patchesothello
New User
need advice
need advice on laminitis
- Thread starter patchesothello
- Start date
eekmon
Well-Known Member
Like what? Feeding, routine, the list could go on...
baybeejay01
Well-Known Member
what kind of advice? Need more info!
SirenaXVI
Well-Known Member
Has your vet seen the pony?
Thistle
Well-Known Member
MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
1 - Get the vet out straight away
2 - Follow advice on feed / routine etc. set out by vet
2 - Follow advice on feed / routine etc. set out by vet
patchesothello
New User
the vet has seen my pony and he is better finished bute and on limited turnout, would like to communicate with other horsey people as to how it changed thier routine etc, will it always be a starvation paddock/stable or what?
patchesothello
New User
many thanks have already been to the site very helpful while pony got lami but not on after care routine, need more info on work load and feeding,some say dont starve pony some say limit intake ??
patchesothello
New User
yes and he on way to recovery thank god
ClareMc
Well-Known Member
I keep mine on starvation paddock March to October and keep him in at night about 40% of the time just as an additional effort to keep his weight down.
Keep a close eye on his weight, this type of pony can still gain weight on very little grass, if his weight is going up harsher starvation routine (you have to be very cruel).
After Oct let him out on to big field, but even then really need to watch - mine got laminitis in Dec on a patch of lush grass by a stream that floods and keeps the grass going all year.
Hope this helps
Keep a close eye on his weight, this type of pony can still gain weight on very little grass, if his weight is going up harsher starvation routine (you have to be very cruel).
After Oct let him out on to big field, but even then really need to watch - mine got laminitis in Dec on a patch of lush grass by a stream that floods and keeps the grass going all year.
Hope this helps
eohippus
Well-Known Member
Limit grass intake, especially at this time of year as the fructons are very high with the september flush and rainfall. Although you limit this he must have something going through his system because horses are grazers, and starvation could lead to more with gut related problems, they will also store anything as fat as reserves for hard times. high starvation also leads the body eventually to use muscle proteins for energy which will effect the muscles.
Try to provide old but not dusty/musty hay as the nutrients will be low but it will give him something to munch on and help keep the hind gut low in toxins that build up and cause lamanitis. regular exercise will help, but take things slow whilst he is still suffering. Sometimes exercise in the morning and evening for shorter times rather that one long exercise is better. Adding lamanize or similar to high fibre chaff may help. There is no reason that this can be easily controlled from now on but grazing must be monitored. Short new grass is higher in sugars, but unfortunately the stuff they love the most. normal grazing after a hard rainfall or after frost is also detrimental.
Muzzling may help in the spring/summer/autumn months, but if the grazing is that good where you are, muzzling all year round may be an option. If the pony is a good doer he can easily be maintained on hay and roughage alone and should not need any form of hardfeed.
hope this helps
Dawn
Try to provide old but not dusty/musty hay as the nutrients will be low but it will give him something to munch on and help keep the hind gut low in toxins that build up and cause lamanitis. regular exercise will help, but take things slow whilst he is still suffering. Sometimes exercise in the morning and evening for shorter times rather that one long exercise is better. Adding lamanize or similar to high fibre chaff may help. There is no reason that this can be easily controlled from now on but grazing must be monitored. Short new grass is higher in sugars, but unfortunately the stuff they love the most. normal grazing after a hard rainfall or after frost is also detrimental.
Muzzling may help in the spring/summer/autumn months, but if the grazing is that good where you are, muzzling all year round may be an option. If the pony is a good doer he can easily be maintained on hay and roughage alone and should not need any form of hardfeed.
hope this helps
Dawn
eohippus
Well-Known Member
just to add, to help even more wetting hay for at least an hour in fresh cold water before feeding also helps . no grazing in the afternoon as this is worse time of day.
hope this helps
Dawn
hope this helps
Dawn
patchesothello
New User
thank you so much i need as much information as possible as i dont want to do wrong thing by my pony, he on restricted grazing and hay only,have started gentle walking, but am not sure if he should be shod, as he has always been kept barefoot,some say he needs front shoes now ,any advice on this?
patchesothello
New User
but how do they get so fat on a very restricted diet,my pony has gained an inch on his diet so i have cut him down more, but need to keep his gut working on something?
