Sudden Onset Laminitis in "non-typical" horse. Also in Veterniar

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SouthWestWhippet

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The horse:
Mare, 5years, approx 16hh, warmblood type (KPN x hanoverian x TB I think).

History:
Homebred, never lived anywhere else, on the same grazing she was reared on, out in a large herd (20odd horses). Grazing not particularly rich and further restricted during the day.

Recent History:
Was backed mid-June, going very well in walk and trot, seemed to really enjoy her work. At start of August, had two weeks off work for aggressive sacroid treatment (chemical cream). During this time she came in during the day to have two butes and out again at night with the herd. Hard feed at this time was h/f chaff, h/f nuts plus some sugarbeet water to disguise the bute taste.

Bute course finished about a week and a half ago. Since then she has been brought in a few times for pampering and regularly checked. Not hard fed though. Got the all clear to gently ride her again this week.

On Tuesday I lunged her (she was a bit wild though, lunging not a strength). we also went for a nice walk around in hand just because I enjoy hanging out with her.

On Wednesday I rode her in the indoor for about 15 mins in walk and trot. She was very calm, a little tense to begin but nothing out of character especially as she is still in the early stages of backing and had had two weeks off.

Came up today to take her on a quiet hack with a 'babysitter' horse and out in the field she was down, when got up, she could barely walk -really, really lame to the point that we were thinking broken bones/spinal damage etc - horrific to see. Vet called out and it is laminitis!!!! He is at a loss as to what could have caused it as nothing has really changed in her diet or management and she really isn't the breed/build/type to be prone. He is being very neutral but I think he is worried.

Obviously we are treating it in accordance with his instructions but does anyone have any experience with anything like this?

This mare is very very special to me as she was a bit of a nutter before I backed her and we have a very close bond. any thoughts would be appreciated but please be gentle.
thanks
 
Although your right, she doesnt sound the 'usual' lami type, its not impossible that she has it.

I would be wanted xrays asap to find out exactly whats going on, and whilst thats being carried out I would also be wanting tests for EMS or cushings to be safe. Could the sarcoid treatment be steroid based? Is the grass richer than you thought? Is she over weight?

Try not to panic, mine was completely crippled like you describe yours to be and he had no rotation and miminal sinking, she might just be a senstive soul.

What treatment has he suggested to you? I would obviously want her in as shes so footy on a nice thick bed to support her feet, with possible foot supports and bute/sedaline.
 
So sorry to ready this OP. I hope your mare makes a speedy recovery.

I think we are all guilty of assuming only fat ponies get laminitis when it really isn't the case. My friend had a very skinny TB who went down with lami one summer on minimal grazing, so it is possible and not always related to the grass.

Keep us posted x
 
So sorry to hear this, but hang in there, I had one come down May for no reason, vet came, x-rays, no change, bloods, all normal, tested for EMS/Cushings, possible stress/hormone related, advised box rest, when sound to get her as fit as possible, limited grazing at present too with all this strange weather........... she is currently doing walking work and looking good.

Would definately advise testing for EMS/Cushings and would push for a set of x-rays.

Keeps us updated...
 
HaffiesRock said:
So sorry to ready this OP. I hope your mare makes a speedy recovery.

I think we are all guilty of assuming only fat ponies get laminitis when it really isn't the case. My friend had a very skinny TB who went down with lami one summer on minimal grazing, so it is possible and not always related to the grass.

Keep us posted x
Click to expand...

This!

I would get x rays and EMS test. It is quite possible that the changes in routine re the treatment may have triggered but that something like EMS might be the underlying reason for being predisposed to it.

The x rays and careful examination of hooves will not only tell you if it's a chronic thing that's been building up unseen or whether it's an acute sudden attack which makes a specific event more likely to have caused it, and also how much if any rotation of the pedal bone there has been.
 
This sounds similar to our mare. We initially thought it was an abcess as very acute & only in one hind foot, but farrier thinks could be lami :(
 
asommerville said:
could it be caused by stress?
Click to expand...

^^ This and I would do a bloodtest for Cushings/EMS. My 17 yr old ISH who was of perfect weight sadly got laminitis last March. I believe it was stress induced although she was not a stressy horse, but a sensitive one. She was tested for Cushings/EMS and the results were all negative. My vets were baffled and I sadly lost her after 3 months boxrest as she had bad sinkage as well rotation.
I wish you good luck with your mare. I fed mine freshly picked cleavers and hawthorn tips, wilted nettles and dandelions including the root daily (a bucket full). These are all detoxing herbs and I believe helped.
 
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My arab mare went down with it suddenly on new years day. Been in same field for 4 years. Not overweight (maybe slightly over ideal but not fat). Was tested for Cushing's but negative. 10 years old. We don't know why. May have been stress from some mild lameness in another leg or could have been the new grass growing in the very wet conditions.
 
I dont suppose it could be medication related? Not sure if the cream would do that but was any other medication given as part of that treatment?

I know that steroids can bring on Laminitis and I am sure there are other medications that could too
 
I am afraid that Laminitis is a symptom of another condition or conditions that can cause it.

Laminitis may be caused by a number of different things (or a combination of them) such as stress, an infection, emerging encysted smallred worms, Sugar Intolerance etc.

Take a look at the Laminitis Trust Web Site which will give you further information.

While your horse has Laminitis and and for at least 6 weeks afterwards your horse should be kept in on a thick bed of shavings and fed one slice of one hour soaked hay every 4 hours.

Your vet will also need to take x-rays to determine if there has been any rotation of the pedal bone and if there is your farrier should be given sight of the x rays so that corrective shoing can be carried out.
 
was she on steroids or and antibiotics?

if you change the gut micro flora you can change sugar metabolism, and can possibly have more sugar available in the blood stream for absorption.
 
Years and years ago, my mare suddenly went down with what looked like laminitis (not the sort at all). Vet said it thought it was a result of concussion due to galloping about in the field and not to treat as laminitis. I did in fact treat as laminitis in addition to her other treatment and she recovered almost as quickly as she went lame. As her hooves grew down a very deep event line showed itself, almost like someone had scored a knife round her hoof. My conclusion was it was a brief episode of laminitis in response to some form of concussion. The ground is hellish hard at the moment.
 
A friend's pony who is slightly underweight went down with laminitis last week despite no changes in her routine, grazing etc etc and she has been previously tested for cushings/ems. When I had the vet out for a check up, they did say that this year has been horrific for laminitis and she had already seen 6 cases that day! The crazy weather is causing sudden high sugar levels in the grass and people aren't being quick enough to react to rain then full sunshine.
 
combination of bute, hard feed, stabled, then ridden then turned out and the sarcoid treatment, its not just sugars in the grass that cause lami.
 
Thank you so much everyone. First to say, she is not my mare. I am hoping to buy her because we both adore each other and I'm the only one who has ridden her. However, because of the sarcoids, I was waiting to see the results of the treatment before commiting to her. This does mean I am limited in what I can 'get done' but I will certainly be talking to the vet tomorrow about cushings. I mentioned EMS to him today as it was the first thing I thought but he seemed very confident she couldn't possibly have it. Will ask again though.

The vet also seemed confident it wasn't linked to the sarcoid treatment as that finished two weeks ago as did the bute and the hard feed. (hard feed was very very small, only enough to get the bute into her)

She is currently in, standing on a deep bed of shavings. The vet gave her an injection of painkillers and something to help with her circulation. He wants a report on her progress tomorrow.

Will continue to read and digest all your thoughtfull and helpful posts later after my daughter is in bed.
thank you againx
 
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