Low grade Laminitus recovery plan needed please

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Beatrice5

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So the pony went footy last week. I phoned the vet who said 4 days box rest ( corral and bedded up field shelter as we have no stables :( ) soaked hay and a bute a day for the 4 days. It was either he had bruised his soles as we had done quite a lot of roadwork that week or early onset lami which vet doubted as he knows the pony and only saw him a few weeks ago to do his teeth.

Followed advice and pony walking / trotting freely of his own accord when turned out on grass but still footy on the stony corral :( So I have been allowing him an hour twice a day in a bare small paddock to groom the girls / roll and stretch his legs and be a pony again.

Now when do I start taking him for walks in hand ? As he is still feeling the stones does that mean he is still better resting or would gentle walking help him recover ? Should he be walked only on grass or can he walk on the road ?

Your guidance appreciated.
 
If Laminitis is suspected then your horse should be on a deep bed in a stable, have rubber frog supports fitted and not be walked at all. Your vet needs to come out and give a diagnosis and/or carry out tests such as a blood test and also check your horses digital pulse. Laminitis can cause rotation and/or sinking of the pedal bone so it is best to get your vet out and check your horse without any further delay.
 
Can you feel any pulses in the feet? I use this as a guide for my boy who is a member of laminitics anonymous. if pulses are present I keep him in, he has a rotation in both feet so further damage could be done if he moves on inflamed lamini. I have never had frog supports fitted but he does have pads under his shoes.
Is your boy still 'footy' on the bute? I would keep him in until the footiness has passed & he is sound without bute. Then gentle exercise on grass/surface & avoid stoney areas.
 
Carlosmum said:
Can you feel any pulses in the feet? I use this as a guide for my boy who is a member of laminitics anonymous. if pulses are present I keep him in, he has a rotation in both feet so further damage could be done if he moves on inflamed lamini. I have never had frog supports fitted but he does have pads under his shoes.
Is your boy still 'footy' on the bute? I would keep him in until the footiness has passed & he is sound without bute. Then gentle exercise on grass/surface & avoid stoney areas.
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Also consider hoof boots which will mean turnout is possible earlier, the stimulation of turnout is essential to recovery, but I would echo the idea of getting the x rays done to check exactly what's going on, it's not too expensive and it's really useful and easy to do now vets have mobile scanners.
 
The initial recovery period is critical and rest is essential. Our vets recommend a minimum of a month but they are equine vets and also each case is different but rest deep bed etc is essential. Also anti inflammatories. The digital pulse indicates congestion in the foot and is helpful. The vet really needs to examine the pony. Laminitis is serious and should be classed as an emergency situation. The benefits of exercise come later when the healing process is at a different stage.
 
Keep up the diet and consider asking the vet about testing for metabolic conditions. Diet and appropriate exersize are the first line of recovery and defense.
Pm Oberon for the diet sheet she kindly gives out. A good balanced diet is crucial as well as one low in sugars.

I wouldn't walk him where he is sore, stick to where he is comfortable and use boots for other areas. Check in with the vet.
 
As above - I'd keep in until the footiness has cleared, if can't put on deep shavings, I'd duct tape some padding to his feet. We did this using the foam pads gardeners kneel on.

http://youtu.be/DzUeYjYe5yE

Others use nappies. Best advice I was ever given was to supplement with magnesium oxide. Does wonders for blood circulation. We bought a tub of epsom salts at the chemist and fed a bit of that for a few days til the proper stuff arrived in the post. Couldn't live without it now.
 
Low grade laminitis is very common and one reason many horses are shod as they 'can't cope' without shoes.

ps. I did assume the horse isn't shod. lol I forget. My exercize advice may not be the best in a shod horse. As I said speak to the Vet.
 
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He is barefoot yes.

Phoned the vets today and then he rang the door bell - Such a lovely chap :)

Examined pony - bruised soles from too much road work without boots on not Lami as such but yes Lami in as much as his feet are sore and there is obviously some inflamation caused by the bruising if that makes sense. He did the hoof testers too and said although feet a little tender it's is not full blown Laminitus - PHEW

He also reassured me the pony is not fat yes he is a little more rounded than we would like but it is the end of summer and due to his sore feet he hasn't been able to go out as much. He has a slight crest but again vet not concerned but if increased excersize doesn't shift the crest then we will test for EMS etc.

So he is now out 24/7 in a bare paddock with soaked hay placed around in piles and 10 days field rest before starting walking out in hand with boots on and building up to being led off my mare again. He is totally sound in the field and trots off very happily but as soon as he hits the stony corral he is footy. In boots he is fine whatever surface .

Thank you all for your time and advice. I will be extra careful from now on as this has scared the bejeepers out of me!
 
Yes I had run out of Max ox and Pro hoof a while back and not replaced yet and now kicking myself as I can link running out with the crest developing .....You live and learn and I have had a lucky escape this time so will not be making that mistake again!
 
Glad to hear vet is happy with him :smile3:

When my daughters pony came down with laminitis, both fronts rotated. I kept the pony in a deeply bedded huge stable/barn until she was sound without bute on flat surfaces (took about a week to get past the acute stage), then I walked her out regularly a number of times a day with little boots on which got the blood circulation working again properly. She recovered totally and has never had another bout in 10 years.
 
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