Please be aware: Laminitis in hind hooves

[Fudgebilly]

I just lost my lovely mare to laminitis in her hind hooves which was extremely painful. Please please be aware that horses can get laminitis in just the hinds & don't be destracted by always looking for it in the fronts. This time of year any stiffness behind get the vet! As in our case the fronts were unaffected. Her condition came on quickly & severely. I thought that I was looking after her she was turned out 24hours like we normally do this time of year but was on short grass in a restricted strip which I stupidly thought would be OK. I believe the difference this year was because the grass was under stress from livestock grazing and prolonged dry spell. Please don't be destracted like me. I just want to raise awareness as do not want anyone to go through this. M.

 

[Supertrooper]

I am so sorry to hear about your mare. I went through the same thing as you in 2008. My mare initially got it in her off fore and then it progressed to her near fore and one hindleg. She'd been on box rest for 3 months and I wasn't prepared to put her through anymore pain and also box rest with no guarantee that she'd ever have a good QOL

If I can help at all let me know xx

 

[MochaDun]

I'm so sorry to hear about your mare. We've had a gelding on our yard with laminitis just this week, not quite right last weekend though reason for footiness was assigned to something else up with a front hoof (though it may have been a contributory factor if not weight bearing properly) and then he was found barely able to walk Weds. Poor soul was in extreme discomfort. Thankfully he's eased up loads already but don't know if he's out of the woods yet. I've just been shocked how casually some people take the risk of laminitis this week, and can dismiss it...the owner of this horse said "he's just had a touch of laminitis..." and called those of us who were worried about her horse over several days "neurotic, pedantic women..." I never ever want to put my horse through that pain if I can avoid it though sometimes you're in the lap of the gods with the weather and the grass.

 

[Fudgebilly]

Thankyou for your posts. I can't get over it - the extremeness of the laminitis. My mare had coffin joint problem in the front so was looking out for problems in her fronts. I had always associated laminitis with the front then moving to the back. The vets have said that acute hind leg laminitis is usually associted to metabolic disorders such as cushings but she showed no symptoms but this does not make me feel any easier or stop me from missing her so much. Supertrooper I asm sorry to hear off your horse but sounds as though you did your very best and Mochadun I really hope he makes a full recovery. If you have the pain under control and he is more comfortable then that is half the battle. Good luck.

 

[Violett]

Hi, so sorry to hear your news - i thought i was good at managing laminitis after our pony came down with it in 2003 but then bought a pony from a friend who had cushings which was disguised by clipping etc and have been caught out agsin this year -apparently the grass has not been "normal " due to extreme weather etc - i have come to the conclusion that these happen and all you can do is your best x