Managing the older laminitic

digitalangel

digitalangel

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Im hoping for tome tips/advice - i have a 25 year old welsh sec A mare who is a chronic laminitic - after 3 years lammi free shes had two bouts this year - the last in all 4 feet some time in the last 6 weeks - she hasnt appeared lame, but given her age she is stiff and sometimes its hard to know where the stiffness is from the lami of from her arthritis. I do check her feet/pulses regularly.

Farrier picked it up today and advised me to muzzle and/or restrict the time she is out. i am happy to do that but she really stiffens up when shes in. She has gentle exercise twice a week or so.

On one hand i really want to get a handle on her lammi, on the other i really want her out as much as possible - shes not got much grass and she as 2 slices of hay pe night, mixed in with 1 slice of straw.

Have also called vet for advice.

Just not sure what to do for the best?
 
No experience to share, sorry hun, but I was wondering whether there's something else going on as well as sort of "normal" laminitis? There's not much nutrition in the grass at the moment so I wouldn't have expected a sudden bout at this time of the year. At age 25 have you noticed if she has a thicker or curlier coat than other years? Is she slow to shed her winter coat? Is she drinking more? She could have the beginnings of an underlying health problem like Cushings that often causes laminitis.
 
ta poppet - shes drinking no more than normal, and no coat changes...just this lammi. it makes no sense to me, shes got nearly no grazing as it is... vets havent called me back yet - still waiting. Shes off grass except for a few hours in the afternoon. not sure what else i can do.

:(
 
I would ask my vet for a Blood Test for Cushings or just start her on a course of Pergolide.... if it's not fat/grass Lami which you seem to be saying it isn't as "nearly no grazing as it is" and she's 25, it's very suggestive of Cushings
 
My little man almost always gets a bit worse when the weather changes and gets cold or damp and cold. He is in at night on eva mats and shavings, out during the day, although he doesn't get to see any grass when its been frosty or worse. On those days he is allowed out in his own yard with hay and a shelter of soft bedding.

He's been tested for everything under the sun, and it has never even slightly seemed to be food related, but we treat him as though it is, just to eliminate the chance of aggrevating him any further. Last year I bought him some leg wraps from a mail order company for small ponies, seem to work a treat. I agree, he gets very stiff if he has to stay stood in too long, but after a bit of a walk out he soon loosens up.

He is much younger than yours, but I envisage the story continueing for as long as he is bright in the eye and seems happy and capable of living a quality life.

Have you just switched on to new hay by chance?
 
I have a sand menage in France - my vet said this is the best t/o for my laminitic. Do you have access to an arena you could use for t/o to help with the stiffness.
 
We've had to fight laminitis for years with 2 of our ponies, the gelding is about 26 and has ringbone and starting to deteriorate with arthritis as well, he has had laminitis 4 times over the last 20 years (although very carefully managed!) and is now showing the signs of ems (thickening neck etc), his mum sadly passed away last monday at the very respectible age of 45 and she wasn't as prone but very arthritic and often had to stay in with the gelding to stop the seperation anxiety.

We simply work on the basis that he won't live if we abuse his diet and much as he needs the exercise being a little stiff isn't too bad considering the alternative. We watch for the flush in the grass, frost, increase exercise according to what he is capable of - very difficult as I've put on weight and consider myself too heavy for his quirky ride!

If you can use a grazing muzzle - great! but ours will simply will destroy anything or not eat at all, so its not possible and we don't have a school, just muddy fields and roads to walk/hack on. They are on the thick rubber mats (have been for the last 4 years and we noticed a difference in them) and live in alot of the time due to his problem, not ideal but we manage.

So diet management, exercise where possible and careful observation in case the balance is wrong, for example our chap gets very cross if he's not feeling right - just before his feet start to feel warm and his digital pulse rises!
 
just wanted to update this - i had her tested for EMS and Cushings - both tests negative .... great news really but means im back at square one. Shes out for a shorter period now, and is soon to have a fieldmate - the grass in her field is too short for a muzzle... shes being checked religiously for any signs of lammi, upped her exercise from 2xweek to 3x a week.. straw/hay mix (soaked) and literally a handful of Happy Hoof.

Have to see how it goes i suppose, its so difficult to manage!
 
I know, its a nightmare isn't it?

Mine has had the blood tests too and they were negetive. She has 1 scoop of Happy Hoof morning and night, weighed soaked hay, daily exercise and 4 to 5 hours turnout with a muzzle. Because of the weather my soaked hay is iced but I'm so scared to give un-soaked hay.
 
digitalangel said:
Im hoping for tome tips/advice - i have a 25 year old welsh sec A mare who is a chronic laminitic - after 3 years lammi free shes had two bouts this year - the last in all 4 feet some time in the last 6 weeks - she hasnt appeared lame, but given her age she is stiff and sometimes its hard to know where the stiffness is from the lami of from her arthritis. I do check her feet/pulses regularly.

Farrier picked it up today and advised me to muzzle and/or restrict the time she is out. i am happy to do that but she really stiffens up when shes in. She has gentle exercise twice a week or so.

On one hand i really want to get a handle on her lammi, on the other i really want her out as much as possible - shes not got much grass and she as 2 slices of hay pe night, mixed in with 1 slice of straw.

Have also called vet for advice.

Just not sure what to do for the best?
Click to expand...

My horse is 31 and is muzzled when turned out, it has to be done, he had it mildly thank god few years ago, not had it since, there is no way I would risk it again. I would love to turn him out without it, especially when he wickers at me to take it off, I've left it off for an hour in the winter when there's not much grass, he gets cheeky then though expecting it to be taken off when I pass the field. Unfortunately you have to be cruel to be kind. I want him to enjoy what he has left and don't want him to get it again.

You'll be suprised what they can get through the muzzle, my horse has it off to a T. He was first turned out after his attack in a field I would say had very little grass, my vet said to still muzzle him.
 
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My girl is always muzzled when she goes out and I feel so cruel in this weather. Watching her the other day, she wasn't struggling so I felt better. People keep telling me to take her muzzle off but I'm too scared. Anyway, I couldn't turn her out today as the road to the field is just sheet ice.
 
During frosts the grass insulates itself against the cold by releasing fructins, which is the grass' antifreeze. So during frosty weather the horses are eating grass that is just as bad as spring grass because it's full of sugar.
 
Oberon said:
During frosts the grass insulates itself against the cold by releasing fructins, which is the grass' antifreeze. So during frosty weather the horses are eating grass that is just as bad as spring grass because it's full of sugar.
Click to expand...

I've heard that if the soil is below 5 degrees then the grass doesn't release fructins, is this right?
 
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