Sore front feet

[ester]

I'd suggest stripping the diet right back but also testing for ems and Cushings, as it's highly likely to be one, or both, that have caused this, if not cocussion, stress laminitis etc.

Cushings already confirmed but OP said recent ACTH within levels.

 

[ester]

Thanks Ester.

I'm not completely against the idea of shoes but my concern would be that she might appear sound but not be. So for now at least I'd feel happier padding/using boots I think. The Clouds look very comfy!

I'm trying not to get too ahead of myself and just concentrate on getting her comfortable for now.

definitely just aim for comfort for the right now. The reason I have a pair of oversized cavallos (intiially got for poulticing) is because I could pad them if needed to, thankfully never needed to. But if you don't have something already it would make sense to trial something made for purpose

I'll admit I struggle to get my head round nailing a shoe to a compromised hoof but would do a glue on option.

 

[Apizz2019]

Cushings already confirmed but OP said recent ACTH within levels.

Sorry, I missed that bit.
Possibly ems?
Why are horses such a worry! ?

 

[southerncomfort]

Thanks for all the replies. Apologies for not replying to them all but between caring for M and settling in my new job, I'm absolutely knackered.

Anyway, M managed to escape from her stable on Saturday night, trotted across the yard, up a stony track and then had a very jolly ten minutes trotting and cantering around the field!

Had a chat with the vet this morning. They've reviewed the xrays and the short version is that the rotation is only 5%. Vets do not think she has active laminitis and that the rotation occurred when she had it last Autumn.

However, measurements show very, very thin soles. Treading on even a very small stone would have the potential to cause a lot of soreness.

Vets want shoes or Imprints on her and as soon as she is comfortable enough I'm to get her back in to work to reduce the risk of a future attack of laminitis as obviously more rotation would be a very bad thing.

Would it be unreasonable to try hoof boots and pads first? My worry is that's she's never been shod before and can get very worried about new things.

 

[ester]

I think how feasible boots are this time of year depends very much on your set up/ they can cause issues that shoes don’t like rubbing. I’d speak to some of the uk retailers (might be worth speaking to equine podiatry supplies about her pads/what’s best to put them in).

equally I wouldnt worry about her reaction to imprints anymore than boots- obviously with boots you are going to have sole pressure (albeit with pads) whereas the imprints will give some sole relief.
If it were me I think I’d err towards putting imprints on for now.

 

[Nari]

I'd go for shoes or imprints, depending on what your farrier and vet think are most suitable. If you're that concerned that having them fitted will worry her then ask for some Sedalin and lightly dope her.

 

[meleeka]

If you can afford it I’d consider imprints.
The trouble with shoes is that they are just masking the problem.
I used to use boots and Solemates. I’ve no idea if you can still get similar, but they were very effective. Boots obviously can’t be left on 24 hours though.

 

[southerncomfort]

If you can afford it I’d consider imprints.
The trouble with shoes is that they are just masking the problem.
I used to use boots and Solemates. I’ve no idea if you can still get similar, but they were very effective. Boots obviously can’t be left on 24 hours though.

This my worry M.

I'm concerned about missing early signs of a problem if she has shoes on.

I'm looking in to Imprints but padding and booting in the meantime. She's stabled overnight and I've put the bed right up to the door so she's OK at the minute but I can always tape thin pads on overnight I suppose.

Thanks again for all the replies and support everyone. Much appreciated!

 

[southerncomfort]

Another quick update:

Pony saw the physio this week who found a very sore area right at the base of her neck. She thinks it's a bit of a chicken and egg thing with the feet and neck. She's got herself in to a vicious circle of one making the other hurt which in turn makes the other hurt even more. She's suggested xraying the neck to check for the start of a bit of arthritis.

Anyway, after one treatment she's like a different pony, trotting and cantering around the field and playing with her little Shetland friend. Feet not bothering her at all.

I'm doing carrot stretches every morning and walking her in the school to warm up her joints.

Very relieved to see her happy again!

 

[Highmileagecob]

Please be aware that if Cushings is involved, the pain response goes through the roof and does not respond well to painkillers. Therefore, your normal horse would have thrown a mild lami that you may not have noticed but the Cushings horse is in a lot of pain, although barely any symptoms. The weather does not help, warm one minute, freezing the next, and with the daylight hours lengthening, a new set of symptoms is thrown in the mix. Good luck, I hope you reach a happy ending!

 

[Highmileagecob]

So xrays show slight rotation in both front feet. Some medial imbalance but this is probably due to how she's been standing while she's been sore. Slight thinning of the soles. Doesn't look major but they are going to do proper measurements back at the clinic. Toes are a little long.

So it's possible that this is a laminitis attack without any other obvious symptoms. I'm worried because her attacks have no early warning signs or symptoms so it's impossible to know she has it until she's in pain and even then their are no heat or raised pulses.

I'm also worried about what the future holds. If she can have an attack in winter, off grass and with normal bloods then I don't see her ever being out in a field again. I just don't know if I can keep her happy living in a school/stable for the rest of her life.

All the vets who have seen her have said she is not overweight in the slightest.

More immediately the vet is talking about putting shoes on (she's never been shod), potentially heart bars.

Putting heart bars on my Cushings pony was the beginning of the end. I wish a thousand times I had listened to the farrier and continued with padded boots.

 

[southerncomfort]

Putting heart bars on my Cushings pony was the beginning of the end. I wish a thousand times I had listened to the farrier and continued with padded boots.

Thanks. I've been doing a lot of research and I think I'm going with hoof boots for now at least.

I'm not hearing anything good about any of the farriers that cover our area either which doesn't inspire confidence!

