My poor girl

Wagtail

Wagtail

Horse servant
Joined
2 December 2010
Messages
14,815
Location
Lincs
Visit site
I was meaning to do a positive thread. My girl who has had laminitis on and off for 18 months was looking incredible. I was back riding her and schooling her in walk trot and canter, and doing some lateral work. She was looking amazing. She is a 15.3hh 19 yr old warmblood that now weigh tapes at 496 kg. A little on the lean side due to trying to keep the laminitis away.

But a couple of days ago, she came down with it again! :( This is despite being muzzled all day and in the sand turnout at night. I have also noticed a bump on her sole near the toe that protrudes more than the hoof wall. 3 - 4 cm by 8 mm ish. I am hoping it does not mean P3 is sinking. It looks to close to the toe to be p3 though. Will get some pics later today. Keeping her in the sand for now. She is comfortable in there and doesn't look lame in walk until she is on the hard ground. She has a weak pulse in that one foot which is not what I would call bounding, and very little heat.
 
So sorry to read this, it sounds like you've tried so hard to keep the lami away, your poor mare. Could it be caused by something other than spring grass - EMS or cushings?

I hope the situation isn't as serious as you think and that she is able to recover, please let us know how she gets on.

Tx
 
That's what I hate about laminitis, just when you think you've turned a corner something else happens.
I wouldn't wish it on anybody, it was the worst 2 years of horse ownership I have ever had :(
Hope it isn't something major!
 
Argh. Sorry Wagtail and your mare. It's such a horrific illness, we've had the worst 9 months with it and even though we seem to be going well I know, like you know, it can turn against us again.
Fingers crossed for you two,
 
Have followed all your posts about this mare, so sorry to hear its reared its ugly head again. You have tried so hard for this mare and done everything humanly possible, its such a cruel disease.
Have everything crossed for you both xx
 
So sorry to read this :( like someone else said get the xrays done so you can have an answer. Sending you and your mare lots of healing vibes!!
 
amymay said:
Is she in shoes? Poor mare.
Click to expand...

No, she's been sound without shoes for the last four months.

Goldenstar said:
Was she tested for cushings wagtail.
Click to expand...

Yes, she has Cushings and EMS. She is on one prascend a day and 26 metformin. She was retested a few months ago and her levels are normal.

Pearlsasinger said:
I'm sorry to hear of this setback.
What do your vet and farrier think?
Click to expand...

The farrier is very non committal. There has been no rotation in the bad foot. He just says it is because that foot is flatter than the other that she feels it more. Doesn't think it is active laminitis. The vet has not seen her this time, but last time she was worse and basically, just have to keep her in the sand with soaked hay. The last attack lasted three weeks. I will go out and get some pics if the rain eases off.
 
Oh bummer,:( We're having similar issues with weight gain and footiness, the grass here has exploded with the recent warm weather and wet spells, it is far worse than I can remember it usually being, I haven't been able to extend the usual track any distance at all and poor mare is confined to a tiny spot. :(

I wonder if the bump on the sole that you are seeing is what is explained at the bottom of this web page http://www.healthyhoof.com/case_studies/Nick/Nicky.htm :-

"1/2009 - It is so interesting to go back and reread old articles, because what perplexed me in the past is so obvious now.

Nicky had access to a bit of pasture, his hay changed and he had a mild bout on laminitis.

Note the white line separation in the picture to the left... that is a metabolic reaction of some sort, usually a reaction to a diet change to a feed that is too rich.

The crescent shaped bump on the sole? At the time, all of the horses I trimmed had well attached walls and shorter toes that were in line with the coffin bone... this was a toe callous that became visible when his wall connection relaxed.

The sole is like a leather sling attached to the bottom of the coffin bone and attached at the wall along its perimeter. If something occurs to jeopardize the normally tight attachment, the wall "relaxes",and P3 (the coffin bone) is released to press down against the sole.

Mild laminitis like this is more likely to happen in older horses, and is much more likely to occur in the spring and fall, when horses ACTH hormone levels rise seasonally.

Most horses experiencing metabolically triggered mild laminitis have access to growing grass, which has higher sugar levels when it has been below 40 degrees at night. Mild laminitis can easily be brought on by rich hay, oat and barley hay, grains or high carb pelleted feeds. It can also be triggered by mineral imbalances such as excessive iron or a copper deficiency."


It might be worth increasing the pergolide dosage if your mare is on it to see if that helps?
 
Fransurrey said:
Get X-rays asap, Wagtail. You won't rest until you do. Hope she's ok.
Click to expand...

Just read Twostroke' answer about the toe callous. Looks like that is what it is. Rang vet this morning and he said she would be much much worse if it was sinking.

Tash88 said:
So sorry to read this, it sounds like you've tried so hard to keep the lami away, your poor mare. Could it be caused by something other than spring grass - EMS or cushings?

Yes, I thought it was under control though. I think that she managed to eat through part of her muzzle in the field a couple of days ago. It doesn't look like much of a hole, but maybe it was enough to trigger the lami. I have bought her a new one now.

I hope the situation isn't as serious as you think and that she is able to recover, please let us know how she gets on.

Tx
Click to expand...

