Marius has laminitis

He's been in the only field we are allowed for just about two weeks, out at night and in during the day. I tried a muzzle which he removed after a couple of days. There is far, far too much grass, but as he hasn't had lami in the ten years I've had him, I didn't worry over much.

Now today he can hardly walk
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He is in on a deep bed with two slices of steamed hay and two bute, and will stay in for at least a week with two bute a day. Once he's sound without bute, he will have his own strip sectioned off in the field.

I am distraught. Who has had a horse with this, and please tell me they are OK now.
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Poor you. A client of mine has a pony that gets lami really easily. She has had to go on a major diet and is in constant full work and on very very little grass. Since the strict regime she hasn't had a problem (touch wood). The only relapse she had a couple of months ago was when she did get some grass, so my only suggestion is there any possibility of changing his paddock situation? That, and lots of work (I know a vet who swears he has never seen a horse with lami that has been in full (properly full) work).

Hope he makes a speedy recovery!
 
Years ago I found my pony in the field rooted to the spot - once we got her off the grass and with some bute inside her there were real signs of improvement within 2-3 days, although she was kept off the grass for longer than that and always watched carefully thereafter
 
A friend's horse had lami so badly his pedal bones started to come through his soles. He was sent to the vet school for X rays, where they took me to one side, said 'Don't tell her (the owner) but he'll never live, we're just going to give him painkillers til she's ready to let him go'.
He's still here...about 10 yrs later, aged 25 + and still in work, too.
And your boy can't be as bad as he was...
S
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Laminitis is an absolute nightmare.
So many ponies/horses are coming down with it.

Dont worry though, one of our ponies had chronic stress laminitis 2.5 years ago, she needed plastic glued on shoes for several months, lots of during and after care.

Now she is completely fit and well and in a normal but monitored routine, she is back in the showring and is not affected.

Formula 4 feet was and still is a great supllement and i am certain played a big part in her feet staying healthy.
 
Oh, when she had a bad attack she was on that regime, and came right pretty quickly....

Oh, she also doesn't go out on grass when it's sunny and dewy/frosty.... Maybe why there's suddenly lami around with the weather this week.
 
Thank you for the replies.

Galaxy: Marius is 22 and arthritic. He does a bit of quiet hacking, a little lunging and schooling a couple of times a week, but he isn't in 'full' work, and hasn't been for a few years.

I am heartened to see that I seem to be doing the right things. My YM has had experience of lami and advised me, though I do wonder whether I should have called the vet. I am reluctant to pay £100 to be told: bute and box rest - which is what I am doing.
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The stupid thing is that Marius was 'stiff' and seemed depressed when we brought him in from the field this morning. My daughter took him on a hack, just in walk (and he did jog home) and he seemed a different horse when she got back, quite sound and happy. He then stayed in all day, and it was when I got him out tonight I found him so lame. So the hack must have made him worse, I guess. We thought he was just stuffed and bloated and that the walk had helped.
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Oh dear, difficult.... I'm still sure when he comes right you'll be able to manage it. Chat with your vet and farrier, I'm sure they'll be able to give you lots of tips!

The vet I was speaking about (you probably know the one.... obsessed with feet!
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) was talking about people who say their horse is in "full work" when actually it's ridden for 15 mins twice a week type thing! His tip was to get the horse sweating every day.

My client also feeds formula 4 feet that someone else recomended and also a supplement made by NAF called Lamineze.
 
Oh C sending you and Marius my love and hugs. Sorry I don't know anything about laminitis but I'm sure you'll get some good advice from people on here. thinking of you xxx
 
My old boy at 24 went down with Cushings induced Laminitis 2 1/2 years ago and had never had any signs of Laminitis before then.

Unfortunatley due to the Cushings, he was really bad and his Pedal bones rotated 10 degrees .... 15 degrees is the very bad stage aparently
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I thought he was a goner as the Vet suggested I say goodbye, however after 5 months box rest and then a further 5 months on I was very quietly hacking him out and to this day I still hack him out a least twice a week
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I found that there was life after this horrid condition .... just be patient and do as the Vet and Farrier suggest and you will win
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Just a quick thought though .... due to his age ..... have you seen any other changes in him ??

Thinking of you and wishing you both well <<hugs>>
 
Sorry to hear this MM. I had a pony who developed stress laminitis, her pedal bone was resting on her sole. She was actually never removed from grass, living out 24/7, but was restricted and given old hay. She made a full recovery and never got it again. Hopefully Marius will soon be out and about again.
 
Thanks Sue and Donkeymad
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Eaglestone: I haven't seen any signs of Cushings in him at all. His coat is quite normal, he drinks, eats, poos and wees the same as always and looks very well indeed for his age. He is certainly alert and happy. The pics in my signature were taken last Thursday.

I am so pleased to hear how well your old boy is doing. You must care for him very well indeed.
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[ QUOTE ]
Eaglestone: I haven't seen any signs of Cushings in him at all. His coat is quite normal, he drinks, eats, poos and wees the same as always and looks very well indeed for his age. He is certainly alert and happy. The pics in my signature were taken last Thursday.

I am so pleased to hear how well your old boy is doing. You must care for him very well indeed.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am so glad that you have not seen any other changes, sounds like you are very vigilant
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Thank you very much for you kind comments ... that is so nice
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.... he is the boy in my signature, which was taken last October... it was the first time I had cantered him in 2 years, as I have been very over protective of him, as he is so so so very special ....
 
Awwwwww no C
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Sending lots of good vibes your way

A strict diet, no turnout on the dewy grass etc. Is there any way you can make his turnout much smaller or even if there a small paddock that has a really naff grass covering, almost like a starvation paddock?

