The lami episode I was dreading ...

[TwyfordM]

Finally “out” ?

 

[scats]

Amazing news!

 

[DiscoPony]

So my little welsh has always had random bouts of laminitis. Usually acute with no warning signs, not over weight etc or on ton of grass or feed. She had already had one bout when I took her on at the age of 5 (now 17)
Since then we had one maybe 9 years back that was very acute but full recovery within two weeks. Another about 5 years back and when we had a sudden flush of grass after flooding (was in work and fit and I was hoping we would get away with it - we didn’t) unfortunately had to move her about two weeks into episode and we had minor rotations with offside fore being the worst but still pretty minor. No changes in hoof trimming etc needed. Took about 2 months for full recovery but came sound again.

At this point tested for Cushings. Test came back very slightly above the threshold. We tried prascend but the side effects were so bad and with her being only slightly too high we decided to not Medicate yet she just keep an eye on symptoms.

Since then, no signs the Cushings was getting any worse. Testing showed it was still very much on the borderline so could just be stress of blood tests etc as she’s an unholy cow the minute she spies a needle ??‍ If anything she was looking really well.
We commented a couple of months back how she doesn’t look like she’s got it at all .. tempting fate apparently!

In between lami episodes she’s damaged a few vertebra in her neck through what we think was a rotational fall jumping a 5 bar gate (she’s 12.1hh ?) so that was another long period of box rest. We’ve also had a few colics and liver issues but all seems to be resolved there. Neck injury means she’s retired but she still goes out for walks and odd free school/lunge when she’s not too stiff.

Few weeks back I noticed when turning out that she was a bit footy on the stones. So we turned around and went back to stable. Cresty neck sprung out of nowhere and coat growing back in ??‍ Few days later still a very minor lameness in all 4 feet so I called the vet out figuring if we hit it hard with full lami regime we might be able to stop it becoming a big issue. Vet agreed. Weeks box rest. Bit of bute. Let’s check her ACTH again and see if levels changed.

Levels are now double the high end of the normal range, so we decided to try pergolide (Bova) paste to see if she had less side effects. So far so good. She seems happy in herself.

But, the laminitis a few days after last bute and two weeks after the initial appointment, Seems to have got dramatically worse. The offside fore is pretty bad now, and other front is going the same way. She is full blown acute attack. Not rocking back as all 4 feet but very reluctant to move etc

She’s due another ACTH test next week and we are going to do X-rays some point over next few days and Insulin resistance test. But the way she is now, I’ll be shocked if there’s nothing going on internally ?

If it’s definitely got dramatically worse and I would rather know ASAP if we need to get supports on her feet/it’s too far gone now. Rather than her struggling on unnecessarily.
She’s got such weird symptoms, heat in the hooves is intermittent. No consistency. No pulses. I’m looking at her feet and I’m no expert but having owned her for a long time - I feel like the angle of growth has changed which worries me. So I’m wondering if it’s just the Cushings or if there’s something else going on ...

She’s been on box rest, huge shavings bed. Handful of hifi for meds. Soaked hay and I don’t think she’s dropped any weight ? which is unusual for her as she usually has the bloody metabolism of a TB, can’t keep weight ON her? Usually even after two weeks of laminitis regime she’s approaching hat rack body type.

This is her yesterday...

View attachment 75363

Ive just been up to the vets to pick up more bute for her and dose has been upped.

I love this little mare more than I can say but I have an awful feeling we may have reached the end of the road, won’t know for sure til X-rays are taken, but I don’t know how I feel about extended periods of box rest/restricting more than she already iswhen she’s dealt with so much over the years already.

Frustrating thing is she’s a tough little cookie and a fighter. Still her normal cheeky self. She’s got the will to keep going for sure, but I’m also aware that she’s very very stoic and if she’s now looking very uncomfortable walking that’s not a good sign.

Any ideas/advice appreciated.
I won’t let her suffer on if outcome is unlikely to be good, but while she’s still got her stubborn fighter mentality on I feel like I need to at least give her a chance.

My elderly dartmoor mare has suffered from laminitis on and off for years. I have her feet trimmed every 4 weeks and she wears hoof boots when hacking out to cope with stoney ground. The last bout she had, I fed her nettles, dandelion, milk thistle, cleavers and cow parsley and she was sound within a week! I make sure I continue to offer this in her turnout. She's the best she's been in a long long time.
I appreciate your ponies case may be more severe, but with laminitis I know u end up very much clutching at straws sometimes.

 

[TwyfordM]

[youtube]

Pretty happy with how she’s moving/looking at the moment. She can have a bit of mechanical lameness from the neck injury and can move a bit odd on back end. But she definitely seems like she’s moving a lot free-er?

?



Having some turnout in a small pen with minimal grass and so far so good ?? Except the attempt at jail breaks ?

 

[splashgirl45]

shes looking very good... nice that she can be out at last...

 

[TwyfordM]

Pens been upgraded to include a little bit more grass, although it’s mostly weeds. Still only going out for 2 hrs but hoping to do a half day on Saturday now it’s not so small hopefully she won’t be bored after an hour ?