Thank you. I feel a bit better than I did last night as she looks more comfortable and the pulse has died down a bit.

TwoStroke said:
Sorry to hear this, wagtail :(.

Fingers crossed the bump is just toe callous.

x
Click to expand...

So pleased you said this. I have googled pictures of toe callous and it looks exactly like that! :)

quirky said:
That's what I hate about laminitis, just when you think you've turned a corner something else happens.
I wouldn't wish it on anybody, it was the worst 2 years of horse ownership I have ever had :(
Hope it isn't something major!
Click to expand...

Thank you. It really is an emotional roller coaster.

TuscanBunnyGirl said:
Sorry to hear this wagtail :( Hope its a real minor bout
Click to expand...

Thanks. Hopefully.

melbiswas said:
Very sorry to read this. How disheartening.

This is such a difficult condition. Poor mare, poor you.
Click to expand...

This mare means so much to me, and is always bright and cheerful, whatever she is going through. If it had been any other horse, or if she had ever seemed miserable in herself, I would have given up and PTS a while ago.
 
ATrueClassAct said:
Argh. Sorry Wagtail and your mare. It's such a horrific illness, we've had the worst 9 months with it and even though we seem to be going well I know, like you know, it can turn against us again.
Fingers crossed for you two,
Click to expand...

Oh I am so pleased your girl is doing well at the moment. It is just so awful. I hope she doesn't have any more bouts. Fingers crossed.

hollybear said:
Have followed all your posts about this mare, so sorry to hear its reared its ugly head again. You have tried so hard for this mare and done everything humanly possible, its such a cruel disease.
Have everything crossed for you both xx
Click to expand...

Thank you. It really doesn't seem fair, especially when she looks so fantastic. In fact, a couple of people have remarked that she looks a little thin. She isn't, just fit and lean. She has lost all her fat pads and the crest she had developed, and even the hollows above her eyes had returned. It is a mystery. Maybe it IS just the flush of grass after the rain and the fact that she had torn a bit of her muzzle.

lottiepony said:
So sorry to read this :( like someone else said get the xrays done so you can have an answer. Sending you and your mare lots of healing vibes!!
Click to expand...

Yes, I will get more xrays done if she worstens or if it doesn't get better. The vet said she was not in enough pain to warrant them at present. Also there is no depression above her hoof that would indicate sinkage.

asbo said:
Sending lots of healing vibes and hugs xxxxxx
Click to expand...

Thank you!

slightlyconfused said:
Sending hugs, know how it is with just getting them sound and doing fab then something like this happens:(
Xxxxx
Click to expand...

It is so annoying. I'm having an awful run of luck last three years horsewise.
 
touchstone said:
Oh bummer,:( We're having similar issues with weight gain and footiness, the grass here has exploded with the recent warm weather and wet spells, it is far worse than I can remember it usually being, I haven't been able to extend the usual track any distance at all and poor mare is confined to a tiny spot. :(

I wonder if the bump on the sole that you are seeing is what is explained at the bottom of this web page http://www.healthyhoof.com/case_studies/Nick/Nicky.htm :-

"1/2009 - It is so interesting to go back and reread old articles, because what perplexed me in the past is so obvious now.

Nicky had access to a bit of pasture, his hay changed and he had a mild bout on laminitis.

Note the white line separation in the picture to the left... that is a metabolic reaction of some sort, usually a reaction to a diet change to a feed that is too rich.

The crescent shaped bump on the sole? At the time, all of the horses I trimmed had well attached walls and shorter toes that were in line with the coffin bone... this was a toe callous that became visible when his wall connection relaxed.

The sole is like a leather sling attached to the bottom of the coffin bone and attached at the wall along its perimeter. If something occurs to jeopardize the normally tight attachment, the wall "relaxes",and P3 (the coffin bone) is released to press down against the sole.

Mild laminitis like this is more likely to happen in older horses, and is much more likely to occur in the spring and fall, when horses ACTH hormone levels rise seasonally.

Most horses experiencing metabolically triggered mild laminitis have access to growing grass, which has higher sugar levels when it has been below 40 degrees at night. Mild laminitis can easily be brought on by rich hay, oat and barley hay, grains or high carb pelleted feeds. It can also be triggered by mineral imbalances such as excessive iron or a copper deficiency."


It might be worth increasing the pergolide dosage if your mare is on it to see if that helps?
Click to expand...

Thank you! Yes it is exactly like the picture, except it doesn't extend so far around. Thanks to you and twostroke, I am now convinced it is a toe callous.
It must cause pain in itself a bit like a corn on the foot?
 
Thanks everyone for your help once again. I am pleased to update that my girl is tons better this morning with no detectable lameness in the sand. I knew she was feeling better when I looked out of my window this morning and saw her play fighting with her companion. They were rearing up together like a pair of young colts. :D
 
quirky said:
Good news :) ... onward and upward in her recovery!
Click to expand...

Thanks. I put her out in her new muzzle and she walked up the stony track with no more trouble than the others. She looks pretty miserable in the rain though as they have the run of all the paddocks and the herd has settled in one with very short grass so she can't eat with the muzzle. I'm sure it will do her good though right now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top