That way he can go out but not gorge himself. That's what we used to do with the RS ponies and kept them ticking over
 
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A strict diet, no turnout on the dewy grass etc. Is there any way you can make his turnout much smaller or even if there a small paddock that has a really naff grass covering, almost like a starvation paddock?



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I have been told that he will have a small strip to himself which will be enlarged a little bit at a time when he's eaten it down. He will be in the field with his mates but not able to play. It's a shame, but for the best.
I just hope he gets better enough to go out.
I am such a worrier!
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Big hugs to you and massive ((((((Get well vibes to Marius))))).
YO /friend had one her mares (4 yo) with the most severe case of lami, even (very competent and experienced) farrier said he had never seen anything like it, everyone thought she would never recover from it... But she did and fought and won the battle and never surrendered (neither did YO, thank god !) and she's back in full work and her feet are fine. But boy did she fight !
I'm sure you're giving Marius the best care and he'll fight it and get over it too. Hang in there with him
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Bugger! I think it is the sunny weather following the rain. Sudden rush of grass etc. It cant always be predicted. I got caught out one year in January!!!!!
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(((((((((((((((((((((((Healing vibes)))))))))))))))))))))))))

Hope he is ok.
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So sorry to hear about Mauris,I'm sure he will be back to his old self very soon.
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Cassie got acute Laminitus last July was out 24/7 had a very sudden attack one afternoon.She had the vet spent 5weeks in a deep bed on acp,bute soaked old hay and had her special plastic shoes on fitted by my marvelous farrier
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As you can see she wasn't of the typical size that seems to be affected or so we are lead to believe
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She was Xrayed after 6 weeks no rotation at all so lucky
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so 10 months later she back out 24/7 all be it in a section of the paddock with little grass and lots of dried mud she is having some haylege in the evening, I have discussed this with the vet who is more than pleased with the set up for her she does do that well being stabled for long periods of time,but she is thriving again.Hacking out nicely and charging around the field like a loon!!

Best vibes to Marius and yourself as is really hard to see them in such pain.
 
Our pony we loan out got it after he was allowed too much grass, but has recovered well.
It is however a constant thing to be aware of forever once they have one attack.
You are going to have to find a mask that will stay on, and restrict his grazing, plus don't turn him out on frosty grass in the future.
The main thing my vet recommended was to put frog supports on for the first week or so, and to keep the horse inside for at least a month on a deep bed.
Other vets have their own ideas, but it worked for us.
I would go to the Laminitis Trust website, they are a mine of info , and follow their advice, I think the vet is called Robert Eustace? well he is the country's expert.
I am always waiting for one of the main herd to go down with it, as they have access to often lush grass, but I aminclined to think because they are always outside 24/7 their systems cope better.
I have brought Charlie the mini shetland into his summer paddock this week as I do take precautions with him, he is now in at night mostly as company for the stallion, but it's as good a time as any to be able to restrict his intake of grass.
Provided you caught the signs quite early I think Marius should make a full recovery, but it is likely to return once they've had it I'm afraid.
 
So you finally caught the little monkey then!
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Caroline, so sorry to learn you have been caught out. Mine never ever get more than an hour or so at this time of year and I am about to get some sheep on to bald everywhere off to a manageable height. You will probably become a laminitis expert over the next few weeks, and aware of the subtle and not so subtle indicators that accompany this awful affliction. Don't underestimate the discomfort they feel and honestly, a visit from the vet for the first attack is pretty much essential and worth every penny. I can get bute and ACP on demand for my old lady - Cushing's pony with laminitis as a factor - as she is well-known to the vets and seen from time to time anyway. As quickly as is sensible, put him on a very low starch, high fibre diet and on a very deep bed of shavings tosupport his feet. ACP will space him out, perhaps encourage lying down and lower his BP through vaso-dilation, helping the blood flow in his hooves (well, that's the thinking behind it). (((Hugs))) to Marius and you - this is a horrid thing to happen.
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Thank you everyone who has taken the time to reply, and for your advice, encouragement and good wishes.

I think I will get the vet out and have some ACP prescribed as I read that this will help, and today I will change his straw bed for a shavings one.

I have been thinking in terms of a couple of days' box rest, but from what you have all said, it's going to be a lot longer than that for him, poor chap. Bugger.

But thank you very much for your help xxx
 
(((hugs))) for you and (((healing vibes))) for Marius. I've seen horses with lami and could have cried at the pain they were in and they weren't even mine
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Hope he starts improving soon *crosses fingers*
 
I have battled with it for years. There are times when he is just fantastic, then bingo, its back. I have been so fed up but he always gets back on track! He is just coming off box rest this week, shoes on Tuesday and he will be back out again. Its hard living with it. I have tried everything. But we are at a new yard now, and I am hoping things will go well.This site is great as you get lots of support and you realise you arenot the only person in the UK with a laminitic!
 
It sounds like you are doing the right things with him on a deep bed etc, but it really would be a good idea to get the vet out too if you havent (apologies if I have misunderstood!). My boy has had laminitis twice- not grass induced the first time, and the vet said grass wouldn't trigger it in future, but yes it did. Anyway, back to the point of my reply... my horse got sedalin gel from the vet which acts as a vasodilator I think, to encourage blood flow to the laminae, and he also had polystyrene supports fitted (had shoes taken off) to help make him more comfortable. If your boy is as uncomfortable as you say, it would make sense to get advice from your vet. Good luck with him, hope he makes a full recovery.
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Poor Marius
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My friends pony came down with it this weekend. I was up seeing her yesterday and it would break your heart to see them in such obvious pain
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She's got a nice deep bed and apparently will not be allowed out at grass for 2 months.
 
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