks to re-balance him and trim if necessary. His white lines are the tightest they've ever been and his horn is a smashing quality now and hard as nails!!

I love the warmer months and so does my boy,...however, we both get a break so to speak as soon as the sugar depletes and the colour goes in the grass and he can once again join the main herd over the back end of the Autumnal and winter months as he goes back out onto 7 acres of undulating meadows that's all winter foggage and low sugar/calorie fibrous old meadow grasses!
 
Thanks for that. I've not stopped the mag since he had lami and ir so wasn't sure. I do the same with sparky. Gives us both a break on a bit of old long winter grass with my other two. Feel sorry for him but its been the only way. Over the wkend ill put him out onto the smaller weedy paddock to nibble at with my others. Rest of the week he's in a bare pen on soaked hay. Even with the regime and exersise he still has slight fat deposits. Millions times better than they were.
I hope the poor lami shetlands feeling better diri.
 
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