PeterNatt
Well-Known Member
Firstly you need to learn how to take the 'Digital Pulse' of your horse. An increase in amplitude of the 'Digital Pulse' may indicate the onset of Laminitis and with this tool you can learn when to take him off grass and keep him in so as to avoid another incidence of Laminitis. You should take the Digital Pulse twice a day.
Laminitis can be caused by several different things or a combination of them. Such as increased amount of Fructans in the grass, Emerging encystead small Redworm, Medical Shock, Working on Hard Ground and Cushings Disease.
Your vet needs to determine what caused the last incident of Laminitis and a blood test may help to determine this.
While a horse is suffering from Laminitis it may need to be put on Bute or even Finodyne if it is in a lot of pain, also ACP. If the horse has Cushings then it will need to permanently be on Pergolide etc. An indication of Cushings is not just a curly hairy coat but also a build up of fatty areas below or above the eyes. Some horses as young as 8 can suffer from Cushings Disease.
Your horse should also be x rayed to determine if there has been any movement in the Pedal Bone and if so the farrier can consult with your vet and discuss the best method of shoeing him.
For the next year after an incidence of Laminitis your farrier will notice a widening of the white line on the hoof and when the new hoof has grown through it should get back to a normal thin white line.
The secret is the management of your horse as with good management you can dramatically reduce the chances of it suffering another attack of Laminitis.
Laminitis can be caused by several different things or a combination of them. Such as increased amount of Fructans in the grass, Emerging encystead small Redworm, Medical Shock, Working on Hard Ground and Cushings Disease.
Your vet needs to determine what caused the last incident of Laminitis and a blood test may help to determine this.
While a horse is suffering from Laminitis it may need to be put on Bute or even Finodyne if it is in a lot of pain, also ACP. If the horse has Cushings then it will need to permanently be on Pergolide etc. An indication of Cushings is not just a curly hairy coat but also a build up of fatty areas below or above the eyes. Some horses as young as 8 can suffer from Cushings Disease.
Your horse should also be x rayed to determine if there has been any movement in the Pedal Bone and if so the farrier can consult with your vet and discuss the best method of shoeing him.
For the next year after an incidence of Laminitis your farrier will notice a widening of the white line on the hoof and when the new hoof has grown through it should get back to a normal thin white line.
The secret is the management of your horse as with good management you can dramatically reduce the chances of it suffering another attack of Laminitis.
Tia
Well-Known Member
Please do not starve your pony - you can create dreadful problems by doing this. As Eohippus says, feed the pony hay with a far lower nutritional value/Dengie Hi-fi Lite as a hay replacer.
When my pony had laminitis I fed her ad-lib Dengie Lite with the correct amount of Farriers Formula - that's all she was fed until she recovered.
The worst thing you can do to a laminitic (or any horse) is starve it. I honestly can't believe that in this day and age people still believe that this is the correct way to go.
When my pony had laminitis I fed her ad-lib Dengie Lite with the correct amount of Farriers Formula - that's all she was fed until she recovered.
The worst thing you can do to a laminitic (or any horse) is starve it. I honestly can't believe that in this day and age people still believe that this is the correct way to go.
patchesothello
New User
have now learned to check his pulse , am keeping close eye on his weight he is still a bit podgy ,we dont know what caused this lami but think it may be shock induced. that morning my friend got him in and noticed a small hole in his nose,looked like pellet from airgun,he was subdued but walking fine by the evening when i went to yard he couldnt walk, vet came and said lami,he was only off feet for about 3 days and is getting better every day, i wish horses could talk!
patchesothello
New User
am trying to find some old hay at mo, want lower nutrional value so can then feed ad lib, my pony is a bit fat,so am keep eye on this, he has handfull fibrecare and yesac added on vets advice have also put haynet within small hole haynet to slow down his hay consumption, make it last longer,cant bear to see him hungry
Thistle
Well-Known Member
Are you soaking his hay for at least 3 hours to remove all the sugars.
Another useful feed is Speedibeet, soaked as per instruction, then drained and squeezed out then rinsed a few times with clean water. This removes soluble sugars and leaves a good source of fibre.
Another useful feed is Speedibeet, soaked as per instruction, then drained and squeezed out then rinsed a few times with clean water. This removes soluble sugars and leaves a good source of fibre.