 

[sbloom]

Putting heart bars on my Cushings pony was the beginning of the end. I wish a thousand times I had listened to the farrier and continued with padded boots.

The new composite shoes that cover the whole of the back half of the hoof would be good to look at in these instances, if you had a suitable farrier to apply them of course.

 

[southerncomfort]

I've been doing an occasional soak with epsom salts and lo and behold it's drawn out some bruising!

Their are a LOT of old buried wall stones on our land, some sticking out at odd angles (I dig them up as I find them). I wonder if she might have stomped on one when she went very lame. ?

 

[ycbm]

Where is the bruising SC? If it's a crescent around the top of the frog that's a sign of an old laminitis attack.

Hopefully she just trod on a stone.
.

 

[southerncomfort]

Their are 2 bruises towards the outer edge of the sole I think. I can't remember the exact location.

I'll see if I can get a pic tomorrow.

 

[southerncomfort]

Not managed to get a pic as she's fed up with me faffing with her feet now and is becoming a bit uncooperative.

Shes been more comfortable until today but unfortunately yet more bruising has come out on the near fore. She is very, very sore (back on bute) and foot is raging hot. I've read that deep bruising can lead to a nasty abcess and I suspect this is what's happened.

Calling the vet again tomorrow as I'm completely torn as to how to manage her right now.

Physio says she needs as much turnout as possible to help her general stiffness and neck issues, and if she has an abcess she's better off moving. But if it's the bruising making her sore then she's better off in the stable ( she's in now and has been since this morning). She has thick solemates pads taped to her feet (struggling to find hoof boots that fit) but she's still very sore on that foot even on a thick bed (bute does help so the pain is controllable). Obviously can't put shoes on while the feet are so sore and bruised.

I'm pretty exhausted and worried sick I keep telling myself that she'll improve once the bruising fades but I'm losing faith.

Anyone have any happy endings to cheer me up please??

 

[Highmileagecob]

It may be worth another Cushings test just to see if things are still under control. I would tend to agree that she needs to be moving if this is an abscess brewing, but absolutely do not allow out of the box if this is a laminitis flare up. It's a tough call.

 

[southerncomfort]

It may be worth another Cushings test just to see if things are still under control. I would tend to agree that she needs to be moving if this is an abscess brewing, but absolutely do not allow out of the box if this is a laminitis flare up. It's a tough call.

Thank you.

Vets are fairly certain its not active laminitis and are putting it all down to thin soles. Physio thinks it's being exacerbated by neck pain.

I'm just losing hope a bit, but fingers crossed that the bruising coming out is the worst bit and she'll start to feel more consistently comfortable soon.

 

[Nari]

Thin soles can be linked to metabolic problems though so I wouldn't be ruling those out. Have the vets been testing for Cushings using an acth test or have they done a trh test too?

 

[southerncomfort]

Thin soles can be linked to metabolic problems though so I wouldn't be ruling those out. Have the vets been testing for Cushings using an acth test or have they done a trh test too?

She has been diagnosed with cushings and EMS. She's been on Prascend and Metformin ever since diagnosis with regular retests to check levels.

She's much more comfortable today but I've booked vet for Wednesday morning and it's one of the more senior vets, so hoping to get a plan in place for where we go from here.

 

[Gloi]

If you can get her sound in boots and pads and her meds are right exercise will help build sole.

 

[meleeka]

My PPID has very thin soles again (no laminitis for years luckily). There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it, but it happens to her periodically despite nothing changing.

 

[southerncomfort]

If you can get her sound in boots and pads and her meds are right exercise will help build sole.

Thank you. Hope we can get to that point sooner rather than later!

 

[southerncomfort]

My PPID has very thin soles again (no laminitis for years luckily). There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to it, but it happens to her periodically despite nothing changing.

I must admit i didn't really know that thin soles are a PPID thing. I guess at least now I'm aware of it I can try and prevent it happening again in the future.

 

[Gloi]

I must admit i didn't really know that thin soles are a PPID thing. I guess at least now I'm aware of it I can try and prevent it happening again in the future.

My PPID pony had thin soles and terrible feet. I had his shoes taken off and rode him in boots. Fortunately he never had laminitis. Although his feet never became great , over time his feet improved and he developed more concavity and much better soles and he could do many miles in his boots and be ridden barefoot on forgiving surfaces.

 

[southerncomfort]

My PPID pony had thin soles and terrible feet. I had his shoes taken off and rode him in boots. Fortunately he never had laminitis. Although his feet never became great , over time his feet improved and he developed more concavity and much better soles and he could do many miles in his boots and be ridden barefoot on forgiving surfaces.

Thanks, this gives me some hope!! ?

 

[Gloi]

Once she's sound as much movement as possible I found is the key.

 

[southerncomfort]

Once she's sound as much movement as possible I found is the key.

I hedged my bets last night and put her in a pen in the field. When I went out to bring her in this morning she was cantering round the pen!

Very odd but she's clearly happier being able to move about a bit. I think you're definitely right about movement being important.

 

[southerncomfort]

Vet been and its good news for once!

He pronounced her 100% sound in the school. She's sound on a hard surface too but with the odd lame step on stones which he said he's not concerned about at this stage.

He said her soles look good and are very hard now (thank you Epsom Salts!!).

We've agreed on turnout in the school 24/7 and to start thinking about very light exercise just in the school to begin with. If she stays sound we can think about reintroducing periods of field turnout in a couple of weeks or so.

Going to redo bloods towards the end of next month.

All in all he was really pleased with her and says I've done really well with managing her up to this point. He warned me that their might yet be the odd bump in the road but that's to be expected and I'm not to panic.

Feeling very relieved!