Please!!! Any Laminitis rehab tips/recommendations/help/support please!!!

[SilverLy]

Hiya,
I’m really sorry to ask for advice that’s been asked a million times, and I’m sorry for the long post, so anyone willing to read the whole thing - thank you thank you thank you!!!

My 22yr old Welsh 12.2 pony with Cushings (who I’ve owned since we were both 6) has been on loan for the past five years and I’ve recently discovered he’s had laminitis 4 times whilst with these people. I’m sure they did their absolute best, they do love him, I think they just didn’t have the time for him and this level of care anymore, with kid off to school and mum working.

He’s had it currently for 3 months and has not gotten better this time. He’s arrived back home with me a couple days ago and I’m going to desperately try and rehab him.

He’s lived in an isolated stable with no exercise (field couldn’t be sectioned off for him anymore) at the loaners and he seemed very depressed when I picked him up - I guess from not being able to socialise. He didn’t even want to get up off the floor, which freaked me out completely. He’s not overweight and is on a very low sugar diet with bute and his prascend tablet.

Now he’s back with me, he’s in a very soft ground small enclosure next to his friends and he’s a different pony from just being near them, and is sounder on softer ground but still sore.

His feet are not abnormally warm and from what I can see have very minimal separation of the sole from the hoof wall. However they are very sore and bruised. He apparently had x rays the last time he had a bout and they were fine. My farrier has seen him and recommended boots (vet is also coming tomorrow).

I’m thinking of buying the Easyboot cloud therapy boot with foam pads for his comfort. I’ve also heard hoof ice boots can help?? And iodine on the sole?

ANY other random tips, supplements, ointments you’ve heard from a farrier, vet, hoof rehab specialist, your friend’s twice removed cousin’s aunt etc. would be so amazing!!

I’m sorry for the long post, I’d just love to give this little guy a chance.

 

[Melandmary]

I am sorry to hear about your little pony, it is quite distressing seeing them suffer with lami. I have had 2 ponies come down with lami mainly due to the fact that my grazing is far too rich for natives but I have learnt how to manage them now. First and foremost is their comfort- and yes boots and pads are a good idea. I used the flex boots because they are not so closed in as some brands which made the heel bulbs go soft . NO grass at all was the second thing until the lami episode was over and then it was really carefully reintroduced- both ponies can cope with different amounts. Mainly you need to find out what triggered it and avoid that- both mine had ems and needed to lose weight - in your case is it due to the bushings? All feed including hay must be under the 10%combined sugar and starch and actually during a laminitis episode I would soak hay even if it was under. I have found that using the supplement L94 from trinity really helped. Good foot trimming is also key. Every horse is different- on vet’s advice 1 of mine was box rested for a month but the second pony would not have coped with that so she stayed in the barn/ hardstanding area. I think once they have had it you learn to adapt their whole management system so they touch wood never get it again. I hope your pony is feeling better soon

 

[winnie]

Agree with all above and I'm sure you will get loads of advice but just want to say Cloud boots are fantastic, well worth the investment. They were a lifesaver for one of my ponies and have massively helped a couple of other ponies I lent them to. Also, as he has cushings, has he been re-tested recently - his meds may need upping. Maybe test for EMS also even though he is not overweight. There are many supplements etc which people swear by but, tbh, I'm not convinced over any other than adding salt to feeds. The key is working out a management system which is often a case of trial and error, as M says, all horses are different.

 

[TheMule]

I think you need to get hold of this x-rays of have your own set done

 

[shortstuff99]

It would also be worth having his Cushing levels checked as if it is high then the laminitis will linger on.

Strictly no sugar, no grass, soaked hay and no sugar basic chaff for supplements.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Test for ems and re test for cushings chances are his blood sugar levels are through the roof and there are lots of medication for it now, you won't control the laminitis if you don't medicate the underlying cause.

My friends Welsh a was crippled and once they ran bloods and she went on the medication she was so much better even after only being on it a week.

Boots or padding will really help even very thick foam duct taped to his soles will make him more comfortable.

 

[SilverLy]

Hey thank you all so much for the replies. Vet came out and gave him some pads which have eased the soreness. He is already scheduled for his yearly insulin blood test in February anyway so we’ll hopefully know by then whether to up his Prascend.
Vet is also going to come back to x ray his feet in a couple weeks, with farrier there too and we can go from there… hah it’s getting expensive I tell you . But he’s like family so what can you do? I’ve also ordered Timothy hay all the way from Devon which is meant to have the lowest sugar content in all the types of hay so he’ll get a tiny bit of that to keep his fibre up.
I’m just hoping all this will help him anyways. Thank you all again

 

[mcgreggor]

I wouldn't ice. The bloodflow to laminitc hooves is already compromised so you may make things worse.

Definitely boot and pad, I use boa boots with easycare soft pads on my shetland.

Tested hay, it can make so much difference. Sounds like you have that covered.

A good vit/min supplement. Mine is on equimins advance in a handful of honeychop lite.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would have asked the vet to take bloods for a Cushings test yesterday tbh. Until you know if he needs an increased dose you won't really know what's going on.