My annual WORD OF WARNING PEEPS!

Nailed

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 September 2006
Messages
8,650
Location
Stoke-on-Trent
Visit site
Just wanted to remind everyone that spring is soon upon us.

With resent weather forcasts predicting frosts, Id just like to make a post asking you all to be diligent about turning out those horses and ponies who are prone to Laminitis.

Frost prevent the fructose from traveling down the grass and therefore ups the sugars content.

Please be extra careful when turning out your neds in frost, If they are known for Laminitis, refrain from turnout until the frost has thawed.

Also, spring in its self poses difficult times for the neds, and diligence is vital, Check the legs each day for signs of a 'digital pulse' as sometimes, this can come before lameness.

I know this is done every few weeks. But the less horses with laminitis the better =o)

Eyes opens Kids =oP

Lou x

PS.. bit late this year peeps!
 

Dogstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 August 2005
Messages
1,337
Location
Devon
Visit site
I timely warning as the Spring grass has already been coming through for a couple of weeks. My laminitic suddenly got fat mid March so she is now in her starvation paddock for the Spring and Summer. Also, don't think that because your horse has been chubby for years and has never had laminitis then you are safe- WRONG! The damage can be cumulative and you can suddenly get laminitis after years of chubbiness. Dont risk it, it is a miserable illness to get through.
 

pottamus

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 November 2005
Messages
3,635
Visit site
Patronising much?

What sort of a post is that???! Why can't people post sensible warnings like this one without someone making a comment that is counter productive to the cause!
It is a sensible post about a very important and timely topic...having been through the hell of laminitis with my poor horse for 8 long months, I too believe that if one person takes action to prevent a horse getting it, then so much the better. My lad had mechanical lamnitis rather than too much food related...but I am still careful and check him daily for raised pulses of anything out of the ordinary. It really is something that takes people and horses by surprise...and then it is too late.
 

moses06

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 March 2010
Messages
487
Visit site
Didn't come across as that way to me, bit premenstrual are we :rolleyes:
thought it was rather good advice.

She said Annual, not Anal word of warning, but then that could be relevant to some ;-)

Ignore them Pedantic, I thought you made a good, valid point. Have admin made you change your siggy?? - shame if they have as it's soooooo relevant in this case!!:p
 

Nailed

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 September 2006
Messages
8,650
Location
Stoke-on-Trent
Visit site
Patronising much?


I find it sad that anyone could think that by giving someone advice on the topic of laminitis, you think Im being patronising.

Now I am..
Get off your bloody high horse, its a long way to fall..

As Enfys said... i just one person leaves a horse in off of frosty pasture and it doesnt get laminitis then my work here is done.

Laminitis is a very very nasty condition and people need al the help and advice they can get..

Your obviously new.. you obviously dont know me (or you would know that i would patronise someone over laminitis.. i would over summit else.. but not a medical condion)

Thanks to everyone else.

This post is actually word for word the one i posted this time last year.. when we still HAD FROST LOL.. wheres it gone?!

Lou x
 

MochaDun

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 September 2009
Messages
14,584
Visit site
I think it's a very sensible post to put up Nailed. I've had to look up on the net how to check for pulses in the feet and still struggling a bit to locate a pulse (which I assume not feeling any big pulse is a good thing?!) so if any of you have a really easy guide to how to do it please do put it up. Might just be that as my pony has small feet and I'm pressing in the wrong place - this is what I've been doing so far from a webpage I found:

"You can feel a horse's pulse on both his front and hind legs just over his sesamoid bones. The closest pulse point to the hoof that is relatively easy to find, this is the best place to feel for the throbbing pulse that comes with laminitis. Place your three fingers on the inside of the widest point of his fetlock. You'll feel a large vein (which doesn't have a pulse) and possibly a nerve, with the normally thinner artery resting between them. Press the vein flat to feel the pulse in the artery."
 

MurphysMinder

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 November 2006
Messages
17,770
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
Can't see what is patronising about the post, just sensible advice, and I imagine quite a few people don't realise the dangers of frosty grass, I didn't until a few years ago, and I had my first laminitic pony in the early 70s!
 

magicgirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 September 2006
Messages
500
Visit site
As the owner of a pony who got laminitis at the end of December, in the snow, and has only just started walking out in hand advice like this is excellent. Laminitis does not just occur in little fat ponies and id dreadful for both animal and owner.
 

Kenzo

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 February 2008
Messages
13,929
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
Its a good reminder actually for everyone....even for those who don't think they need to bare it in mind, its not just little fat ponies that have had lami in the past that people or younger members need to keep theirs eyes on, those slender TB's can come down with it too, not often but it does happen.
 

Kub

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 June 2009
Messages
1,081
Location
Somerset, UK
Visit site
I think it's a very sensible post to put up Nailed. I've had to look up on the net how to check for pulses in the feet and still struggling a bit to locate a pulse (which I assume not feeling any big pulse is a good thing?!) so if any of you have a really easy guide to how to do it please do put it up. Might just be that as my pony has small feet and I'm pressing in the wrong place - this is what I've been doing so far from a webpage I found:

"You can feel a horse's pulse on both his front and hind legs just over his sesamoid bones. The closest pulse point to the hoof that is relatively easy to find, this is the best place to feel for the throbbing pulse that comes with laminitis. Place your three fingers on the inside of the widest point of his fetlock. You'll feel a large vein (which doesn't have a pulse) and possibly a nerve, with the normally thinner artery resting between them. Press the vein flat to feel the pulse in the artery."

