Xiaomo
New User
Hi, I'll start with some background information.
I have a 20 y/o thoroughbred mare who suffered from laminitis last September for the first time for as long as we've known her (10-ish years). She recovered well and seemed fine this year. Previous to this she was turned out 24/7 all summer and kept stabled in the winter, and once she had recovered the vet said she was fine to go back to this, which she did.
This year she's been on 24/7 turnout since April and had no problems. Yesterday afternoon I brought her in from the field and she was very lame on one front leg. Checked her over for any heat/swelling in all her legs and shoulders, or any damage to her hooves. Literally found nothing wrong with her, but as I knew she had laminitis last year at a similar time I put her on box rest with a deep bed, soaked hay and wrapped her hoof up with some padding, and gave her a bute.
Today I've trotted her up twice, both times she seemed very nearly sound. What I want to know is, if it IS laminitis, is it possible she's 'recovered' so quickly because we caught it early, or is it more likely to be something else - perhaps she just bruised her sole and I couldn't see it etc.? I literally have no idea how quickly a horse can recover from laminitis but 1 night doesn't seem long enough to me, even if we did catch it early!
I'm going to give my vet a ring in the morning to see what they say, but I'm wary of putting her back out if it was the beginnings of laminitis. Any thoughts?
I have a 20 y/o thoroughbred mare who suffered from laminitis last September for the first time for as long as we've known her (10-ish years). She recovered well and seemed fine this year. Previous to this she was turned out 24/7 all summer and kept stabled in the winter, and once she had recovered the vet said she was fine to go back to this, which she did.
This year she's been on 24/7 turnout since April and had no problems. Yesterday afternoon I brought her in from the field and she was very lame on one front leg. Checked her over for any heat/swelling in all her legs and shoulders, or any damage to her hooves. Literally found nothing wrong with her, but as I knew she had laminitis last year at a similar time I put her on box rest with a deep bed, soaked hay and wrapped her hoof up with some padding, and gave her a bute.
Today I've trotted her up twice, both times she seemed very nearly sound. What I want to know is, if it IS laminitis, is it possible she's 'recovered' so quickly because we caught it early, or is it more likely to be something else - perhaps she just bruised her sole and I couldn't see it etc.? I literally have no idea how quickly a horse can recover from laminitis but 1 night doesn't seem long enough to me, even if we did catch it early!
I'm going to give my vet a ring in the morning to see what they say, but I'm wary of putting her back out if it was the beginnings of laminitis. Any thoughts?
