Looking for thoughts-which of these are related and what future

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mystiandsunny

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Navicular diagnosed 6 weeks ago. Had been lame for a few weeks by this point while there were xrays done, waiting for a stable so she could go in for investigation and transport. Rehab started with adequan, tildren, one bute per day. Living out as normal. Was going well until she was reshod, then began to improve again. Keeping weight on well, cheerful.

Then got her leg stuck in the fence being greedy (or did her tummy already hurt and she was trying to soothe it?) and going after some long grass. Impressive ragged injury so box rest. After 2 days got colic. Took several days at the vets to clear this, so several days of no food at all. Now has grade 4 ulcers so on gastroguard. Vet said she can come home tomorrow but I think I would like 24 hrs of successful eating/pooing first!

She has been on box rest many times before, yet has never had colic. She lives out 24/7 and when in has ad-lib forage. She hasn't ever had bute for more than a few days before, that and the navicular pain are the only things that had changed.

If it was the bute, what pain relief can she have, moving forward with the navicular? I see that Danilon is supposed to be better, yet it is sugar coated and she is very sensitive to sugar (past recurring lami). I worry that we will get past this and then never get her sound. She had been improving steadily with work.
 
Metacam is meant to be safer for horses prone to ulcers, but is expensive. Or look at the herb boswellia which is also gut friendly (avoid devils claw).

If it was not eating then it may be that once the ulcers have cleared then you'll be ok with bute, were there any signs of ulcers before then? I'd have a chat with the vet.


I hope she's back to normal soon x
 
I suspect the ulcers may have been there before the colic and may be why she got colic but being starved has made them worse, if she had been lame or uncomfortable in her feet for a while that could have been enough to cause ulcers in a sensitive horse, trying to get to long grass may have been her seeking out tasty long fibre to chew on rather than boring hay.
I don't think a few weeks on bute is likely to cause them unless they are ultra sensitive, I spoke to a leading expert on ulcers about this and he said it should not do much harm although danilon is safer, again in relatively low doses it should not harm a laminitic and many laminitics will have danilon as part of their treatment.
 
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