risk of steroid use in laminitics ?

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-kerry

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Has anyone had experience of using steroids in a horse who has had laminitis before ? . My horse has had 1 bout of laminitis 2 years ago , and now possibly has a sacro iliac injury which the vet suggested either injecting with steroids or daily dosing with a shorter acting one . Asked him re risks and he said that there is not actually any scientific evidence to prove the risk but that it is always talked about . Any suggestions or advice gratefully received as not sure what to do .
 
Depends how at risk they think your pony is


I know a pony that had a steroid injection for sweet itch a few weeks ago and has now come down with lami. Def caused by steroids and vet agrees
 
Is your vet having a laugh?!

There is a very big and very real risk of laminitis. It is grossly overplayed sometimes I think, however I think that is as a result of owners being negligent. I would probably opt for the joint injection over the oral - that is guaranteed to go through the gut as its ingested - most lami starts in the gut.

My girl had an allergic reaction so severe she couldn't graze, or move and then was unable to walk - I decided that I would rather she had lami than this - it was a PTS or steroids choice. I obi chose the steroids, on the basis that is she had lami I knew I had tried for her.

I took her off grass altogether - she had a hardcore pen and field shelter so she had space to walk about. She had half an hour (two sessions) of free schooling per day to keep her moving. She stayed in this routine for two weeks prior to steroids (as she couldn't move!) and then for three months after she finished the steroids - a total of five months in. The biggest risk is actually after the course has finished. Bear in mind this is oral steroids.

This is the resultant effect on her feet. She didn't have lami (and is a chronic laminitic) but she was tightly regulated and diet controlled excessively. Her feet have just (six months on) lost all concavity and gone flat - again due to the steroids.

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Thanks for your replies . Am seeing vet today so will discuss again , surely there must be a NSAID that could be used even if not as effective as a steroid inj ? . Not sure i can cope with the added stress and worry of an attack of laminitis along with his current problems ! . Thought would ask vet about shock wave therapy or acupuncture also .
 
My vet was very reluctant to even discuss the use of steroids on our cushings (so lami prone pony). I would go down absolutely every other avenue before using steroids on a lami risk horse.
 
My friends horse got lami after a steriod injection. Suffers madly with it now but was fine all the way upto injection so was definatly that which triggered it
 
MY pal's Icelandic pony had steroid treatment for something (either cushings or sweet itch, she had both), and shortly after she came down with lami so severe she had to be PTS.

Im pretty sure there is a big risk and most vets acknowledge it I think
 
Ask your vet for research on the use of injections into the sacro-illiac area. There is not a great deal of evidence that they work. You may be better off going the chiropractic, equine massage route.

Corticosteroids whether given by injection or orally can trigger laminitis. My vet told me that 5ccs would founder a 1000lb horse!
 
I would be extremely careful and be well informed before making the decision to go ahead. My ISH who had a sacroiliac injury and had never had laminitis before went down with it in all 4 feet following the steriod injections.
 
Thanks to all of you who took the time to reply. My vet has ruled out sacro iliac problems and is has been decided that he has neurological problems affecting his back end so will not need the steroids
 
My mare is lami-prone and has had the steroid joint injections for arthritis in her hocks and one hind fetlock. My vet discussed the risks with me but said the risk of laminitis 'isn't a reason not to do it'. We keep her in for 48 hours after the injections with no food other than 24hr soaked hay and gradually return her to grazing. She has had the hock injections twice and the fetlock injections once and touch wood she has been fine each time.
 
Just be careful that it's not a high suspensory. They are very had to diagnose and niggle away at the horse until they finally go
 
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