Would really appreciate this too! I've googled it but if someone could tell us in laymans terms, that would be uber useful :)
 

cloptonpartridge

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 March 2010
Messages
132
Location
suffolk
Visit site
I have a little rescue pony that suffers from the digital pulses and trying to explain that to the land owner is impossible wants me to move my paddock every day onto even more lush grass gave up in the end and turned my perminate paddock into 3 small starvation paddocks will lose the main grazing area though and not sure if i'll have enough for my two but would rather risk that then my little girl coming down with lami. if anyone has got a laymans terms way for digital pulses please put it up as i.m not sure if i'm checking right.
 

JaneyP

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 February 2010
Messages
244
Location
Oxon
Visit site
Thanks for the advice Nailed .. patronising NO I have just bought a shetland pony and have never dealt first hand with laminitis as i have been lucky with all other horses and ponios so yes you have just helped one little Shetland pony. xx
 

touchstone

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 April 2007
Messages
4,873
Visit site
I find digital pulses by running my fingers down the tendon groove and when you get to where the fetlock starts just move slightly to the back, you should be able to feel a light pulsing. You can also feel it at the back of the pastern, by lightly pressing the side of the hollow if that makes sense. It's important not to press too hard as this will make it pulse anyway, and some horses have a higher pulse than others normally, so worth getting to know what your horses individual pulse is like. It can also be raised after exercise or in hot weather, so worth bearing in mind. If you can't find one at all that's probably a good sign, (unless it means your horse is dead!:D) A pounding pulse in acute laminitis is pretty hard to miss.
For what it's worth mine had mild chronic laminitis which never had raised pounding pulses, the vet only discovered her mild intermittent lameness was laminitis after doing x-rays, so I'm always super cautious now.
 

cloptonpartridge

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 March 2010
Messages
132
Location
suffolk
Visit site
Thank you thats what i've been doing but no pulse so was worring and she still seems to be alive:). Alltough she is good at playing dead there have been a couple of pannics she even caught the welfare guy out when he came to check on her a week after she arrived:D
 

Rowreach

👀
Joined
13 May 2007
Messages
17,002
Location
Northern Ireland
Visit site
As a couple of people have already said, skinny equines get laminitis too, so don't be fooled into thinking it is just fat ponies.

Our local huntsman asked me a few years ago if all my horses were now out 24/7. I said no, we had so much grass they were only out for a few hours as I was worried about laminitis.

He laughed.

"Horses don't get laminitis," he said, "Only ponies get it!":confused::confused::mad:

And people round here think he is an Equine Oracle:eek:

So anything that educates people and helps horse welfare I'm all for it:)
 

Booboos

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 January 2008
Messages
12,776
Location
South of France
Visit site
Great post, thanks Nailed!

I used to think only far ponies could get laminitis, then learnt better, but it was only a couple of years ago that I realised that frost is a contributing factor. There is still a lot to learn about laminitis!!!
 

MrReally

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 February 2010
Messages
56
Visit site
Good post! I think its a really good idea to bring the subject up, not just for active users of the forum but for people that lurk as well :)

Its always good to hear other bits of advice you might not have thought about and a gentle reminder is always welcome, thats why I joined the forum!
 

Fransurrey

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 April 2004
Messages
6,503
Location
Surrey
Visit site
Also, don't think that because your horse has been chubby for years and has never had laminitis then you are safe- WRONG! The damage can be cumulative and you can suddenly get laminitis after years of chubbiness. Dont risk it, it is a miserable illness to get through.


Completely agre, Dogstar. Henry was 16 (2 yrs ago) when he got his first LGL attack. Luckily not full blown, but he has remained susceptible ever since. He had been much fatter in previous years! He's been on a diet since Feb and the muzzle is hovering already...
 

NotAnotherChestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2009
Messages
118
Visit site
Not patronising at all, just good advice and a timely reminder for everyone, so thanks.

My girls are (hopefully) about to move off their winter paddocks this weekend.. (don't even get me started on my soapbox about that one, you'll never get me down..!) - My oldie 16.2hh good-doer ID will be immediately muzzled up (much to her disgust), but my little one will be going out without a muzzle. Now, I only intend to put them out in the new paddocks initially for a couple of hours at a time so it's a slow transition for them, but are there any extra measures I can take to make sure I minimise the risk? (Sadly fencing off an area is not ever going to be an option..)
 

TheresaW

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 January 2006
Messages
8,807
Location
Nottinghamshire
www.justgiving.com
I actually think posts like this can only be a good thing. I am incredibly lucky that I have never seen or dealt with a horse with laminitis and have been involved with horses on and off for 30 years. (Only owned my own for the last 8 years). My gelding last year ballooned in weight in a very short space of time. This was all down to new yard and him being all round happier. I was terrified he was going to get it, although until reading posts like this, thought it most unlikey a big young horse would be susceptible. Through muzzling and hard work, I got his weight down, and so far it has stayed down. Once they are out 24/7, the muzzle will be on again. I also now look after my friends older section D, and he is always a little on the larger side. He is being muzzled already.

I know it isn't just weight that causes it.
 
Top